'The Ballad of Us' Lee Ji-hoon expressed his feelings about finishing as the runner-up.
The country's first ballad audition program on SBS, 'The Ballad of Us,' which ended on the 2nd, featured contestants with an average age of 18.2 who reinterpreted classic hits of that era with sincere voices, stirring nostalgia in the older generation and delivering deep emotion to viewers.
■ a 17-year-old troubadour who began walking in Kim Kwang-seok's footsteps
Seventeen-year-old Lee Ji-hoon, who is attending the alma mater of the late Kim Kwang-seok, introduced himself as a student who 'loved Kim Kwang-seok so much that I even followed him to school.' He grew up listening to his songs throughout adolescence after buying a best-of album when he visited Kim Kwang-seok Street in sixth grade. His confession that he 'memorized every song and lyric' revealed his sincere fandom.
But his goal was not imitation. Saying, 'I don't want to imitate Kim Kwang-seok. I also write a lot of my own songs,' he frankly described the music he dreams of, adding, 'I want to one day sing in a small theater, looking the audience in the eye.'
■ a son who grew up watching his mother's time, a voice that evokes nostalgia
Born to a Kazakh mother and a Korean father, Lee Ji-hoon grew up on the border of two cultures from an early age. His exotic looks sometimes drew attention on stage before his sincerity, and he confessed that it 'once interfered with the audience's immersion.' Since then, Lee Ji-hoon wears only brown-toned clothing on stage to focus attention solely on his music.
The reason he chose Lee Moon-sae's 'Only Her Laughter' for the semifinal was also his mother. On stage, Lee Ji-hoon completed a one-man drama with unadorned emotion and a richly persuasive voice, conveying familial love that transcended nationality and language. Within the nostalgic timbre and restrained expression was the time of a mother who built a life in a foreign land and the perspective of a son who grew up watching that.
From a boy who chose his alma mater out of respect for Kim Kwang-seok to an artist who sings his own narrative, Lee Ji-hoon, who drew empathy through delicate sensibility and sincerity at every stage, shared behind-the-scenes of 'The Ballad of Us' and his thoughts on finishing as the runner-up.
The following are Lee Ji-hoon's Q&A related to 'The Ballad of Us.'
Q. How do you feel about finishing as the runner-up in 'The Ballad of Us'?
A. Rather than simply achieving the runner-up position, I was more moved by the moment when a stage I had only imagined in my head was recreated with a high degree of synchronization and that result was recognized with the high ranking of runner-up.
Q. Which moment among the stages you presented on 'The Ballad of Us' is most memorable and why?
A. The third-round duet stage of 'Seosi' is the most memorable. I, who used to enjoy only communicating with the audience, felt an inexplicable warmth the moment I made eye contact with the participant singing beside me. That warmth will remain in my memory for a long time.
Q. Were there any viewer comments or reactions during the competition that left a strong impression on you?
A. I have received many comments saying I seem like someone's reincarnation. Commenters mentioned figures such as senior Kim Kwang-seok, Ozaki Yutaka, and Viktor Tsoi a lot, and whether by chance or not, they are all in my top three respected figures.
Q. How did your mother react after the competition, and what would you like to say to her?
A. Although it's disappointing not to have won, she said that having a new goal of becoming number one will bring me greater development. Mom, thank you for always believing in me and cheering me on.
Q. Is there anything you would like to say to Kim Kwang-seok, who led you to the path of music?
A. If I could meet senior Kim Kwang-seok in person, I would like to chat with him for a long time. I would ask whether he has been well and whether he might have seen my performances. Above all, the thing I most want to say is a smiling question: that someday I laughed and cried listening to his songs, and whether it would be all right for such a still-very-young me to carry on that place.
Q. What kind of musical color do you want to show in the future, and what goals do you want to achieve?
A. I want to make music like a wooden bench where people can rest for a while. I hope people living with various emotions—love, happiness, sadness, loneliness—can find comfort in their own ways through my music.
Q. Please say a word to the viewers and fans who supported you.
A. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supported me. To repay that feeling, I will make better songs and sing on more stages in the future. Thank you.
Meanwhile, Lee Ji-hoon will meet fans through the 2026 'The Ballad of Us national tour concert.' He will tour four cities—Seongnam on Jan. 10, Daegu on Jan. 24, Seoul for two days on Feb. 7 and 8, and Busan on Feb. 28—offering a fantastic performance that will surpass the program's emotion with vivid live stages.
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