'Mr. Trot 3' glory's truth has been claimed by Kim Yong-bin.
According to a Nielsen Korea report on the 14th, the live broadcast of the final of 'Mr. Trot 3' aired on TV CHOSUN on March 13 recorded a nationwide rating of 19.1%, marking an astonishing increase of 3 percentage points compared to the previous episode, setting a new record for its highest-viewership. This is an impressive achievement, ranking first among all programs across broadcast, general cable, and cable channels aired on March 13.
'Mr. Trot 3', which began on Dec. 19, 2024, under the slogan 'a great first step to create the K-trot craze beyond Korea to the world,' concluded its four-month journey with the live finale on March 13. After fierce competition, the TOP 7 took the stage for the final performance with their most meaningful 'life songs.' The emotionally charged performances of the TOP 7 touched the audience deeply, and the coronation of the third truth trophy went to Kim Yong-bin.
The first performer, Chun-gil, sang Joeng-ui-song's 'Unforgettable Love' in memory of his deceased father. He transitioned from being Ballad singer Moses to challenge himself in trot under the name Chun-gil. Chun-gil poured his emotions into his song and shed tears after finishing. He expressed, 'I have sacrificed a lot while living as an old shimmering singer. I want to say I love you and thank you to my mother, who has been a source of courage for me,' sharing his feelings after the competition.
The second stage was graced by Chu Hyuk-jin. Challenging for the third time on 'Mr. Trot', Chu Hyuk-jin stepped away from his specialty in performance to take the final stage with the poignant emotional tune 'Wildflower' by Ju Byeong-seon. He sang with full sincerity and moved the hearts of the master and the audience. After finishing, Chu Hyuk-jin shared, 'I haven't had a day without worry since I decided to challenge this season,' expressing gratitude to his family, stating, 'Thank you for being my reason for living.'
The third performer was 'National Grandson' Nam Seung-min. He expressed his gratitude to his parents, who always pray for him as a late-born child, by singing Jin-seong's 'I Pray.' During the song, he bowed deeply towards his parents in the audience, bringing a heartfelt moment. Master Jin-seong, who has watched the trot prodigy Nam Seung-min since childhood, praised him, saying, 'He has grown tremendously compared to when he was little.'
The fourth contestant was Cheon Rok-dam. After abandoning his stage name Lee Jeong-ju, a singer for 24 years, he took to the trot stage under the name Cheon Rok-dam and shared that his life is divided into before and after his kidney cancer surgery two years ago, saying he lives a grateful life. Cheon Rok-dam chose Nah Hoon-a's 'Gong' for his performance, delivering an emotionally charged stage. Both Cheon Rok-dam and masters Park Sun-joo and So Yi-hyun were moved to tears. Master Young-tak stood up and bowed 90 degrees, saying, 'He encapsulated his life in song.'
The fifth stage was presented by Kim Yong-bin. He took on 'Mr. Trot 3' for his late grandmother’s last wish, singing Nah Hoon-a's 'Gratitude' with heartfelt longing for her. During the song, Kim Yong-bin became emotional, struggled to compose himself, and shed tears after the performance. Master Kim Yeon-ja, who cried alongside Kim Yong-bin during his performance, commented, 'It's because he pondered a lot during his seven-year hiatus that he could deliver such a wonderful song,' adding, 'I'm sure your grandmother in heaven would have been very happy.'
The sixth performer was Choi Jae-myung. Having his first audition experience with 'Mr. Trot 3', Choi Jae-myung sang his life song 'Yeonlij' by Jang Min-ho in the finals. He focused on the stage, thinking of his colleagues who became one with him during 'Mr. Trot 3'. Choi Jae-myung burst into tears from the overwhelming emotions. The TOP 7 also shed tears backstage. Special judge and Japanese diva Takahashi Yuko, who participated as a guest judge, highly praised him, saying, 'It must be heaven's will.'
