The match between Korea's number one Park Seo-jin and Japan's number one Yu Da-i, both of whom are the same age, has caused an explosive reaction, shaking the fandom and view counts right after the broadcast.
The MBN entertainment program '2025 Korea-Japan King of Kings Competition', commemorating the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, premiered on the 2nd at 9:50 PM, showcasing a scale worthy of the world's only music national competition and achieving the highest viewership rating in its time slot from the very first episode.
The broadcast featured a fresh format with the appearance of the Korea-Japan representative teams, a declaration ceremony, and a ranking competition, capturing attention with its thrilling developments.
In particular, the match between Korea's number one Park Seo-jin and Japan's number one Yu Da-i, both of the same age, unfolded as the ending stage, generating explosive responses. The two have overcome long periods of obscurity to reach the top, sharing a dramatic narrative, a commonality of being the same age, and the symbolism of representing their respective countries as number one, creating a palpable tension even before stepping on stage.
First, Park Seo-jin showcased the power of Korean trot with his unique solid vocal tone and lively drum performance while singing 'Raise the Boat'. In contrast, Yu Da-i delivered a fresh shock to the audience with his sweet tone and delicate emotional line infused with modern J-pop sensibilities while performing 'Walking with You'.
Moreover, the stage of Park Seo-jin and Yu Da-i, which maximized their individual personalities and charms, not only provided a symbolic moment of communication through music across borders but also further heated up the passionate fandom. Additionally, the YouTube stage clips of Park Seo-jin and Yu Da-i released immediately after the broadcast have recorded a rapid surge, surpassing 1 million combined views in just two days.
Fans reacted passionately, saying, "Legendary stage, a scene I will remember for a lifetime," "I couldn't stop getting goosebumps the whole time," "How can you beat Park Seo-jin," "How did they get Yu Da-i, I can't wait to see," and more. They also expressed their excitement, saying, "It's amazing that Korean trot and J-pop can blend like this," and "Thanks to the chemistry between the two, I will be tuning in every week."
Above all, the Korean fandom is thrilled by Park Seo-jin's explosive vocal power and energy, while the Japanese fandom is excited about Yu Da-i's sweet tone and J-pop sensibility, leading to a prideful competition. Fans of Park Seo-jin and Yu Da-i are exchanging real-time reactions through comment sections, maximizing the unique tension of the 'Korea-Japan competition' despite the differences in language and genre.
As the results of the preliminary match will be revealed on the 9th, there is keen interest in who among the two, who are creating a striking resemblance in their similar journeys, will claim the first victory.
The production team stated, "Japanese artists are bringing new genres of music as their weapons, and Korean artists are also stepping out with various musical variations, targeting the tastes of the 2030 MZ fans," adding, "The broadcast on the 9th will feature the results of the preliminary matches between Park Seo-jin and Yu Da-i, and Enok and Takuya, along with an even stronger, unprecedented stage. Please look forward to it."
Meanwhile, the MBN '2025 Korea-Japan King of Kings Competition', commemorating the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, will air on the 9th at 9:50 PM.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
