The production team of "우리들의 발라드" expressed confidence that it is "the most satisfying audition program," raising expectations for the birth of a new star who will carry a generation.
On the afternoon of the 10th, an interview was held at a café in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul with Park Seong-hoon, CP, and Jeong Ik-seung, PD, of SBS's new audition program "우리들의 발라드." "우리들의 발라드" is a music audition program that shares the life ballads that accompanied every moment in memory and seeks the new voices of today's youngsters to freshly sing the ballads that were the songs of you and me back then.
Park Seong-hoon, CP, explained the planning background, saying, "We have already been a duo for seven years, having worked together on 'K-pop Star' for a long time. We prepared together from beginning to end. SBS has had many audition programs. After they ended, there was always a part of us that wanted to make an authentic music audition that moves people to tears when they listen. While thinking that, I mentioned that I hoped SBS would once again produce an audition program. Ballads have always been by our side like air, so we don't notice them, but when you hear them you recall certain days and feel a soft warmth; I thought ballads might be that, and that using that as a theme would be good."
He said, "A few years ago, writer Mo Eun-seol of Culinary Class Wars gave us a ballad proposal. I felt the time had come. Like trot or K-pop, it seems we have entered an era where we can say ballads are next to us. I thought that if Jeong Ik-seung, PD, and Mo Eun-seol, who created the hottest survival program of the current era, collaborated, we could create an authentic music audition suited to 2025 that would touch people's hearts, so we began."
Jeong Ik-seung, PD, said, "If it had been last year or the year before, there might have been concern about bringing in quiet music that is farthest from the dopamine era. At this point, it's not about bringing out a new genre; if people can listen to music and simply talk to each other, it can be ballads, idol music, trot—anything. Among them, we chose ballads, which are furthest from dopamine yet can convey something deeply. I was doing a screening until 5 a.m. this morning. At the end of the screening we asked, 'Will this be fun?', 'Is this order right?' But we felt very confident and thought, 'If we make this well, we can convey what we felt on site.' I left in a good mood. I'm very glad we can meet with that confidence," expressing satisfaction with the program's completeness.
When asked why participants were limited to "today's youngsters," Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "What matters in an audition program is 'who stands on the stage' and 'who listens.' From those two points we introduced strengths we had and elements we wanted to bring in. Having people of that era go back on stage and sing could captivate hearts. But more than that, many of those artists debuted in their late teens or early twenties. I wondered what would happen if the current peers of that age group continued the generational memory of those artists' fresh performances by performing now."
He said, "What people think of as 'this is ballad' differs by generation. Like the title '우리들의 발라드,' everyone has their own ballad. I thought, what if we created a place where they meet. Also, from our experience on 'K-pop Star,' the process in which a raw gem develops from the awkward, unfamiliar, and fearful state of a newcomer on stage shows how powerful a song can be, and we wanted to protect that."
Jeong Ik-seung, PD, added, "Programs that spotlight established masters are very important, but more importantly, we found that the term 'ballad' began in the early 1980s by critics. Even if the young original singers who first sang those ballads in their early twenties are forgotten, the songs can still be introduced and heard because they are good. Songs gain vitality when sung by new voices. Though 'passing down through generations' is a clichéd phrase, if a song keeps being sung by someone, it becomes a classic, stays in our hearts, and keeps getting passed on. That is meaningful, and we hoped young singers would sing those songs with new voices."
However, given the nature of the ballad genre—many songs are about love and emotional delivery is important—there may be concerns about whether young participants can convey those emotions well. Park Seong-hoon, CP, emphasized, "There are cases where experiences once had by people in their 20s are now experienced by teenagers. The forms and colors of feelings differ, but everyone has their own encounters and heartbeats and does not hide them. Rather, they perform songs with vivid and rich emotion. If you watch the broadcast, you'll see how different emotions by age can resonate."
