
The Oct. 14 episode (Episode 4) launches Round 2. Filling in for Crush during his brief absence, Kwon steps in as a panel rep to help uncover hidden gems.
Round 2 is themed “This Is the Ballad for…” with contestants choosing from keywords like First Love, Breakup, and soundtrack. It’s head-to-head: one advances, one goes home. With matchups this tight, even the 100-member panel is sweating over which of the two to back with a single vote.
One marquee showdown pairs Lee Ye-ji―who topped Round 1 with 146 votes―against Choi Eun-bin, who placed third with 142. The panel buzzes as the bracket drops, and host Park Kyung-lim exclaims, “This feels like the finals already―isn’t that a bit cruel?”
The twist: Ye-ji actually chose Eun-bin as her opponent, sending curiosity soaring about why she targeted one of the night’s toughest contenders.
Elsewhere, a performance reminds Park Kyung-lim and Cha Tae-hyun of Kwon Jinah’s "K-pop Star" era, and judge Jung Jae-hyung is even spotted jotting a note about the resemblance. Which contestant sparked the deja vu?
"The Ballad of Us" airs Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)