"Uri-deului Ballad" production team allayed concerns in advance about privacy controversies involving non-celebrity participants.
On the afternoon of the 10th at a cafe in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, an interview was held with Park Seong-hoon, CP of SBS's new audition program "Uri-deului Ballad," and PD Jeong Ik-seung.
"Uri-deului Ballad" is a music audition program that shares life ballads that accompanied every moment in memory and seeks the new voices of today's youths to newly sing the ballads that were your and my songs back then. The cast, composed of a diverse spectrum including Jung Jae-hyung, Choo Sung Hoon, Cha Tae-hyun, Jun Hyun-moo, Park Kyung-rim, Danny Koo, Crush, Oh My Girl's Mimi, and Jung Seung-hwan, continue their own judging with diverse and unique perspectives as the "Topbaekgwi delegation."
In particular, "Uri-deului Ballad" is a program jointly produced by SBS and SM C&C. When asked whether SM Entertainment plans to handle management for the program's winner, Park Seong-hoon, CP, explained, "I hope an audition program does not end with introducing new people but continues to a stage where they can go together. I think it's important to open a practical path for participants to become stars. SM was very willing to join our plan, so we teamed up. They are participating in program production, and they will handle management and album work for the top winners produced here."
He said, "All audition programs are proceeding in this way, and in a sense this provides the strongest structure. It's reassuring and promising because the most professional group is putting its name and taking responsibility. Right now we're talking about the top 10; the number may vary depending on the composition, but a considerable number of top winners will be contracted."
Regarding other winner benefits, he said, "These days it's easy to release a solo album. I don't feel that's a hugely important era," and added, "As the program's invited No. 1, SM will likely manage from a very different position and status. And various prizes are prepared," previewing prize money and other benefits.
When asked whether participants who previously worked in the entertainment industry or famous YouTube stars who would surprise the public would appear, PD Jeong Ik-seung said, "There is no program that doesn't find and invite contestants who would surprise everyone. But we did not deliberately seek out someone just because one line on a résumé was intriguing. That would be judging people solely by their background, which is a method we want to avoid. In the past, people learned music and majored and went to university, but now anyone can upload videos and become a star. We searched for people who fit the image and voice we envisioned for a long time, and when we met them, many of them were, coincidentally, doing music in one way or another."
He said, "Some play in bands with friends or are knocking on music's door. One participant filmed and uploaded a video during a break that even Danny Koo said he had seen while in the U.S. There are many such people, even if they didn't intend it. We're not putting them forward fully, but that's how it turned out." Park Seong-hoon, CP, added, "To mention one thing, some people became such a hot topic on social media that various programs and agencies contacted them, but they refused and were first exposed on 'Uri-deului Ballad.' When that person appeared, there was much more to their story beyond the video," hinting at rising expectations.
However, because the program targets the general public, there was no choice but to review participants' private lives. Many audition programs have suffered damage as controversies about participants' private lives spread before and after broadcasts. When asked about the participant verification process, Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "It's always difficult and delicate. We cannot have the authority to conduct background checks on contestants in Korean society. Even if we did, that wouldn't be a proper social practice. But the understanding of how weighty exposure to mass media is for participants has grown significantly."
He said, "For us, the only option is to ask directly. We request that they tell us if there is anything that would be problematic when portrayed publicly, and they are much more open about such matters. We are conversing comfortably with a higher level of understanding. I feel that verification is much more three-dimensional and thorough than before. Also, we are producing with SM. SM has long nurtured idols and understands what people who receive a lot of public attention must endure, so they check parts we might not have considered. It's not a background check, but SM advises on misunderstandings that could arise. I thought we could get help even with things like this. I feel we can show only safe and pleasant aspects without major worry." (Interview part 2 to follow.)
[Photo] SBS
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