Starting in 1977, the 'MBC College Song Festival,' which discovered numerous young stars, is making a glamorous return under the name 2025 MBC College Song Festival - lighting youth (directed by Kim Moon-gi, Han Seung-hoon / writer Jung Ji-sook) on the 26th.
Revived for the first time in 13 years since 2012, this college song festival attracted attention with applications from about 2,000 college students from 115 universities worldwide, not only in Korea. After two preliminaries in Seoul and Busan, a total of 11 teams advanced to the finals to present original-song stages full of youthful passion and creative energy.
MC Jang Doyoun, Lee Jun-young and Kim Min-joo opened the finals together, where the participants' outstanding skills drew attention with continued high praise from the judging panel. The judges Yoon Sang, Lee Juck, Park Kal-lin, Lee Won-seok (Daybreak), Lee Young-hyun, Yuk Jung-wan and Kim Yong-joon (SG Wannabe) sat together to witness the birth of new stars.
In particular, Yuk Jung-wan said, "It feels like a second IU will be born," signaling the arrival of a hopeful, and Kim Yong-joon said, "If people who are not music majors perform music this well, what are people like us supposed to do?" expressing amazement and admiration at the participants' abilities.
A special stage to celebrate the revival of the college song festival was also prepared. From Lee Sang-mi of EX, the winner of the 2005 college song festival grand prize, to Dynamic Duo & SINCE, WOODZ (Woos), Lee Mu-jin, LUCY, Xdinary Heroes, HITGS (Hits), and idntt, a lineup of artists presented celebratory stages that reinterpreted past winning songs, delivering passionate performances that drew cheers from the audience despite the pouring rain.
In particular, the festival heightened curiosity by announcing that the children of the late legendary musician Shin Hae-chul, Ms. Shin Ha-yeon and Mr. Shin Dong-won, would present a special stage that delivers deep emotion to the audience. The siblings will reinterpret and perform "To You," the 1988 college song festival grand prize winner and one of the late Shin Hae-chul's signature songs, together with the sensibly talented band LUCY, creating a moving moment that continues their father's musical legacy.
The hot scene where youthful passion and musical dreams bloom again, 2025 MBC College Song Festival - lighting youth, will be broadcast at 10:50 p.m. on the 26th.
[Photo] Provided by tvN, MBC
[OSEN]