Singer Hong Ji-yoon rose to the title of 'King of Singers' with overwhelming skill and popularity.
Hong Ji-yoon became the third King of Singers on MBN's King of Singers 3, which aired on the 10th.
In the final first round 'new song showdown,' with a performance of composer Lim Kang-hyun's 'At least I saved one outfit,' Hong Ji-yoon earned a total of 1,040 points (celebrity·composer combined score 853 points, national judging panel score 187 points), finishing first and advancing directly to the final second round. She encouraged live text voting and prepared for her final performance on King of Singers 3.
Before the stage, Hong Ji-yoon looked back on her King of Singers 3 journey. She said the show was 'a series of challenges,' describing how she repeatedly worked hard—shopping for fabrics, drawing designs, and studying Japanese and enka for the performances—and added, "I wanted to show a new, uncomplacent side of myself, like 'Oh, Hong Ji-yoon can do this too,' 'Hong Ji-yoon is trying new things.'"
On the final second round 'song of the active duty' stage, which she wanted to present with a heart to comfort Korea, Hong Ji-yoon chose Park Sang-chul's 'My crying mother' and performed. Hong Ji-yoon said, "I first encountered trot thanks to my grandmother, but when her health suddenly declined and I stayed by her side, my mother fell into depression. My grandmother suffered a lot, and I hope she lives a long life," conveying her deep affection.
With 'My crying mother,' Hong Ji-yoon moved everyone's hearts. She restrained the trot genre's characteristic vocal embellishments and techniques, delivering a solid performance with proper vocal production and rich volume. Through an emotional delivery that seemed to ponder the meaning of the lyrics, she expressed the song's pathos calmly yet deeply.
Composer Yoon Myung-sun praised Hong Ji-yoon's stage, saying, "The more the performances build, the more curious I am about the next stage. I think she has begun the first steps toward becoming a national singer," and Joo Hyun-mi cheered, "Hong Ji-yoon seems like an active-duty singer who will bring a fresh breeze to the orthodox trot world. I send unlimited support and applause."
In the results released after the stage, Hong Ji-yoon scored a total of 3,727 points (interim combined score 2,527 points·real-time text voting 1,200 points) to become the third King of Singers. Hong Ji-yoon said, "I am grateful to the viewers, and I believe this honor is not the result of my effort alone," adding, "I had many concerns before joining King of Singers 3. I worked to show a more grown and developed side of myself, and I will continue to do my best to become an excellent musician."
[OSEN]