Im Ba-da brought Joo Woo-jae to his feet.

On the October 5 broadcast of SBS's "The Ballad of Us Season 2" (hereafter "The Ballad of Us 2"), Korean-Australian contestant Im Ba-da earned glowing praise from the "Top 100 Ears."

Korean-Australian Im Ba-da appeared as a contestant on this day's episode. With a remarkable profile that includes headlining the finale of Australia's renowned festival "Schools Spectacular" and captivating the King of the United Kingdom, his entrance left Cha Tae-hyun puzzled, wondering, "Is this a bigger world? Why come here?"

When King Charles visited Australia in 2024, Im Ba-da performed his original composition after being invited to the celebratory event as a composer, even greeting the British monarch in person.

For his first Korean ballad, he selected "Kim Sung-ho's Reminiscence," heightening everyone's anticipation. And that anticipation was fully rewarded.

As his song ended, Joo Woo-jae gave him a standing ovation. Cha Tae-hyun called out his name, shouting, "Ba-da!" while Joo Woo-jae drew attention by openly declaring his fandom, shouting, "I love you!" Chun Hyun-moo was also filled with admiration, marveling, "That was truly spectacular."

Cha Tae-hyun shared his initial concerns regarding the song selection, remarking, "There was absolutely no reason to worry; it was so new and refreshing. Among all the remakes done since the original, this stage is the absolute best," predicting it would garner the highest view count.

Roy Kim followed with lavish praise, saying, "The reason I felt this kind of voice is needed in South Korea is that while you can sense a slight unfamiliarity with the language, he conveys the emotional depth of Korean so well. It made me wonder if another balladeer has arrived to carry on the legacy of seniors Lena Park and Kim Jo-han."

Jung Seung-hwan stated, "Should I call it boyish charm? When you feel purity in a song, it moves you deeply." He continued, "Line by line, it is the sound made by a pure person. Instead of sounding like an established singer, he sang the entire song purely with his own voice as Im Ba-da, and I think that's why everyone was so touched. I feel certain that moving forward, he will sing any song in Im Ba-da's own signature color."

Jung Jae-hyung then complimented him, saying, "To be honest, I had a lot of worries leading up to the taping. I wondered whether there were still people left with a fresh perspective. But after hearing Ba-da sing, I thought, 'This is the person we've been searching for.'" He added, "It was a stage that delivered tremendous catharsis. I hope he gradually shares his story piece by piece from now on." Joo Woo-jae chimed in, saying, "I want to hear his next song right away," capturing viewers' attention.

On this day, Im Ba-da received 147 out of 150 votes, breaking the record for the highest vote tally set in the previous season. Im Ba-da shared his feelings, saying, "The only reason I came to South Korea was for 'The Ballad of Us.' I planned to return straight to Australia and give up on my dream if I were eliminated here, so I practiced extremely hard. Thank you so much for making that effort feel so rewarding."