Jeong Ik-seung, PD, also said, "We had a sixth grader in elementary school who actually went on stage. When asked whether they understood the meaning of the lyrics of the love song they performed, they said it had been a month since they broke up with their girlfriend. We might think it's childish or immature, but it was sincere to that child. Of course, their vocal technique might be less polished than that of people over 20, but there are moments that leave you speechless. It's more about understanding with the heart and making it believable to themselves, delivering it with a casual throw that connects. The commonly called reinterpretation happened naturally. It felt so fresh and unintentionally new."
"우리들의 발라드" features a range of contestants from fourth graders in elementary school to 25-year-olds. When asked about judging criteria, Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "This is not a program judged only by people who do music. In a way, we reduced and composed a representative population of people who listen to music. With the perspective of mothers, fathers, older brothers, and older sisters, it's not about someone who majored in practical music and is technically excellent; it's important that a contestant who just started singing possesses something no one can teach."
He said, "The sensibility unique to that age can expand so adults can empathize. Just because children appear doesn't mean it's children's stories. They have age-appropriate yet universally valid sensibilities. We are faithful to that. In that respect, often someone who seems a bit shaky but strangely moves you is more compelling than someone too skillful but unengaging. Also, because they're young, they improve a lot. Watching their growth with our own eyes, it's interesting to see how far they can go. That's the power of a raw gem."
Jeong Ik-seung, PD, agreed: "Music by very skilled and accomplished people is satisfying and substantial, but when you think about it again, there is a peculiar thrill in the overall vibe of nervous contestants whose pitch wavers or who sometimes go off-key and sweat. I think people wait for and cheer more for those performers than for the skilled ones."
When asked whether any participants were former entertainers or YouTube stars recognizable to the public, Park Seong-hoon, CP, hinted, "To give one example, there is a contestant who became so viral on social media that various programs and agencies contacted them, but they turned those down and will be exposed for the first time through '우리들의 발라드.' It turns out that besides the videos, that contestant has many stories."
Because the show targets the general public, they also described the contestant vetting process. Many audition programs have suffered from scandals about cast members' private lives before and after broadcasts. Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "It's always difficult and delicate. We cannot legally conduct background investigations on contestants in Korean society. But the contestants' understanding of how weighty media exposure is has greatly increased. We can only ask them directly. We ask them to tell us if there are any issues that would be problematic when publicly exposed, and they are more open and understanding, so we can have comfortable conversations. I feel the vetting is much more three-dimensional and thorough than before."
They also received help from SM C&C in the verification process. As the program is produced by SBS and SM C&C together, Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "SM has long nurtured idols and knows what people in the public eye must endure, so they check aspects we might not have thought of. It's not a background check, but they advise on potential misunderstandings. We believe we can present safe and pleasant aspects without major worries."
SM Entertainment will also handle winner management in addition to production. Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "We don't want to stop at introducing new people; it's important to open practical paths for contestants to become stars. SM was very willing to join our project, so they came on board. They will participate in production and handle management and album work for the top finishers. Because a professional organization is putting its name and responsibility behind it, it's reassuring and promising. We are currently talking about a top 10, but depending on the configuration that may change; a substantial number of top finishers will be contracted. Various prizes for the winner are also prepared."
One hundred fifty members of the public evaluation panel will conduct judging under the name '탑백귀.' Joining as the '탑백귀 representative panel' are a diverse lineup including Jung Jae-hyung, Choo Sung Hoon, Cha Tae-hyun, Jun Hyun-moo, Park Kyung-rim, Danny Gu, Crush, Oh My Girl's Mimi, and Jung Seung-hwan, who will continue their judging with varied and unique perspectives.
However, there is also pressure to produce judging results that viewers watching the broadcast will accept. Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "We put a lot of effort into it. There are so many audition programs it can be fatiguing. We didn't want to throw another similar piece of content into the world. We thought about what should be different. Who sits in the judging seats was important. Until now, judging has been 100% driven by experts with a supplier's mindset. There is power in discovering someone who meets the elements music makers deem important; that was maximized by 'K-pop Star.' But I think in the ballad genre, listeners are more important than suppliers. So we gathered 150 '탑백귀.'"
