Trot powerhouses who captivated the world have gathered on "Miss Trot 4." This season also features the inaugural "Miss Trot" winner Song Ga-in joining to directly choose the fourth winner.
At the production presentation for TV CHOSUN "Miss Trot 4," held online on the morning of the 18th, CP Min Byeong-ju, PD Im Ji-hoon and masters Jang Yoon-jung, Boom, Jang Min-ho, Kim Yeon-ja, Jin Sung, Lee Kyung-kyu, Kim Yong-bin and Monika attended and shared remarks.
The representative trot audition "Miss Trot," which sparked a trot syndrome in Korea, has launched up to season 4 after producing outstanding trot divas such as Song Ga-in, Yang Ji-eun and Jung Seo-ju. Having received nationwide love, fans are anticipating which trot stars "Miss Trot" will produce in season 4 and how it will showcase its reputation as a trot powerhouse.
With expectations high even before the season began, CP Min Byeong-ju explained the differences between last season and season 4, saying, "This was the season we agonized over the most. As with the last season, among competition auditions, trot auditions reveal people's life stories and longings, so the program is imbued with desperation."
He continued, "We think a lot when making structural changes, and this season we really agonized. First of all, there will be no top 7. Instead of picking a top 7, we will select a top 5, so the competition will be extremely fierce and, I think, quite brutal," adding, "I boast that we have completed the most glamorous and perfect master lineup in the show's history. I think that will be an entertaining point when you watch the broadcast."
Im Ji-hoon, who directed the show, also explained, "Our subtitle concept was 'find the trot empress who will captivate the world,' and we pondered how best to realize that. So we decided to invite real empresses as masters, which led to Monika, Park Se-ri and Song Ga-in joining as masters, completing a master lineup of 20 people."
With the teaser video delivering big laughs, Jang Yoon-jung and Boom still held their places. Jang Yoon-jung said, "It feels like I gauge the passing of a year by Miss Trot and Mr. Trot. With the birth of a new winner, the new year has arrived. At this point I think I'm starting to prepare. It's time, seasonally, to do what's to be done."
Boom confessed, "I also feel my excitement and energy rise at the end of the year. The engine is starting, and this season it seems the contestants are enjoying themselves. There was tension and some tears, but now the audition atmosphere is one of enjoyment, and I don't think I've ever sat and felt this way. It felt like enjoying a festival."
What makes this season special in the two's eyes? Jang Yoon-jung answered, "As the PD said, the subtitle contains the phrase 'captivate the world.' Until now many have become stars based on skill, but this time it seems they focus more on charm. Because they have to appeal their charm to many masters, when I think about what genre they might learn to compete in, I feel pride as a trot singer and have high expectations."
Boom recalled, "I thought no more would appear. I thought all the good singers had already appeared, but in terms of charm, season 4 seems the strongest. So many charming people appeared, and like the phrase 'captivate the world,' it was a 'holiday.' They were remarkable. I think the number of first-round audition passers was the largest."
Senior veterans who have witnessed numerous trot singers expressed similar remarks. Jin Sung praised, "I wonder where they were and why they appeared now; I think the talent pool is inexhaustible. I have a personal notion of not watching rounds 1 and 2 in depth. I like to see the death matches to know a contestant's real skill, because some may not be able to show their depth due to condition. I want to give them that chance. From the death match onward, eyes may become sharper. And just passing the preliminary itself means these people are remarkable."
Kim Yeon-ja said, "I wasn't there for the main preliminary, so I watched from the team battle and it was amazing. Where on earth had they been? I thought by Miss Trot 4 those who would make it had already made it, but that's the charm of Miss Trot 4. Even active singers and those who aren't active appear like new stars. As a master, I enjoyed watching. Honestly, despite recording from early morning into the dawn, it's so fun. I think the challengers will captivate viewers."
Describing himself as the participants' "real senior," Jang Min-ho said, "When appearing on audition programs, master auditions happen without an audience and only the masters are present, so contestants become nervous and passive. Because many people provide support, they tend to lean on them, but this season the generation has shifted, and perhaps because they have listened to a lot of trot, many contestants took the initiative in creating their stages."
Jang Min-ho raised expectations, saying, "I judged this round expecting the stages and rounds they will create the most. There will be many proactive stages worth anticipating." The most recent winner Kim Yong-bin added, "It's been about a year for me, and it passed without me knowing how. As a master I thought, 'has everyone already appeared?' but there are still more. There are so many people in the world. You can have very high expectations."
This season dancer Monika will also join the program as a "national master." Monika said, "I honestly never imagined I would have a chance to judge trot in my life, so I feel very happy and fortunate to become a national master and see stages I hadn't expected," adding, "The scale is bigger than I imagined, and in terms of skill, everyone was so ... without truly detailed professionalism it would be hard to gauge ability."
So what are the judging criteria for each master? Boom said first, "By season, I basically looked at performance. During the seasons I watched character and being a good person with master Jang Yoon-jung. I looked for good people," adding, "there is an energy that comes from the person. I will check whether they have the energy to lead proactively, an energy that doesn't stop. They must always have fighting spirit: daytime fighting, nighttime fighting, dawn fighting. I will look for 'day fighting, night fighting, dawn fighting.'"
Kim Yeon-ja, who captivated the world with "Amor Fati," said, "If someone has the skill to make the top 5 of 'Miss Trot,' I hope their skill is globally applicable. Honestly, K-pop is amazing. I think K-trot can be global too, and I hope there are people worthy of that. I'm so glad there are many such people in Miss Trot 4. In short, I hope they are versatile," and Jang Yoon-jung added, "I also watch their momentum. At the first recording I said I would pick someone with a certain edge. I'm keeping my eyes wide open to find such people."
Regarding judging criteria, Lee Kyung-kyu revealed, "My motto was not to let my mood or feelings become my attitude more than to deliver sharp remarks. I said my mood should not influence the scores, but mostly it does influence them. If I'm in a good mood my scores come out well," causing the venue to burst into laughter over his arbitrary scoring standards.
Lee Kyung-kyu said, "These are my standards. I have to like them, and most people I liked have succeeded. You can tell at a glance. By my standards, if I am pleased and satisfied, viewers will also be satisfied. Those here (trot singers), from an expert's perspective, we view from a popular perspective. Our eyes might even be sharper."
Meanwhile, TV CHOSUN "Miss Trot 4" premieres tonight (the 18th) at 10 p.m.
[Photo] Provided by TV CHOSUN
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