“When I first got the offer, I hesitated a lot,” he admitted. “I kept thinking, ‘Do I really deserve to sit in that seat?’ It made me look inward.”
What changed his mind? The panel. “When I saw the lineup, I thought, ‘When else would I get to sit alongside such powerhouse judges?’ That’s what convinced me to join,” he said.
"Veiled Musician" is a large-scale vocal competition running simultaneously across nine Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Mongolia, Laos, and Indonesia. Contestants hide all personal details―face, age, occupation―so they’re judged solely on voice and musicianship. Each country crowns a Top 3, who then gather in January for the Veiled Cup on SBS, a country-vs.-country showdown to name Asia’s No. 1 vocalist.
For the Korea edition, actor and variety favorite Choi Daniel serves as MC, with a judging panel that includes Ailee, Paul Kim, Shin Yong-jae, MONSTA X’s KIHYUN, BOL4, and KISS OF LIFE’s BELLE.
While KIHYUN and BELLE are widely respected for their vocals, they skew younger than the typical TV talent show judge. Producer Lee Hong-hee said the team prioritized vocal prowess―while also choosing judges close in age to many contestants. “We wanted them to empathize and evaluate from a relatable place,” Lee explained.
As for what KIHYUN looked for, it wasn’t just big notes. “There are so many great singers,” he said. “I focused on whether someone could carry the song from start to finish―like watching a film―unfolding the story with control and technique.”
He added a promise to viewers: “These contestants are phenomenal. If you love music even a little, you won’t regret watching. We judged with everything we had, so please stay tuned.”
"Veiled Musician" premieres Nov. 12 on Netflix, with new episodes every Wednesday for eight weeks. The "Veiled Cup" special is slated to air on SBS in January.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
