hankyoreh

By Nam Ji-en, Culture Correspondent　

　

Who will be the third winner of “Superstar K”? One thing is certain: it’s a battle of the bands.

“Superstar K 3,” a contest program that airs at 11 p.m. Fridays on the cable network Mnet, selected its top three in a live broadcast on Oct. 28. The episode saw the elimination of Christina, a singer boasting explosive vocal power, and the advancement of the trio Busker Busker, the quartet Ooh La La Session, and the duo Two Months.

Ooh La La Session’s members show off outstanding vocal skills in both rock and ballads. Two Months, a duo featuring teenaged male and female performers, appeals to audiences with its fresh tonal colors. Busker Busker, which lucked out in advancing through the withdrawal of Yeri Band, has been spearheading an indie band boom through its live performances. Vocalist Jang Beom-jun enjoys popularity to rival, or beat, K-Pop singers.

The Hankyoreh asked the top seven acts and viewers attending the taping of the show Friday at Seoul’s Kyung Hee University about who was likely to come away the winner. In addition to the top three, Sin Ji-su, Kim Do-hyeon, Chris, and Christina rounded out the top seven.

The members of the top seven picked Ooh La La Session as the favorite by a wide margin. When asked to pick the top two from the last seven, five of the acts picked the quartet, the only exceptions being Chris and the Ooh La La Session members themselves.

The group is enjoying popularity across all age groups. Those who picked it as the likely victor cited the beautiful harmonies, which comfort the listener without going for too much or too little. Kim Hye-na, a 28-year-old company employee attending the taping, said, “When I hear Ooh La La Session sing, I feel more comfortable, and any bad mood I have disappears.”

The group’s version of Lee Seung-cheol’s “The Sky in the West” on Friday had judge Yoon Jong-shin giving 97 points, the highest score of any act that evening, and praising it as “capturing sincerity.”

Another judge, Yoon Mi-rae, said, “Dance, ballads - whatever genre they do, they do it well.”

Judging from Friday‘s performance, one might conclude Ooh La La Session is a ballad group, but the performers have shown the ability to work in a wide range of genres, delivering a reinterpretation of Kim Hyun-chul’s “The Setting of the Moon” on the Oct. 21 show that was even accompanied by some restrained dancing by the members.

Lead singer Im Yun-taek has been diagnosed with cancer. His physical condition has deteriorated with each passing show, including a visible loss of weight, but he has drawn applause by giving his all in the performances. Given that the “Superstar K” have always placed great weight on the artists‘ back stories, his triumph over tragedy through song is something that cannot be overlooked. The other members of the group said that if they win the first prize, they plan to use the prize money toward his treatment.

Female high school students in uniform were a visible presence at the taping. The scene of them sitting in groups holding balloons called to mind the fans who come to see K-Pop groups on music shows. The Hankyoreh asked them who they were fans of. “Jang Beom-jun,” came the reply.

Busker Busker is popular among female middle and high school students. Some analysts predict a good chance of the group emerging victorious on the strength of votes from audience members in their teens and twenties who are proficient with text voting.

“I plan to make sure Busker Busker wins by telling all my friends who don’t watch the show to vote for them by mobile phone,” said Im Hui-ji, a 17-year-old high school student, with a smile.

One factor mentioned as part of the group‘s appeal was a musicality that is not confined to any specific framework. While the pitch or the beat is sometimes off, this is seen as being just another part of their uniqueness. On Friday, Busker Busker performed an arrangement of Yoon Jong-shin’s “Some Makgeolli” with a unique, invigorating rhythm. Yoon said, “It was a break from formula, but I was astonished at how creative it was.”

“We have a group that earns points with its excitement and melodies rather than singing skill,” he added.

Ooh La La Session said the members of Busker Busker were “good-looking and produce a tough and dynamic feeling.”

Two Months said the group’s appeal was the way “the different characters of the members create a harmony within the group, giving a fun feeling.”

Regarding Two Months, Ooh La La Session said the pair “give feeling to dry sentiments as tender and pure emotion fills the song.” Made up of 18-year-old Kim Ye-rim and 19-year-old Do Dae-yun, the duo appeals to audiences with a charisma that comes from a shy-seeming purity. This may account for the strong support from older audience members at the scene of the taping. Go Mi-yeon, a 32-year-old company employee, said, “It’s fun to see them giving their all in a shy way, which contrasts with the polished professional quality of the other two groups, and they evoke a protective feeling. You want to support them.”

Those foreseeing a Two Months victory placed particular emphasis on Kim’s rare vocal abilities. Singer Lee Seung-cheol said her voice was “exquisite, like a mermaid entrancing a person.”

Kim, a younger singer in the contest, undergoes a startling change in her eyes and expression when she takes the stage. Kim Hae-jin, a 35-year-old female fan, said, “She was really sexy when she sang Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face.’ I look forward to seeing where her transformation goes.”

　　

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]