New Trot Audition Show 'Legend of the Unknown' Set to Shake Up the Music Scene

A new audition show is set to bring fresh excitement to the bustling trot music scene. The spotlight is on 99 unknown singers who hope to overcome years of obscurity.

On the 25th, a press conference for MBN's new variety show 'Legend of the Unknown - Trot Men's Ranking Battle' (hereafter 'Legend of the Unknown') was held at the Stanford Hotel in Sangam, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by PD Kim Woo-jin, announcer and singer Kim Dae-ho, singers Jang Min-ho, Nam Jin, Joo Hyun-mi, Jo Hang-jo, Shin Yoo, Kang Moon-kyung, Son Tae-jin, Im Han-byul, and Yang Se-hyung.

'Legend of the Unknown' is a large-scale trot survival program where 99 male unknown singers compete for a single throne.

Viewers are already familiar with numerous trot programs like 'King of Mask Singer' and 'Miss Trot.' Acknowledging this, PD Kim stated, "There might be a tedious thought of 'another trot audition,' but the trot genre has endless possibilities."

PD Kim introduced the concept of a 'ranking tower' to differentiate this audition program. On the first floor are unknown singers, the second floor hosts singers with broadcast experience, and the third floor features participants with some level of recognition.

The first floor includes participants with backgrounds in classical music, a 14-year veteran with four debuts, and a challenger with a history as JYP's first trot trainee. Recognition and experience are just starting points, as a single performance can overturn all rankings.

The fact that the MCs also come from unknown backgrounds is noteworthy. Jang Min-ho shared, "I spent over 20 years as an unknown before gaining recognition through a similar program. I thought I might be able to help the participants, so I decided to join." Kim Dae-ho, now a freelancer, also became an announcer through the audition program 'Our Sunday Night - New Employee' in 2011.

There are no restrictions on age, nationality, or experience for the contestants. They are united by their love for trot music. The contestants were discovered by the production team over approximately seven months. PD Kim explained, "It was conducted in a job recruitment format. We hoped the recruitment news would spread widely among unknown singers and encouraged direct applications." He added, "Thousands of new faces from across the country applied."

Regarding the selection process that narrowed thousands of applicants to 99, he said, "We conducted video screenings like interviews." PD Kim elaborated, "We went through more than 25 first-round auditions, repeatedly watching the application videos and listening to the songs, and selected those who could create 'Legend of the Unknown' with us."

The fact that all participants are male also draws attention. Was a female version of the season planned? PD Kim stated, "I don't know if there will be an opportunity later, but for now, we are focusing solely on the participants of this program."

Nam Jin, Joo Hyun-mi, Jo Hang-jo, and others will serve as 'pro teams,' judging and advising the unknown participants' performances. They expressed, "It's unfortunate that those who want to be loved on stage haven't been able to make a name for themselves. We understand the struggles of being unknown. There are many gems among the participants, and we hope their earnest dreams can shine."

'Legend of the Unknown' premieres tonight at 9:40 PM.

Reporter Da-yeon Jeong, Ten Asia light@tenasia.co.kr