SBS’ 'The Ballad of Us' is back with Season 2―and it’s on the hunt for fresh voices to carry the ballad legacy forward.
The show’s first season, which aired last year, reimagined timeless ballad hits through contestants with an average age of 18.2. Their stages tapped into universal emotion and sparked a nationwide “ballad fever.”
Season 1 pulled in both ratings and buzz: it ranked No. 1 among viewers ages 20-49 across all episodes, entered the Netflix Korea Series Top 10, and surpassed 100 million cumulative online clip views. Winner Lee Ye-ji and fellow Top 12 finalists Lee Ji-hoon, Cheon Beom-seok, Choi Eun-bin, Hong Seung-min, Song Ji-woo, Kim Yun-i, Min Su-hyeon, Lee Jun-seok, Lim Ji-seong, Jeong Ji-ung, and Jeremy all drew strong support, fueling a sold-out nationwide tour and major chatter.
Now, the audition show that opened a new chapter for the genre is launching an open call for new Season 2 contestants. Eligibility: anyone, regardless of nationality, born on or after January 1, 1998. Applications are open from March 16 through May 10 via the official 'The Ballad of Us' website. Details on the open call will be shared across the show’s website and SBS NOW’s Instagram and other digital channels.
“The Ballad of Us is ready to discover a new star again, thanks to all the love and attention last year,” the production team said. “Anyone can sing Korea’s next life-defining ballad. We’re looking forward to hearing from aspiring singers with their own unique emotions.”
Co-produced by SBS―home to hit audition formats―and SM C&C, 'The Ballad of Us' is slated to air in the second half of this year.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)