On the Nov. 11 episode of SBS competition series "The Ballad of Us", Im Ji-seong and Song Ji-woo faced off against the trio of Jeremy, Park Seo-jeong and Lee Min-ji.
Im and Song chose Jannabi’s “For Lovers Who Hesitate,” delivering a delicate, stunning harmony.
“Mimi” raved, “Ji-woo’s voice can turn a moment into pure fantasy. I watched it like I was flipping through a romance comic.”
Cha Tae-hyun quipped, “Your stage was so pretty. Ji-woo felt otherworldly, like she dropped in from the moon, and Ji-seong kept it beautifully grounded ― exactly the duet I wanted.”
Judge Jung Jae-hyung added, “This made me see Ji-seong in a new light. His nuanced backing vocals built gorgeous chords, and instead of trying to outshine, he completed the duet. I felt a whole love story in there.” Crush chimed in, “For me, that’s No. 1.”
Jeremy, Park Seo-jeong and Lee Min-ji countered with Exhibition’s ’90s classic “Drunken Truth,” drawing applause from the panel even during the instrumental break. When the song ended, the room sat in a reverent hush.
“It felt like two ’90s R&B greats sharing the mic,” Park Kyung-lim said, earning nods from the panel.
“Jeremy, who are you right now?” Jung Jae-hyung marveled at his growth. Host Jun Hyun-moo added with a laugh, “I can’t wait to hear how his voice sounds when it fully matures.”
Jung continued, “It barely felt like the same Jeremy ― his own musical scale landed so fresh. Seo-jeong and Min-ji nailed the tiny details and tough technique while spotlighting Jeremy’s rich lower register. They complemented each other’s ranges, locked eyes, and matched notes with such care ― the teamwork was beautiful.”
In the end, Im Ji-seong and Song Ji-woo advanced to the semifinals by a hair, winning 77-72.
“We don’t have to win to be happy,” Team Song said after. “Knowing people will replay this performance later ― that’s everything.” The panel couldn’t help but applaud the grace in defeat.
After Round 3, a vote added four wildcard entries ― one top vote-getter from each eliminated team. Lee Ji-hoon, Lee Jun-seok, Min Soo-hyun and Jeremy clinched those spots, joining Kim Yoon-yi, Choi Eun-bin, Cheon Beom-seok, Jung Ji-woong, Lee Ye-ji, Hong Seung-min, Im Ji-seong and Song Ji-woo in the semifinals.
A teaser at the end of the episode set up Round 4’s semifinals: a Top 6 showdown where dropping below No. 6 means instant elimination ― raising the stakes for everyone left in the game.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Hyo-jung)