He said, "The '탑백귀' are 150 people with discerning ears who say, 'If I pick it, it always becomes a hit.' Nine celebrities are part of them and each has one vote like the others. Some have supplied music, some majored in classical music, and some observe from a viewer's perspective. There are people like Jun Hyun-moo, who has done many music programs and stands with one foot in each position. It seemed right to have people who sync well with viewers' emotions evaluate. We thought that might suit the current era. We were half doubtful, but when we opened it up, we thought, '탑백귀 are always right.' The power of collective intelligence was exquisite. The results were persuasive to the point of making us wonder if the music market operates this way; the flow is very different and felt fresh compared with previous music audition programs. I dare say we can show a new trend."
Regarding the selection process for the 150 '탑백귀,' Jeong Ik-seung, PD, said, "It keeps changing, and we are still receiving applications. Before recording, we post announcements, and rather than by age group, we recruit people who made us think, 'That one will rise,' or 'Isn't this song good?'—people whose instincts we trust. We asked applicants to write stories like radio letters explaining why they qualify, read them one by one, and contacted those we thought were qualified to invite them to recordings."
He said, "Those people are more persuasive than anyone. In the past, it was a virtue to accept what music authorities said, but thinking about 2025, I listen more to recommendations from friends or my son than to music masters. That's how today's consumption looks. Many people who can add layers beyond experts are present, so it's about finding new voices through collective intelligence rather than a single genius."
Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "I think it can be the most satisfying audition. When many experts judge, it can carry weight and provide new information and insights, but there can also be resentments like, 'What are you talking about?' or 'I like this; why criticize that?' This program allows those feelings to be expressed without shame. I can promise viewers it will be satisfying. The judging will sync with viewers' feelings and be at the same eye level. It's new."
Asked about the program's goals and aspirations, Park Seong-hoon, CP, said, "What I hope and dare to sense is that a major singer who will carry a generation could emerge. Just as original songs from the past are still sung today, after recording I felt there could be people here who play that role—at least one major singer who can carry a generation. We will have to see how the remaining episodes proceed, but that is our goal and expectation."
Jeong Ik-seung, PD, recalled, "I first saw (Jung) Seung-hwan 11 years ago on 'K-pop Star.' In his senior year of high school he came without makeup looking like 'having middle-school angst?' but when he sang 'I Want to Fall in Love' he reached No. 1 on the charts. Now 11 years later, Seung-hwan is 30 by Korean age. It wasn't planned, but somehow I reunited with Seung-hwan after 11 years. He must have had special feelings. Since he might have felt it would be childish to tell those feelings, he kept them to himself. Around 11 years ago, people who resembled his thoughts, actions, and appearance kept appearing, doing well or poorly, expressing thoughts, trembling and getting eliminated. Watching that seemed to stir him up."
He said, "After watching, Seung-hwan went down and said he never imagined he'd be sitting here. Having received a good opportunity, joining Antenna, and receiving much support to establish himself, at 30 he now watches these kids from the opposite side and said he would like someone like him to appear again. He spoke ramblingly that he hoped someone with similar thoughts and reflections would emerge. I also hope that 11 years after '우리들의 발라드,' when we meet by chance, that person will have grown well, taken a place in the music industry, received many people, and be someone who can casually share similar thoughts backstage with Seung-hwan. When Seung-hwan spoke like that informally, it struck me. I hope that feeling manifests at the last moment on the '우리들의 발라드' stage and that we find such a person. That's my personal goal. I want to show here someone who will carry on next."
Meanwhile, "우리들의 발라드" will premiere at 9 p.m. on the 23rd.
[Photo] SBS
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