Kim Yong-bin of 'Mr. Trot 3' has become the third winner.
In the 'Mr. Trot 3' program aired on TV CHOSUN on the 13th, the TOP 7 (Son Bin-a, Choi Jae-myung, Kim Yong-bin, Cheon Rok-dam, Nam Seung-min, Choo Hyuk-jin, Chun-gil) showcased the most meaningful songs in their lives during the 'Life Song Mission,' decorating the final stage of 'Mr. Trot 3.'
That day, Chun-gil, who became a trot singer in memory of his father who passed away first, took the stage. He performed Jeong Ui-song's 'Unforgettable Love' during the final round, receiving high praise from Jang Yoon-jung, Young-tak, and Joo Young-hoon, who rated it a perfect score of 100 points and a minimum of 97 points.
Chun-gil, overwhelmed with emotion, said, "It took a lot of courage just to participate in this competition. I thought there was nothing I could do as an old fleeting singer, and I lived giving up many things, but I want to say I love and thank my son, who gave me courage while worrying about whether he would do well, to my mother, who has been anxious about it."
Choo Hyuk-jin, a repeat contestant on 'Mr. Trot,' showcased a mature performance and received a perfect score of 99 points and a minimum of 90 points from the masters. He then stated, "There is a 17-year age gap with my older sister," and added, "My mother gave birth to me at 44 years old. My parents have been genuinely praying for me." He sung Choo Gyo-yeol's 'I Pray for You' passionately, achieving a top score of 100 points and a minimum score of 90 points.
Cheon Rok-dam, who challenged himself under the name Cheon Rok-dam instead of Lee Jeong, a singer for 24 years, performed Nah Hoon-ah's 'Gong' on the final stage. Coincidentally, it was also the day he underwent kidney cancer surgery two years ago. Cheon Rok-dam, who was already emotional before starting, revealed the reason for choosing Nah Hoon-ah's 'Gong', saying, "Since living as Cheon Rok-dam, I have revisited this song, and the line 'You will understand as you live' brings me to tears endlessly."
Cheon Rok-dam's poignant performance moved everyone. In particular, Park Sun-joo expressed disappointment over Nah Hoon-ah's retirement announcement, stating, "As an old fan, I felt very pleased to see young Nah Hoon-ah in Cheon Rok-dam. If he continues to embrace the characteristics of a singer-songwriter, I believe this will mark the birth of a beautiful star." Cheon Rok-dam received a top score of 100 points and a minimum score of 94 points.
Kim Yong-bin, who chose Nah Hoon-ah's 'Thank You,' passionately sang in memory of his late grandmother. Amid tears from everyone during the moving performance, Kim Yeon-ja stated, "It was so wonderful. Kim Yong-bin had a seven-year hiatus before returning to activities. I believe that after wondering so much during those seven years, he could deliver such a beautiful song." She continued, "I think the grandmother in heaven will be in tears and happy. That was an amazing stage." As a result, Kim Yong-bin received a perfect score of 100 points and a minimum of 95 points, and with a smile at the end of the final stage, he said, "I can finally sleep peacefully."
Choi Jae-myung sang Jang Min-ho's 'Yeonriji' while thinking of the colleagues he met on 'Mr. Trot 3.' Emotional about his colleagues, he burst into tears just before the final verse, and everyone eagerly awaited, pleading, "Just one word, please." Barely holding back tears and completing the song, Choi Jae-myung received a top score of 100 points and a minimum score of 95 points.
Finally, Son Bin-a appeared. Choosing Park Woo-cheol's 'Yeonmo,' Son Bin-a performed a stage reminiscent of a concert, saying, "This is a song my grandmother loves." Amid the masters' rave reviews, ahead of the score announcement, the production team quickly summoned Kim Seong-joo. Kim Seong-joo said, "An unexpected situation has occurred. This is the first of its kind in the third season, so we had a meeting with the production team. However, we will proceed as per the usual process," drawing attention.
The masters looked at the scoreboards in disbelief, and at that moment, Son Bin-a received a historic perfect score, achieving 100 points for both the highest and minimum scores, causing a sensation in the studio.
Finally, the top three winners of 'Mr. Trot' were revealed. Before announcing the winners, the special award 'Hallyu Star Award' was presented. Japanese master Takahashi Yoko selected Choi Jae-myung, saying, "He is cute and can be liked by all generations. I believe he can grow to become the best singer." Kim Seong-joo explained that Choi Jae-myung, selected as the recipient of the Hallyu Star Award, will participate in the final performance of Mr. Trot Japan.
As a result of combining the total points from the masters and the national support voting scores, Son Bin-a and Kim Yong-bin tied for first place, while Chun-gil was in third place, Nam Seung-bin in fourth, Choi Jae-myung in fifth, Cheon Rok-dam in sixth, and Choo Hyuk-jin in seventh. Regarding this, Kim Seong-joo noted, "Having a tie for first place in the mid-ranking is something that has never happened before," expressing surprise.
With only the real-time text vote remaining to determine the final ranking, the question arose: who would win the glory of becoming the third 'Mr. Trot' winner? The final ranking results of 'Mr. Trot 3' concluded with Choo Hyuk-jin in seventh, Nam Seung-min in sixth, Choi Jae-myung in fifth, and Chun-gil in fourth. Most notably, Cheon Rok-dam, who was in sixth in the mid-ranking, surprised everyone by entering the top three.
Cheon Rok-dam's miracle stopped at third place, 'Mi.' Among the tie of Kim Yong-bin and Son Bin-a, who were in first place in the mid-ranking, Kim Yong-bin ultimately claimed the top spot, becoming the third Mr. Trot winner, while Son Bin-a took the second place. Kim Yong-bin remarked, "If my grandmother saw this, she would have been so very happy. I've sung for decades, but this is my first time claiming first place. Thank you. I will work hard going forward."
[Photo] Captured from 'Mr. Trot 3' broadcast screen.
[OSEN Reporter Park Ha-young]