TV
Yoon Tae-hwa Shines with 18 Years of Passion on 'Miss Trot 4'
The episode aired on the 12th featured the 'Legend Mission' of the fourth round of the main competition. As the last gateway to the semifinals, the mission was a showdown with legendary songs, featuring a fierce battle among the 'final bosses'. Yoon Tae-hwa and Yoo-mi, both considered top contenders and having avoided being picked until the end, faced off in a fateful duel on stage.
Before taking the stage, Yoon Tae-hwa expressed her determination, saying, “I have walked the trot path for 18 years. I don't want to think of those years as wasted. I have no intention of stopping here. I will show the weight of my trot life on today's stage.” Her resolute words heightened the excitement in the venue.
The song chosen for their 'one-song battle' was the legendary Choi Jin-hee's classic 'Maze of Love'. Yoon Tae-hwa opened the stage with her deep and powerful voice. Despite her restrained emotions, her solid vocals instantly captivated the audience. From the first verse, her heartfelt emotion and strong foundation moved the original legend, Choi Jin-hee, to stand and give a standing ovation.
Yoo-mi responded with her own delicate interpretation, adding her unique touch. Both artists infused the song with different emotions, crafting a new rendition, and in the latter part, they completed the stage with a mesmerizing harmony. The performance, rich in emotion and strong vocals, truly lived up to the name 'Legend Mission'.
Choi Jin-hee shared her impression, saying, “When the music started, I thought, 'Ah, it's so nice to hear the song here.' The feeling of singing on stage for 40 years and listening to it was really different and made me happy.” Park Sun-joo praised, “Experience is not just for show. I want to commend Yoon Tae-hwa for expressing the song very accurately, as if dedicating it to Master Choi Jin-hee, by minimizing traditional trot techniques.”
By setting aside the flashy traditional trot techniques and capturing the pure emotion of the original song, Yoon Tae-hwa received balanced scores from the legends, masters, and audience, recording a final score of 160:90 in the first round. As the weight of her trot life, built solely on stage, left a lasting impression, all eyes are on who will advance to the semifinals.
Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr