'I am Lee Young-ji.' When someone asks, I play this song. It's my favorite self-introduction in the world.
On the 18th, when the final recording of 'The Seasons - Lee Young-ji's Rainbow' took place, the first song of the 'Lee Young-ji Show,' which started after the stages of YB and The Volunteers, was 'I am Lee Young-ji.' Lee Young-ji, who debuted at 18 through Mnet's 'High School Rapper,' became the MC of KBS's late-night music program 'The Seasons' at the age of 22. It was a moment when she clinched the title of 'youngest MC.'
Lee Young-ji's selection for 'The Seasons,' which has seen the likes of Jay Park, Jannabi's Cho Jung-hoon, AKMU, Lee Hyori, and Zico, was surprising and also a message that shows another change and challenge. Production director Choi Seung-hee noted during the press conference, 'I haven't known Lee Young-ji for long, but every time I see her, I wonder if she's the right age because she's mature and talented in many ways. Especially considering that 'The Seasons' is a program that introduces various music and artists and that it's a program beloved by the demographic aged 20-49 on KBS, I thought she could represent this generation and could play a bridging role between seniors and juniors in the music scene of our country and overseas.'
Lee Young-ji also expressed, 'I don't think the production team expected my innate hosting ability or deep musical insight. I thought to myself that they likely need a different perspective, as well as a Gen Z mindset, and being given the opportunity to host at a young age is a chance that will help my future musical and broadcasting career, so I am very pleased. Here, I will present a more organized and qualitatively high-standard conversation,' sharing her aspirations on how she will bring her own color to 'The Seasons.'
Having begun her first recording on Sept. 24, 2024 (broadcast date: Sept. 27, 2024), Lee Young-ji will conclude this journey on Feb. 18, 2025 (broadcast date: Feb. 21, 2025). During the roughly five months, she met 85 guest teams and completed 20 episodes, marking a record for the longest-serving MC of 'The Seasons.'
Despite the pressure of being the youngest and responsibility of being the longest-serving, Lee Young-ji led 'The Seasons' with her characteristic confidence and honesty. Thanks to the vibrant energy she brought, 'The Seasons' became younger and more enjoyable. The 'APT.' stage performed with Rosé garnered over 24 million views on YouTube, and the challenge with Hwasa received over 19 million views on Instagram, truly making it a 'history.'
As it was a public broadcasting program, viewers might have seen a calm and organized Lee Young-ji, but they also saw her unique energy. Lee Young-ji, who has become a 'hybrid' with deep music discussions and short video content, shook off the concerns of being 'youngest' and grasped the title of 'longest-serving,' engraving her name deeply into 'The Seasons.' Now, if anyone is curious about Lee Young-ji, how about recommending a revisit of 'The Seasons' along with 'I am Lee Young-ji?' /elnino8919@osen.co.kr
[OSEN = Reporter Jang Woo-young]