Jung Seung-hwan Praises Contestant for 'The Same Place' Performance on 'Our Ballad'

Singer Jung Seung-hwan expressed his gratitude towards a contestant who performed his song on the premiere of SBS's new music audition program, 'Our Ballad'.

During the first broadcast on the 23rd, MC Jeon Hyun-moo remarked, "One might expect a master of ballads to appear in a ballad audition." Park Kyung-lim added, "I worked at a record store for six years and was a host for Music Bank. After much thought, I realized ballads belong to the listener, evoking memories, emotions, and feelings. I decided to take courage because I felt I could empathize."

Jung Seung-hwan revealed his background as a contestant on 'K-Pop Star', to which Jeon Hyun-moo responded, "You were so nervous back then, and now you've grown so much as a judge. You've really grown well."

Contestant Chun Beom-seok, 21, then appeared and stated that he dreamed of becoming a musician after watching 'K-Pop Star'. He mentioned starting music at 17, learning piano without knowing how to read sheet music, and getting into college with his self-composed songs.

When Chun Beom-seok chose Jung Seung-hwan's 'The Same Place' as his 'life ballad', Jung Seung-hwan was delighted, saying he "knows music well". Jung Seung-hwan confessed, "It's a song I don't know well (referring to others performing it). I only sing it at concerts. I even cry while singing it myself, so when he said he would sing it, I suddenly became nervous."

As Chun Beom-seok prepared to play the piano, Jung Seung-hwan revealed his trembling heart, saying, "It's a truly difficult song. This is the first time I've seen anyone sing this song." Mimi exclaimed, "Isn't he a master?" after hearing the performance, followed by applause and cheers.

Mimi commented, "Why would a master already come to audition?", and Jeon Hyun-moo questioned, "Did you really start at 17?"

Park Kyung-lim noted, "It must not be easy to sing in front of the original singer." Jung Seung-hwan replied, "I absolutely cannot sing this song while playing the piano. It's an extremely demanding song. At first, I listened thinking, 'How will he sing it?', but at some point, I thought, 'Is this even my song?'. He interpreted it so well. I'm thankful he sang it better than I do."

Jung Jae-hyung added, "People might think there's only one way to sing a ballad, but everyone is amazed by the wide range of emotions. This stage showed what lyricism is. I'm so, so proud."

Jung Seung-hwan debuted in the music industry after taking second place in 'K-Pop Star' Season 4. His delicate emotional expression and unique vocal color have garnered significant popularity. He has solidified his position as a 'trustworthy' ballad singer with numerous hit songs such as 'The 24th Hour We Met' and 'Dear Year-End Christmas'.