tvN STORY "Handsome Trott" has created a new T4 protagonist along with a series of turning point credit entries in rankings.
The 8th episode of "Handsome Trott (directed by Hwang Da-won, written by Jeong Soo-jeong)," which aired on Nov. 11, featured a song battle for the initial round of the "Last T4 War" with eight finalists. As it is the last hurdle toward the final sound source, the stage was more spectacular than ever to become T4, along with intense competition that thrilled viewers.
The protagonist of the stage that excited the audience was Ji Seung-hyun. With T4 benefits, Ji Seung-hyun was able to decide all the stage orders and took the stage fourth, following In Kyo-jin, Lee Tae-ri, and Kim Jun-ho. Ji Seung-hyun's transformation with the song "Flower Wind Woman" by Jo Seung-gu was astonishing. Ji Seung-hyun, who trained directly under Cha Hyun-seung, known as the "Sunmi dancer," showcased an exhilarating stage that drew explosive responses from the T-100 audience judging panel. As he displayed his signature deep voice charm and held a flower gift event for the audience during the performance, the on-site response heated up even more.
Next, the "man of winning streaks," Choo Seong-hoon, who has made T4 three times in a row, took to the stage to passionately sing Na Hoon-a's song "Love" in his own style. Choo Seong-hoon noted that it was a song his uncle often sang, saying, "I chose it because I thought my uncle, who I haven't seen for 10 years, might enjoy seeing me sing." His charming tone and the whistling sound he sang added immersion to the stage, and he even added Japanese lyrics to emphasize the differences from the original, enhancing the completeness of the performance. Choo Seong-hoon received scores in the 90s from all five judges, with Yoon Il-sang particularly praising him, asking, "How is this person an amateur?"
The handsome gambler Hyun-woo raised the stakes with Jang Min-ho's "A Man Says." Hyun-woo, who received direct tips from the original artist, trot producer Jang Min-ho, showcased the best performance despite his poor condition. Jang Min-ho also praised him, saying, "You've really improved a lot," but Hyun-woo showed tears of regret. Hyun-woo expressed, "I never understood when someone cried on a competition program, but experiencing it personally, it's impossible to stand without tears," conveying his sincere commitment to survival.
The next stage's protagonist was Kim Dong-ho, "Lee Chan-won's one pick." He presented the dance song "Twist Go Go" by his mentor Lee Chan-won, creating a performance that engaged the audience. He poured all of his musical theater experience into the exciting festival-like stage, and his wife, Hello Venus's Yoon-jo, also applauded him vigorously. Lee Chan-won also remarked, "It was a flawless performance. I'm grateful as the original artist," not holding back his praise.
The final stage amid fluctuating rankings was also unveiled. Choi Dae-cheol, known as the vocal champion, showcased a performance dedicated to his wife, who supported him during his unknown days for the past 10 years. With his 30th anniversary with his wife approaching next year, he chose Kim Jeong-soo's "You" and delivered a thrilling performance with spine-chilling talent, which left his wife visibly emotional. Choi Dae-cheol expressed gratitude for the applause sent by his close friend, actor Jo Seong-ha, saying, "It's so nice to hear someone say, 'You've worked hard'," and he shed tears. The judges praised it as an almost perfect performance and awarded him the highest score, putting him in first place with a commanding lead over the seven challengers.
The twist was not over yet. A significant variable that could shake the ranks had not been factored in. In the situation where Choo Seong-hoon, who was T4 in the third round, chose '40 points bonus', Kim Jun-ho chose '30 points deducted', and In Kyo-jin chose '30 points deducted', the turning point credit entries due to the benefits led to a thrilling tension. In Kyo-jin deducted points from Ji Seung-hyun, who placed him first, and Kim Jun-ho took away 30 points from Hyun-woo, leading to a dramatic reversal.
The final ranking announcement was revealed by summing up the judges' scores (500 points), the T4 benefits from the third round, and the T-100 audience scores (500 points). As a result, Choi Dae-cheol was named the winner with the top rank. Despite not having T4 benefits in the third round, Choi Dae-cheol achieved the miracle of being ranked first by receiving high scores from both the judges and the audience. Choo Seong-hoon came in second, Kim Dong-ho third, and Kim Jun-ho fourth, signaling the birth of a new T4.
Meanwhile, in next week's episode, a new song battle in the 'Last T4 War' and the birth of just four trot stars will take place. It raises curiosity about who will be the unexpected T4 that will claim the new songs from the coma state and composer Yoon Il-sang. The much-anticipated finale of "Handsome Trott" will air at 10 p.m. on Nov. 18 on tvN STORY and will be available on tvN at 10:40 p.m. on Nov. 19.
[Photo] "Handsome Trott"
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