Singer Jung Seung-hwan says he’s overwhelmed to be back on an audition stage ― this time on the judging side.
At a press conference at SBS headquarters in Seoul on Sept. 23 for the launch of the new music audition series "The Ballad of Us", Jung confirmed he’ll serve on the show’s celebrity “Top Ears” representatives panel.
“Eleven years after competing on 'K-pop Star,' I’m greeting you now as one of "The Ballad of Us"s ‘Top Ears,’” he said. Jung first rose to fame as the runner-up on SBS’s "K-pop Star 4" in 2014, kicking off his career as a balladeer.
“As someone who came up through an audition show, standing in a judge-like role feels emotional for me,” he continued. “On top of that, I’m working again with the same production team behind the show I was on, which makes me think, ‘How does something like this even happen?’” "The Ballad of Us" reunites executive producer Park Sung-hoon and director Jung Ik-seung, who helmed "K-pop Star."
"The Ballad of Us" is a music competition that revisits the ballads that scored our lives and searches for fresh 2025 voices to reinterpret those classics. A 150-member “Top Ears” panel of super-listeners scouts teenage contestants ― whose average age is about 18 ― to uncover hidden gems. The celebrity “Top Ears” reps include Jung Jae-hyung, Cha Tae-hyun, Choo Sung-hoon, Jun Hyun-moo, Park Kyung-lim, Danny Koo, Crush, Jung Seung-hwan, and MIMI of OH MY GIRL.
“I wondered, ‘Who am I to comment on someone else’s singing?’” Jung admitted. “But as a member of the Top Ears, I realized I just need to share my honest thoughts and reactions.”
He added, “I was 19 and a high-school senior when I competed, the same age as many of the contestants now. Watching them, I saw myself. It brought back long-forgotten moments and feelings, and I was genuinely moved ― not just by the music, but by the look in each contestant’s eyes. It was inspiring.”
"The Ballad of Us" premieres tonight (Sept. 23) at 9 p.m. KST on SBS with an extended 160-minute first episode.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)