'Ubalaudio' opened the door to a different kind of open radio talk show and once again proved the ballad syndrome.
On the premiere of SBS' Mumu X Chacha - Ubalaudio (hereinafter 'Ubalaudio') on the 6th (directed by Ahn Jung-hyun), the various charms of the TOP12 who took the stage as 'singers' rather than 'contestants' were revealed. The episode drew deep engagement from the start as viewers' and stars' stories blended with the TOP12's more mature performances.
On the episode, the TOP12 split into Jun Hyun-moo's 'Mumu' and Cha Taehyun's 'Chacha' teams to compete. The teams prepared stages that matched the stories introduced by DJs Jun Hyun-moo and Cha Taehyun, and the winner was decided by real-time votes from 30 live audience members called 'Topbaekgui'. In addition, the format heightened interest by adding an unusual structure where the TOP12 participated directly in judging.
In the first corner, the Chacha team introduced the love story of parents that carried the sensibility of a first love from a drama. Cha Taehyun said, "I couldn't not choose it because it seemed to resemble my story," showing deep empathy. Hong Seung-min and Song Ji-woo selected 'All for You' and expressed the fresh sensibility of first love with soft harmonies, and the storyteller said, "It was a relationship that felt more like comfort than love, but I think love will bloom again," filling the venue with excitement. Im Ji-seong showed jealousy at the affectionate looks exchanged by Hong Seung-min and Song Ji-woo, drawing laughter.
The Mumu team chose the story of an engaged couple who decided to marry 100 days after they started dating. The youngest line, Im Jae-seong and Jeong Ji-woong, picked Sechs Kies' 'Couple' and drew attention by performing rap and dance, and their perfect live performance added to the admiration. The storyteller said, "I want to use it as the pre-wedding video," expressing deep satisfaction. In the first vote, Hong Seung-min and Song Ji-woo secured a win, putting the Chacha team ahead.
The second segment, a phone connection with a star fan, made viewers feel the continuing buzz following 'The Ballad of Us'. When Seventeen's Boo Seung-kwan called in to support Lee Ye-ji, the studio filled with surprise. Boo Seung-kwan recalled the stage, saying, "When Lee Ye-ji sang 'For You' and Cha Taehyun cried, I cried along," and conveyed his sincere support for the junior by singing a cheer song. Bolstered by Boo Seung-kwan's support, Lee Ye-ji performed Cho Jang-hyuk's 'Addicted Love'. Lee Ye-ji's powerful energy and delicate emotional expression overwhelmed the stage and sent chills through the audience.
On the Chacha team, singer Hwang Ga-ram called in and praised Lee Ji-hoon's stage. Lee Ji-hoon, who was recommended by Hwang Ga-ram, reinterpreted 'I am a Firefly' in his own color, captivating the audience with clear expression and deep emotion. This match drew attention as a rematch between winner Lee Ye-ji and runner-up Lee Ji-hoon, who faced each other in the final of 'The Ballad of Us'. As a result of the vote, Lee Ji-hoon won, succeeding in his redemption match, and the Chacha team led 2-0.
The identity of the 'ballad fan who came in person' rather than calling was Lee Jang-won, the entertainment industry's representative brainy celebrity. A senior of the KAIST club 'Six Lines,' Lee Jang-won appeared to support junior Lee Jun-seok, and by singing Toy's 'Good Person' together, they completed a warm duet stage between look-alike senior and junior.
The final segment, worth three points, was 'stealing songs and singing,' where contestants reinterpret each other's contest songs. Mumu team representative Cheon Beom-seok reinterpreted Lee Ji-hoon's 'If you were like me,' which had been presented in round 2, with subdued emotion, and Chacha team representative Choi Eun-bin chose Lee Ye-ji's round 4 song 'Malli Flower' and showcased explosive vocal power. With DJ and TOP12 choices divided over the stages' different charms, the final victory went to the Chacha team. As promised, Jun Hyun-moo, the captain of the losing Mumu team, warmly ended episode 1 by buying coffee with his personal card.
Ubalaudio, which drew attention as videos released on major online platforms before the broadcast surpassed 1 million views, received continued praise from viewers after the premiere. Reactions such as "Thank you for coming back after Ubalaudio" and "It was nice to be able to focus on the songs" followed, praising the format that let go of competition tension and focused on stories and songs, and the TOP12's upgraded stage manners and skills. In particular, the open radio format combined with live voting and star fan participation offered fresh fun and cemented Ubalaudio's unique presence.
[Photo] Broadcast capture
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