In ‘Mr. Trot 3’, the trot newcomer Cheon Rok-dam showcased a stage that reached a new level.
According to Nielsen Korea, the ratings for the TV CHOSUN broadcast of ‘Mr. Trot 3’ on the 30th were 13.1%, making it the number one show across all channels, including terrestrial, general programming, and cable, for six consecutive weeks. It also ranked first among all variety shows aired on Thursdays for six weeks in a row and was the top daily general programming show for six consecutive weeks. The peak rating soared to an impressive 14.7%. Most notably, it set a remarkable record as the number one rated variety program across all channels during the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday, once again proving the nationwide sensation of ‘Mr. Trot 3’.
On this day’s broadcast of ‘Mr. Trot 3’, a hellish one-on-one death match unfolded. In particular, Cheon Rok-dam completely embodied the spirit of trot with a powerful performance that captivated the audience. Dreaming of a leap as a trot singer, Cheon Rok-dam changed his name from Lee Jeong to challenge ‘Mr. Trot 3’. On this day, he shocked the masters with a transcendent performance that completely erased R&B. Cheon Rok-dam chose the challenging traditional trot song “The Light of My Lover” by Jinseong, preparing for the stage by studying every single lyric.
From the first note, Cheon Rok-dam dominated the venue with his breathtaking vocal ability, and as the song progressed, he made all the masters stand in awe with his singing that seemed to channel the spirit of trot. His performance, reminiscent of a veteran trot singer, earned him praises such as “It’s true talent!”, “How can this be beaten?”, and “He’s sharpened his skills!” The original artist, Master Jinseong, also commented, “This is a song that is hard to express without deep experience, but he showed what singing is all about.”
In response, Im Chan, who was chosen as Cheon Rok-dam's opponent, was extremely nervous. Im Chan perfectly delivered Kim Soo-hee’s “Lost Love” and received high praise from Jang Yoon-jung, who called it “a stage sung perfectly with high concentration.” However, he lost to Cheon Rok-dam’s overwhelming performance with a score of 14 to 1, leaving him disappointed.
The strongest big match also drew attention. Among them, the battle between Chun-gil and Lee Ji-hoon was a death match of perfect scores, 100 and 100. Chun-gil, who shone in the first round team mission, chose Kim Yeon-ja’s traditional trot song “Mercury Lamp.” Chun-gil took control of the venue with spine-chilling trot techniques and performance. The original artist, Master Kim Yeon-ja, commented, “He sang with his own unique style, making it very attractive.”
Lee Ji-hoon’s stage was also a memorable highlight. He passionately performed Yoon Si-nae’s “Love Affair,” showcasing the emotional essence of high-pitched trot. After finishing the song, he was so overwhelmed that he teared up, having poured everything into his performance. Master Jinseong praised him, saying, “I’ve heard many ‘Love Affairs’ so far, but I’ve never heard one as perfect as this.”
The masters continued to deliberate. Lee Kyung-kyu compared it to a soccer match, saying, “It’s like Brazil and Germany meeting in the round of 16. They met too early.” Jinseong remarked, “Both are perfect players,” while Jang Yoon-jung expressed her hope that it wouldn’t be a death match since they were both such strong vocalists. The result was a narrow victory for Lee Ji-hoon by just one vote.
A dramatic twist also occurred with an unexpected turn of events. Trot newcomer Park Kwang-hyun defeated the 12-year veteran Mu-ryong with a score of 11 to 4. Park Sun-joo commented on Park Kwang-hyun’s performance of “Why Do You Look Back?” saying, “I could feel that he came out with the mindset that this stage was his last, and it gave me chills. It was amazing.” So Yi-hyun also said, “As a fellow actor, I felt like crying. I could feel the sincerity of how hard he worked. The fact that all 15 masters were stirred was due to that desperation,” and she teared up. Park Kwang-hyun said, “I sang my heart out, thinking that I had to show myself properly on the last stage,” and broke down in tears.
In addition to showcasing the dignity of traditional trot, there were also stages that raised the tension to 200%. Kris Young, a former pianist, shocked the audience with the first-ever selection of Shin Shin-ae’s “The World is a Mystery” in an audition program. The explosive performance by Kris Young sent viewers’ dopamine levels skyrocketing. As a result, Kris Young defeated the vocal talent Kang Seong-kyu with a score of 15 to 0. Kim Hong-nam received praise from Park Sun-joo for his performance of “By Chance,” saying, “He was the best as a character. It was an impressive stage.” Unfortunately, he lost by just one vote to the vocal elite Kim Hyun-soo.
The additional successful candidates whose fates were turned around were also revealed. Choi Jae-myung, who narrowly missed out against Son Bin-ah, and Chun-gil, who had a fierce battle with Lee Ji-hoon, were added to the list of successful candidates by the national voting panel. Additionally, through a master meeting, Im Chan, Hong Seong-ho, Moon Tae-jun, Kang Min-soo, and Park Ji-hoo were also added to the list of successful candidates. As a result, 10 teams were eliminated, and 24 teams secured their spots in the third round of the finals.
With its irreplaceable legendary trot stages and nail-biting competitions, ‘Mr. Trot 3’ airs every Thursday at 10 PM.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
