Lee Min-jung Takes on Her First Music Audition MC Role in MBC's 'The Best of the Best'

Actress Lee Min-jung, known for being the wife of actor Lee Byung-hun, is stepping into the role of a music audition MC for the first time since her debut. She expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "As a long-time fan of audition programs, I will do my best to convey the thrilling and magnificent stages to the viewers."

On the 11th, the production presentation for MBC's variety show 'The Best of the Best' was held at the Golden Mouse Hall in MBC Broadcasting Center, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by actress Lee Min-jung, broadcaster Boom, and producers Kim Myung-jin and Chae Hyun-seok. 'The Best of the Best' is a showdown where winners from various music auditions compete to be the 'best of the best.' Lee Min-jung and Boom will serve as MCs, while Baek Ji-young, Heo Sung-tae, and Kim Yong-jun join as panelists to witness the performances of top singers.

Lee Min-jung, who is taking on the MC role, shared, "Recently, I've only been listening to children's songs at home while taking care of my child, so it was nice to hear so many good songs while filming 'The Best of the Best.'" She added, "As a long-time fan of audition programs, I will do my best to convey the thrilling and magnificent stages to the viewers."

She also mentioned shedding tears while watching the performances. Lee Min-jung recalled, "I tend to get very immersed when listening to music. So, while filming 'The Best of the Best,' I cried a lot. I cried during the first recording and promised myself not to cry during the second, but it wasn't easy. There were so many touching performances."

Boom commented, "Having appeared on many audition programs before, I think 'The Best of the Best' is the ultimate program." He emphasized, "The competition among the contestants is intense. The rehearsal time is incredibly long, and everything from instruments, lighting, to stage settings is perfect. Viewers can definitely look forward to it."

Boom continued, "Other auditions go through preliminary rounds. But 'The Best of the Best' starts with the finals from the first stage. So, there are many perfect performances right from the first episode. I was also moved by the performances. Please show a lot of love."

When asked about the benefits for the winner, producer Kim Myung-jin replied, "Nothing has been decided yet," causing a stir at the event. Kim PD explained, "We discussed the benefits with the production team for a long time, but nothing specific came to mind. It's just an honor. For the singers, being the best among the best is an honorable achievement."

Kim PD also revealed, "It wasn't easy to recruit the winners. Only one person decided immediately, and the rest took a long time." He added, "The recruitment period took about 1-2 weeks. The most important criterion was recognition. If viewers don't recognize the participants, it might not be fun. So, we focused on recruiting well-known contestants."

Some of the contestants' identities were also revealed. Kim PD stated, "I can't tell you everything, but some of you might already know some of the participants. Huh Gak will appear, and among the current singers, Lee Ye-ji will participate, and Park Chang-geun was recruited to target the middle-aged audience."

'The Best of the Best' will premiere on the 15th at 8:50 PM.

Reporter Se-yoon Jung, Ten Asia yoon@tenasia.co.kr