The first star to drop in: SEVENTEEN’s SEUNGKWAN. Despite his packed schedule, SEUNGKWAN phones in to cheer on ‘The Ballad of Us’ winner Lee Ye-ji with a heartfelt message. His warm words leave Lee―usually all confidence on stage―adorably flustered and at a loss for how to react, prompting the cast to marvel, “We’ve never seen Ye-ji shy like this.”
Tensions rise as winner Lee Ye-ji and runner-up Lee Ji-hoon, who faced off in the ‘The Ballad of Us’ finale, meet again for a rematch. Lee Ye-ji takes the stage first with a rock ballad, seizing the room with surging energy and meticulous emotion―so gripping that the studio reportedly held its breath in silence.
Lee Ji-hoon follows with “I’m Firefly,” bolstered by support from chart-topping singer Hwang Ga-ram. “It’s one of my favorites,” says host Cha Tae-hyun. “I’ve been dying to hear Ji-hoon sing it.” As the performance unfolds, his calm yet resonant tone washes over the studio, moving Cha―and even the Top 100 panel―to misty-eyed stillness. Watching on, Jun Hyun-moo adds, “At this level, Ye-ji can’t afford to relax,” stoking curiosity over how their reunion showdown will end.
Also on deck: a self-proclaimed “ballad stan” makes an unannounced visit to duet with a member of the Top 12. The two not only share a strikingly similar vibe but also click instantly onstage, warming the room with perfectly in-sync chemistry.
Capturing moments where stories and songs connect beyond competition, ‘The Ballad of Us Radio’ premieres tonight (Jan. 6) at 10:40 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)