‘Live Wire’ opened the curtain for a grand harmony with authentic music, unexpected artist connections, and a perfect blend with the audience from its very first broadcast.
On the 20th, the first episode of Mnet's entertainment program ‘Live Wire’ (directed by Shin Yoo-seon PD) featured ‘all-round musician’ Jung Jae-hyung and ‘genius producer’ Code Kunst as MCs, providing a feast for the senses through encounters and performances with various artists including Kim Chang-wan Band, Touched, DPR IAN, Roy Kim, and Lee Young-ji, leading to an unprecedented level of immersion.
The broadcast recorded a peak viewership rating of 1.3% (combined Mnet and tvN, based on AGB Nielsen paid households in the metropolitan area) amidst high viewer support, marking the first step of an exciting journey.
First, MCs Jung Jae-hyung and Code Kunst took the stage themselves, opening with a newly mashed-up performance of Jung Jae-hyung's ‘feather of the spring’ and Code Kunst's ‘Remember Archive’. The two MCs then introduced the special rules unique to ‘Live Wire’. Jung Jae-hyung explained, “Unlike other music shows, artists can choose the artist they want to see, and that artist will then choose the next artist, creating an endless live show.” Code Kunst added, “Not only the artists but the audience is also connected. Through a music type test, similar people are seated together,” signaling the start of a differentiated music show.
The first act was Kim Chang-wan Band, who delivered a sweet performance of ‘Your Meaning’. It was a precious experience to hear the original voice of the song, which had previously been remade by singer IU, showcasing generational harmony. Code Kunst expressed, “This song came out before I was even born, and 30 years later, IU remade it, introducing it to the younger generation.
Recently, it was also featured in the OST of ‘Poksak Sogassuda’ and received love. It seems that great songs continue to be remade,” he marveled. When Kim Chang-wan asked, “Did it come out there (‘Poksak Sogassuda’)?”, Jung Jae-hyung jokingly replied, “You didn’t check your royalty account this month, did you?” causing everyone to burst into laughter. Following this, Kim Chang-wan gifted comfort with his song ‘Middle School 2’, prepared for the troubled youth. Notably, rapper Kim Ha-on made a surprise appearance from the audience, providing a cross-generational harmony with Kim Chang-wan Band.
Immediately after, the band Touched appeared at the invitation of Kim Chang-wan. Kim Chang-wan explained, “I heard cheers breaking through the soundproof door on another program, and I wanted to meet that artist.” In response, Touched delivered a fantastic live performance with their refreshing voices, singing ‘Highlight’ and ‘Night View’. Throughout the stage, Kim Chang-wan seemed to rush out to greet them, pouring out genuine reactions that created a warm atmosphere.
Following Touched's spine-tingling live performance, the artist they chose appeared. Code Kunst expressed surprise, saying, “I was shocked to hear that this friend would come out. He doesn’t show his face on broadcast programs,” and Touched confessed, “We were worried if he would actually come out.” The star of the moment was DPR IAN, a musician with a solid global fandom. He took the stage singing his hit song ‘Don’t Go Insane’, overwhelming the audience with his intense charisma and exceptional stage presence.
Touched expressed, “It felt like Michael Jackson, and I loved it. I was mesmerized.” When Jung Jae-hyung asked, “Do you have a question you really want to ask?”, Touched eagerly responded, “We can’t miss this opportunity. Would you consider working with us?” When DPR IAN replied, “It’s definitely possible,” the atmosphere became even more lively. Additionally, Touched and DPR IAN identified ‘communication with the audience’ as a commonality and spontaneously attempted to interact with fans, heating up the venue even more.
DPR IAN created another wave of excitement with his performance of ‘Nerves’, and the artist he wanted to see was emotional vocalist Roy Kim. He sang his hit song ‘If You Ask Me What Love Is’, delivering warmth and deep resonance. Code Kunst was surprised by Roy Kim’s unexpected appearance.
DPR IAN revealed, “It’s a different genre of music, but I love the vibe. I really like it,” explaining his reason for choosing him. DPR IAN also shared the point choreography of ‘Don’t Go Insane’ with Roy Kim, enjoying a delightful time and sharing a special moment united by music. Soon after, Roy Kim passionately sang ‘Just As You Are’. The sweet voice piercing through the microphone, the lyrical melody, and the band sound presented ‘real music’ that had rarely been seen in living rooms.
Finally, Roy Kim expressed, “I love this person’s narrative. He is breaking stereotypes and images with his own abilities and talents. He is someone who can encompass the times, and I want to get to know him through this opportunity,” choosing Lee Young-ji as the artist to invite. Code Kunst shared a special connection, saying, “If I could divide my body into 100 parts, I would give about 1/100 to this friend.”
Lee Young-ji appeared with her hit song ‘Small Girl’, engaging closely with the audience and encouraging them to sing along. Jung Jae-hyung praised, “Such natural stage manners are surprising, and if I had made someone like this by dividing myself into 1/100, it would have been a proud stage.” Code Kunst added, “If Young-ji had come out first, I think I would have cried. She won ‘High School Rapper 3’ here, and meeting her here feels a bit…” unable to finish his sentence, he revealed his affection.
Soon after, Roy Kim and Lee Young-ji took time to recognize each other, and when Roy Kim playfully asked, “Cocoon vs. Na Young-seok PD,” Lee Young-ji pondered and replied, “Oh my god! Both are father figures to me,” before finally choosing “Code Kunst. If he hadn’t recognized me when I was young, I wouldn’t be here. I chose him because he is someone who makes me feel nostalgic just thinking about it.”
Hearing this, Code Kunst joyfully responded, “My tears were not in vain,” creating a cheerful back-and-forth that brought laughter. Additionally, at Roy Kim’s request, a surprise duet stage with Lee Young-ji was realized, and the two showcased fantastic synergy while singing ‘Until I Found You’.
The ‘meeting of artists’ that they had always wanted to experience but never had the chance to, and this serendipitous encounter led to moments of deeper musical communication, resulting in the birth of precious stages that provided deep emotion and resonance to viewers who had been waiting for ‘real music and performances’.
Meanwhile, ‘Live Wire’ transcends a simple stage, connecting artists with artists, audiences with audiences, and the stage with viewers through ‘music’, and airs simultaneously on Mnet and tvN every Friday at 7 PM.
