Cha Tae-hyun Breaks Down in Tears After Witnessing a Young Contestant's Emotional Performance

Actor Cha Tae-hyun was moved to tears during the first broadcast of the new SBS entertainment program, 'Uri-deul-ui Ballad' (Our Ballad).

Cha Tae-hyun, serving as a judge alongside Jung Jae-hyung, Choo Sung-hoon, Park Kyung-lim, Danny Koo, Crush, Mimi, and Jung Seung-hwan, was deeply affected by a performance.

The contestant who touched Cha Tae-hyun's heart was 19-year-old Lee Ye-ji from Jeju Island. She chose to sing Im Jae-bum's 'For You.' Lee Ye-ji shared that the song was one of four tracks that endlessly played from her father's broken car stereo during her commute to school when she was in elementary school. She expressed her wish that her father would recall those memories while listening to the song.

Lee Ye-ji delivered a powerful yet sincere rendition of 'For You' with her husky voice, earning admiration from the other judges. Cha Tae-hyun, in particular, was overcome with emotion and wept throughout her performance. Afterward, he praised her, saying, "Ye-ji, you're amazing," and explained his tears, relating it to his own experience of driving his daughter to school. He confessed, "I wondered if my daughter might be thinking the same things."

He further elaborated, calling himself "sentimental," and said, "The reason I cried was because from the very beginning, the raw, unadorned way she sang felt exactly like my daughter singing next to me in the car." Lee Ye-ji received the highest score of 146 points from the judges, including Cha Tae-hyun, and advanced to the next round.

Cha Tae-hyun made his acting debut in the 1997 film 'Hallelujah' and is renowned for his comedic timing in hits like 'My Sassy Girl,' 'Bunt,' and 'Scandal Makers.' He has three children and has often portrayed a warm and loving father figure in his roles and on variety shows. His relatable on-screen persona has made him a beloved figure in the Korean entertainment industry.