The final performer was Son Bin-a. After becoming part of the TOP 7, Son Bin-a visited her grandmother. Upon seeing her grandchild, her grandmother exclaimed, 'I thought I would die from missing you,' and hugged her tightly. Son Bin-a chose 'Yeonmo' by Park Woo-cheol, her grandmother’s favorite song, which she took care of her during her childhood. The explosive vocal performance by Son Bin-a shone brightly, receiving a standing ovation. As a result, Son Bin-a achieved a historic feat of earning the perfect score from the masters.
After the performances of the TOP 7, the interim rankings for the finals were revealed. The final scoring was based on 1,500 points from the masters, 300 points from the online public support votes, and 1,200 points from the real-time text votes, making a total of 3,000 points. Son Bin-a received the maximum score of 1,500 points from the masters, while Kim Yong-bin achieved a perfect score of 300 in the online public votes, leading both to tie for first place in the interim scores at 1,790 points. It is unprecedented in the history of 'Miss Trot' and 'Mr. Trot' for the interim rankings to have a tie for first place. Ultimately, the final rankings were determined by the real-time text votes from the public masters.
The overall first place truth went to Kim Yong-bin, who garnered 443,256 votes in real-time text voting, achieving a vote rate of 27.01%. The overall second place grace was Son Bin-a, who received 346,462 votes in real-time text voting, leading to a vote rate of 21.11%. The standout who created a remarkable turnaround was Cheon Rok-dam, who surged from sixth place in the interim rankings to third through real-time text voting, ascending to beauty. Fourth place went to Chun-gil, fifth to Choi Jae-myung, sixth to Nam Seung-min, and seventh to Chu Hyuk-jin.
Kim Yong-bin, who claimed the third truth crown following Lim Young-woong and Ahn Seong-hoon, expressed, 'I sincerely thank the citizens for voting so much via text,' and added, 'I am extremely grateful to my family watching from home. If my grandmother had seen this, I think she would have been very happy. I have sung for 20 years, but this is my first time achieving first place. I will work hard in the future.'
Meanwhile, special judge Takahashi Yoko selected Choi Jae-myung among the TOP 7. He received a special award, the Hallyu Star Award, which granted him the extraordinary privilege of participating in the finals of 'Mr. Trot Japan.' He has gained the opportunity to become a K-trot Hallyu star. Choi Jae-myung's unique vocal tone and innate expressiveness were highly praised. The K-trot Hallyu expected to spread beyond Korea to the Japanese archipelago showcased the powerful influence of 'Mr. Trot.'
'Mr. Trot 3' succeeded in great popularity throughout its airing with high viewership and buzz. True to its status as the original trot audition that sparked a trot craze in Korea, it offered hidden trot gems a chance to shine and provided viewers with the joy of witnessing their growth and ascent. In reality, many participants of 'Mr. Trot 3', centered around the TOP 7, formed large fandoms, reserving a path for future success as trot stars.
Moreover, 'Mr. Trot 3' was highly praised for being the first season to attempt various innovations. These included the abolishment of age restrictions, a blind audition for non-listed contestants, a new master panel comprising senior masters and public masters, and the introduction of a 'traditional trot competition' to uphold genuine trot traditions. 'Mr. Trot 3' demonstrated its commitment to maintaining the original trot audition's grandeur while also embracing novelty.
The lingering effects of TV CHOSUN 'Mr. Trot 3', which captivated our eyes and ears for three months, bringing us profound emotion and joy, are expected to persist for a while. Alongside this, the robust activities of the TOP 7, born from 'Mr. Trot 3', are anticipated. Starting with the gala show broadcast on Thursday night, March 20, a talk concert and spin-off programs will be sequentially unveiled. Additionally, from March 29, a nationwide tour concert featuring 'Mr. Trot 3' TOP 7 will take place.
[Photo] TV CHOSUN 'Mr. Trot 3' broadcast capture.
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