
17-Year-Old Lee Ji-hoon Captivates 'Our Ballad' Debut with Kim Kwang-seok Passion
SBS's new music audition program, 'Our Ballad,' premiered on the 23rd, introducing a talented young contestant who has quickly become a topic of conversation.
During the first round of the main competition, 17-year-old Lee Ji-hoon, a student at the alma mater of the legendary singer Kim Kwang-seok, appeared and immediately captured the audience's attention. Lee Ji-hoon expressed his profound admiration for Kim Kwang-seok, stating, "I love Kim Kwang-seok so much that I even followed him to his school." He added, "My dream is to be a troubadour, which is why I chose this school. Luckily, it's right in front of my house."
Lee Ji-hoon, who began his deep dive into Kim Kwang-seok's music at an early age, recalled, "When I was in the 6th grade, I went to the Kim Kwang-seok street and bought his best-of CD. I listened to it throughout my adolescence and knew all his songs and lyrics by heart." When asked by Jung Jae-hyung if Kim Kwang-seok was his goal, he replied, "I don't want to imitate him. I'm writing a lot of my own songs, and my goal is to perform in small theaters later. I like singing while making eye contact with the audience."
He also shared that his mother is from Kazakhstan, which gives him an exotic appearance. He explained that this look had previously hindered audience immersion, leading him to exclusively wear brown clothing since then. For his song choice, he selected "Sunflower" by Zitten, explaining that he found 'loneliness,' 'empathy,' and 'comfort' within the song. Jeon Hyun-moo praised his sensibilities, remarking, "Your answer is already that of a troubadour."
Upon hearing Lee Ji-hoon sing, Jung Jae-hyung was visibly surprised, exclaiming that his voice reminded him of Leo Ferré. He lauded the performance, saying, "You can tell he feels the lyrics deeply. The music was so good, I thought, 'Is he already complete?' I wondered if this was the person I was looking for here."
However, Cha Tae-hyun offered a dissenting opinion, noting that he felt parts of the performance sounded like an imitation of Kim Kwang-seok, which broke his immersion. He speculated, "Is he intentionally trying to sound cool? That was my personal thought."
After his main performance, Lee Ji-hoon presented Kim Kwang-seok's 'Those Days.' Jung Jae-hyung reiterated his praise, stating, "You said you'd walk the path of Kim Kwang-seok, and I've never seen someone do it this well." Conversely, Cha Tae-hyun remarked, "I don't know if it will be a poison or a gain. Lee Ji-hoon might be the biggest challenge for 'Our Ballad,'" sparking further discussion.
Lee Ji-hoon's deep affection for Kim Kwang-seok's music began in his youth, leading him to memorize all of the legendary singer's songs and lyrics. He aspires to be a troubadour and aims to forge his own musical path rather than imitate Kim Kwang-seok. Despite his exotic appearance, a result of his Kazakhstani mother, Lee Ji-hoon has made conscious efforts to connect more deeply with his audience.