KBS2's "Immortal Songs: Lim Young-woong and Friends Part 2" conveyed heartwarming emotions with the best stages, decorating the perfect finale of Lim Young-woong's first solo special.
On the 6th, the 721st episode of "Immortal Songs" (directed by Park Hyung-geun, Kim Hyung-seok, and Choi Seung-beom, hereafter referred to as 'Immortal') featured the second part of "Lim Young-woong and Friends", where artist Lim Young-woong and his musical friends Lyn, Roy Kim, Jo Jae-joong, and Choi Yu-ri appeared, sharing various stories that contained the charm of 'human Lim Young-woong' along with their stages reflecting their musical worlds. As a result, the viewership rating for the 721st episode of 'Immortal' reached 6.6% nationwide, ranking first in its time slot and proving the enduring strength of the legendary music variety show.
Lim Young-woong introduced his fourth friend, Choi Yu-ri, with the keyword "fan." Lim Young-woong revealed, "I have never publicly mentioned this, but I am a huge fan of her," expressing his affection for Choi Yu-ri, who added, "I never told anyone that I had a friendship with senior Lim Young-woong because it's too famous to mention." The two also introduced their playlists, with Lim Young-woong playfully saying, "You never listen to my songs," showing a cute jealousy, while claiming that Choi Yu-ri's 'Forest' is on his playlist anytime, anywhere, revealing great human warmth. Additionally, Choi Yu-ri captivated the audience with her warm voice as she passionately sang her signature song, 'Forest,' followed by the dedication song 'Our Blues' for Lim Young-woong, filling the home theater with deep emotion.
Next, Lyn appeared with the keyword "public proposal" and captured attention. Lim Young-woong introduced Lyn by saying, "She publicly proposed to me on the show," to which Lyn explained, "I publicly expressed my wish to do a duet with Lim Young-woong on a show because I really wanted to work with him. I think it was a good idea to pursue trot." In addition, Lim Young-woong revealed a surprising connection with Lyn before his debut. He recalled, "Lyn senior once visited our classroom as a professor's friend, and I thought a goddess had descended." Lyn added, "I learned that one of the top stars could come out from among the people I meet. If I had known it was Young-woong back then, I would have treated him better," making the audience laugh.
Given that it was a special meeting through a unique proposal, the special duet between Lim Young-woong and Lyn thrilled the audience. Lyn performed 'Now, Just Trust Me' acapella, and as Lim Young-woong responded with 'I Loved You,' Lyn was moved and created beautiful harmony on the spot. Furthermore, Lim Young-woong and Lyn presented a duet stage with Fateco's 'Samseong-dong' on the official stage, delivering an unforgettable emotional experience. Additionally, Lyn awed the audience with powerful performances of 'Cinema Paradiso,' 'Roses of Sharon,' and 'Back in Time,' drawing thunderous applause. Lyn had recently gained attention due to her divorce from singer Lee Soo, but she proved once again her status as a music goddess with her outstanding performance despite personal issues.
The sixth friend was Roy Kim. Lim Young-woong, who picked the keyword "first kiss", revealed that Roy Kim was the one who wrote and composed his second album track, 'Melody for You'. Kim Jun-hyun heated up the atmosphere by saying, "Singers say they must have kissed each other while working together," to which Lim Young-woong jokingly responded, "We even kissed each other once in a while," provoking laughter. Roy Kim also replied, "I enjoyed kissing," showcasing their playful banter.
Lim Young-woong and Roy Kim also showcased a special stage where they exchanged their hit songs. Roy Kim infused his delicate sensibility into 'Love Always Escapes,' while Lim Young-woong showcased deep appeal with 'You Can Break Up Now'. Most notably, during this broadcast, the stage of 'Melody for You,' the first kiss song between Lim Young-woong and Roy Kim, was unveiled for the first time, drawing intense interest. Especially, Roy Kim decorated the intro in his own style, and Lim Young-woong filled the stage with his unique warm and pleasant aura, creating an unprecedented special collaboration that garnered admiration.
The last friend was Jo Jae-joong, the main character of the keyword "secret meeting." Lim Young-woong revealed that he built a rapport by accidentally visiting Jo Jae-joong's shop, stating, "Since we have never met on the show and have not been mentioned, nobody knows about our friendship." That day, Jo Jae-joong not only performed the emotionally rich song 'A Song for a Drink' but also shared a different charm by performing 'Can We Meet Again?' at Lim Young-woong's request.
Afterward, Lim Young-woong, who took the closing stage, delivered a powerful performance of the ending song 'You and I' followed by the encore song 'Life's Ode', leaving a lingering impression.
Thus, with the 'first' and 'best' stages prepared together by Lim Young-woong and his friends, 'Immortal Songs' provided a gift-like experience. Following the broadcast, various reactions flooded social media and online communities, stating, "You once again prove why it's Lim Young-woong. It was such a happy time," "From lineup to live performance, it's an all-time special. I feel like the impact will last long," "'Immortal Songs' is the best! It was enjoyable for two weeks," "Choi Yu-ri has such a lovely voice. Thanks to her, I discovered a new singer," "Lyn was so sincere about trot. The duet with Young-woong was also so good," "Roy Kim's 'Love Always Escapes' was refreshing. I'm looking forward to their next collaboration," "The new song stage was amazing. As expected, Lim Young-woong is in a league of his own," and "Jo Jae-joong's emotional performance was outstanding. The banter was so funny," among others.
'Immortal Songs' airs every Sunday at 6:05 p.m. on KBS 2TV.
[Photo] 'Immortal Songs'
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