Kaist Early Graduate & Peppertones Junior Lee Jun-seok Impresses on 'Our Ballad' Premiere

The new SBS audition program 'Our Ballad' premiered on the 23rd, showcasing promising talent.

Among the contestants was 18-year-old Lee Jun-seok, who immediately captured attention. He revealed that he was an early admittee to KAIST and had also graduated early from a science high school.

Lee Jun-seok added to the excitement by sharing that he is a junior to the popular band Peppertones. He mentioned feeling as if he were seeing his seniors from his university club, eliciting laughter.

For his song choice, he selected "Empty Street" by 015B. Lee Jun-seok explained his reasoning, stating, "It felt like my own past during my lonely and intense school days. I used to see friends as rivals, but through singing, I felt like I found true friends."

As his performance began, the judges were visibly impressed. Jung Seung-hwan exclaimed, "Wow, that's good." Towards the end of the song, Lee Jun-seok received the signal for a pass, earning applause.

Jeon Hyun-moo noted the close call, saying, "He got the pass signal near the end. With only 3 fewer votes out of 102, he would have been eliminated." Park Kyung-lim commented, "From the first note, I felt it was a 'precious voice.' He sang without affectation, like a contestant in the University Song Festival." Jung Seung-hwan added, "He was a vocalist who hit our sweet spot. The emotion felt like the 90s, but his vocal style and techniques felt trendy and modern."

However, Jung Jae-hyung offered a more critical assessment: "While the intro was very charming, the vocal range for showcasing diversity was borderline."

Lee Jun-seok was known to have been active in the same club as Peppertones members Shin Jae-pyeong and Lee Jang-won. He is expected to grow further, possessing not only outstanding academic achievements but also musical talent. He plans to showcase his hidden musical abilities through his participation in 'Our Ballad.'