The race to the finale is on as the Top 12 of SBS’s music competition series "The Ballad of Us" kick off a high-stakes semifinal.
On Episode 9, airing Nov. 18, Kim Yoon-i, Choi Eun-bin, Cheon Beom-seok, Jung Ji-woong, Lee Ye-ji, Hong Seung-min, Lim Ji-sung, Song Ji-woo, Lee Ji-hoon, Lee Jun-seok, Min Soo-hyun and Jeremy face off in a winner-takes-all fight for six seats in the final, packing the stage with power vocals and distinct styles.
The fourth-round semifinal theme is “Tribute Ballads,” with contestants dedicating songs to someone meaningful. A 150-member “Top Ears” panel can hit the greenlight button before a performance ends, and only six singers advance based on the vote count.
There are no extra saves or wild-card returns this time―slip to seventh and you’re out. With the stakes this high, the “Top Ears” judges are expected to vote with extra caution, setting up an unpredictable night.
Adding even more weight to the moment, Korean ballad icon Yoon Sang joins as the “Top Ears” panel representative. He’s been one of the show’s most-referenced musicians; in Round 1 alone, contestants chose four of his songs.
A musician’s musician, Yoon Sang weighs in on performances from contestants averaging just 18 years old―and he’s moved to tears by one standout act. He goes on to predict that singer will become “a powerhouse balladeer,” teasing which rising star caught his eye.
The final hurdle before the championship, "The Ballad of Us"s semifinal airs Nov. 18 at 9 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)