Ali won the first part by defeating Hwang Min-ho.
The KBS2 entertainment program ‘Immortal Songs’ (directed by Park Min-jeong, Park Hyung-geun, Kim Sung-min, Park Young-kwang) aired on the afternoon of the 7th, featuring the ‘Noh Sa-yeon & Choi Sung-soo’ episode.
During the broadcast, Bae Gi-sung expressed his disappointment, saying, “I’m not an Olympic athlete, and you’re singing after four years... Please don’t do that. At least you should sing every two years,” which drew laughter. He then explained his song choice, saying, “Looking at today’s matchups, I thought I shouldn’t touch Noh Sa-yeon sunbaenim, so I chose Choi Sung-soo sunbaenim’s ‘Haehu’.”
Woody shared his thoughts, saying, “I think this is a program that every singer should appear on, so I’m very grateful for my first appearance and it’s a new experience. I feel like I haven’t made much effort to promote myself... I’m still a bit scared and afraid of the camera,” expressing his feelings about appearing on the show. He added, “People don’t know my face well. They can sing along to my songs... Time has passed, and it’s been 14 years since my debut, and one day I thought, ‘How long can I keep making music? I’m so excited, can my efforts extend my lifespan?’ That’s why I’m appearing on the show.”
Lee Chan-won supported him, saying, “You might not know his face, but you won’t forget his voice once you hear it. It’s been 14 years since his debut.” Afterward, Woody passionately sang Noh Sa-yeon’s ‘Bareum’ with a powerful voice, and after finishing the stage, he said, “I don’t know what I was thinking or in what state of mind I sang,” showing a somewhat nervous demeanor.
The panelists in the waiting room praised him, saying, “His voice is unique,” “I think he will appear on ‘Immortal Songs’ a lot from today,” and “His heavy vocals resonate, he’s a singer with a lot to offer.” Ali also added, “I think young friends will listen to this song again, and I hope they hear it through Woody’s singing.”
The next performer to take the stage is Highkey. Seo Yi said, “I’ve seen Noh Sa-yeon sunbaenim a lot on entertainment programs. She has a strong woman vibe. She’s fun and hearty... I listened to all the songs while preparing for this, and I found that she has a powerful image and emotion that differs from her existing image, so my fixed image has changed.”
Afterward, Highkey chose Choi Sung-soo’s ‘Full Leaf Love’ and decorated the stage with a lively tone that encouraged the audience to sing along. Bae Gi-sung commented, “Good songs can transcend age and generations. I watched today with a heart of an uncle,” and Lee Chan-won said, “I think Highkey will win today,” praising their performance.
Noh Sa-yeon remarked, “This is a classic song that resonated through social media. Lim Young-woong sang this song and it became a hit again. Today, Woody’s ‘Bareum’ was different. I thought it could be arranged so beautifully even for the younger generation. I almost cried,” sharing her thoughts on Woody’s performance. Choi Sung-soo said, “I was asked if there’s no fast song for the night stage, so I chose ‘Full Leaf Love.’ You didn’t see my face, right? Wow... I have the heart of an uncle watching an idol, that’s how I felt. Today, I’m incredibly happy. Highkey is the best,” praising their stage.
Woody said, “I’ve been debuting for 14 years. Singing in front of the camera is still scary. To sing for a long time like the two sunbaenims, I think I need to make my face known, so I came out. I will work hard to become a singer who can appear on ‘Immortal Songs’ again. Thank you,” giving a brief greeting.
The choice of the classic song judging panel went to Woody, and Lee Se-jun was selected as the third performer. He said, “The two sunbaenims are like the two great mountains. I really want to be like them... The song I released this month is ‘Bungeoppang,’ and my manager started a bungeoppang business, so he asked if I could make a song related to bungeoppang, and I made it that night. But this song is based on what that friend experienced. Today, I prepared Choi Sung-soo sunbaenim’s ‘Donghaeng.’ I know it’s a song often sung at weddings,” sharing his thoughts before taking the stage. He then responded to Lee Chan-won’s comment that “Including what Lee Se-jun’s group ‘Yuri Box’ received, there are a total of 4 trophies from ‘Immortal Songs’,” saying, “Then I have to beat ‘Yuri Box’,” showing a bold attitude.
He delivered a performance filled with techniques and vocals that captivated the entire audience, and Bae Gi-sung jokingly praised him, saying, “He’s my friend! During the song, ‘My Way’ came out. He’s a smart guy.” Noh Sa-yeon commented, “Listening to it with a new arrangement, I felt like I didn’t need to do Donghaeng,” evaluating Lee Se-jun’s stage.
As a result of the classic song judging panel's voting, Lee Se-jun secured his first win. The fourth performer, Hwang Min-ho, said, “Today, I will sing Choi Sung-soo sunbaenim’s ‘Our Joyful Love.’ I didn’t originally know this song, but I looked it up and thought it would feel new,” explaining his song choice.
Despite his young age, he filled the stage with explosive singing ability, causing the panelists to stand in applause. Lee Chan-won said, “He’s comparable to adult singers,” Bae Gi-sung remarked, “Thinking about what kind of stage he will present in his 20s, I think it will be like Michael Jackson. I learned this gesture when I was 30. The future of our music industry looks very bright,” and Woody expressed surprise, saying, “I think he should be designated as a national treasure and educated with national funds.”
Yang Ji-eun said, “Min-ho is the same age as my son, and my son is very shy and hides behind me. Isn’t that the age? But to express all that in front of so many audiences must be a happy concern for a mother. He looked incredibly big on stage,” expressing her joy.
Choi Sung-soo commented, “Is that what genius is? He tells me, ‘That’s how life is,’ and calls Noh Sa-yeon sunbaenim ‘noona’? I also jump around when I sing this song,” while Noh Sa-yeon said, “Didn’t Lee Se-jun and Hwang Min-ho sing my song? Lee Se-jun must feel a lot of pressure,” expressing her admiration for Hwang Min-ho’s stage. As a result of the voting, Hwang Min-ho secured his first win, and the fifth performer, Ali, challenged Hwang Min-ho with Noh Sa-yeon’s song ‘Nim Geurimja.’
The audience, moved to tears by his performance, applauded until the end, and Lee Se-jun also shared, “There are times when you have to hide the things you actually experience to stand on stage, right? You have to endure the gap between your life and your profession, and he expressed that so beautifully. It was a wonderful stage that anyone could relate to,” while Ahn Seong-hoon said, “I felt like tears would keep coming. It felt like a gift.”
Noh Sa-yeon said, “Ali captured the joys and sorrows of a singer today. I felt that emotion from the beginning, and it made me cry. You know I have a weak heart, right?” sharing her thoughts on the performance. Shin Dong-yeop asked, “I heard that Noh Sa-yeon sunbaenim faced trials. She suffered from sudden hearing loss...”
In response, Noh Sa-yeon explained, “There are times when I can hear the pitch accurately, but there are also ranges I can’t hear. I used to enjoy music so comfortably, but now if the sound doesn’t match me a little, people ask, ‘Why is she doing that?’ and it was very hard. These days, I’m constantly taking vocal lessons. I’ve found a way to create my sound,” surprising everyone.
As a result of the classic song judging panel's voting, Ali emerged victorious, becoming the winner of the first part. He achieved a record of 16 trophies, tying for first place with Jeong Dong-ha.
‘Immortal Songs’ airs every Saturday at 6:05 PM on KBS2.
[Seo Ye-ji, Star Today Guest Reporter]
