On the November 9 broadcast of SBS's "The Ballad of Us Season 2," the round two one-on-one battles continued from last week.
On this day's broadcast, two arts high school students, Min Ji-yu from the School of Performing Arts Seoul and Cha Min-ju from Lila Art High School, faced off in a head-to-head match.
Min Ji-yu performed a rendition of Yoon Jong-shin's "Like It." Impressed by Min Ji-yu's stage, Joo Woo-jae exclaimed, "Were you always this good?" and praised it as an impeccably clean and great live performance.
BIBI showered her with praise, saying, "Even if you debuted right this moment, you would secure a spot," and added, "Could there be a vocalist this close to perfection as a ballad singer?" Jung Seung-hwan also drew attention by praising her for vocal pacing and dynamics that were far from cliché.
However, Jung Jae-hyung offered heartfelt advice for his junior, saying, "What is Min Ji-yu's interpretation? I want to see how Ji-yu's singing moves me, but that feeling doesn't reach me. It's very well-crafted and polished. If you asked me what was wrong with it, I wouldn't have an answer. But I want to hear this person's emotions through this song, yet there isn't a single word of her own interpretation. Does a song sung strictly as taught in school truly possess vitality? To be honest, I'm even afraid of my harsh words because I worry Ji-yu might get hurt."
Next, Cha Min-ju took the stage to passionately sing Toy's "A Farewell." Cha Tae-hyun praised her, stating that he could feel every emotion throughout her performance.
Joo Woo-jae also gave a favorable review, saying, "I actually love the overwhelming rush of this song so much, but because it started lyrically, I worried, 'This song is about hiding myself in the beat, so what should we do? Will this song be interpreted properly?' But suddenly, as the lights shifted and the beat kicked in, everyone became of one mind and enjoyed the beat. And looking at Min-ju's expression, she expressed a sad rush tinged with fond nostalgia and sorrow. That made me think she interpreted this song wonderfully."
In response, Jung Jae-hyung expressed his regrets, noting, "You sing really well. I wondered if you would be able to pull this off, but you did so well. However, when the rhythm kicked in during verse two, the pattern of the song should have shifted, and your approach should have changed somewhat, but you sang it just like a ballad. You needed to prepare to soar, but you didn't take flight. I'm left feeling regretful that you didn't think more deeply about the ways to express the song."
BIBI also applauded her, remarking, "I'm the kind of person who would rather polish a large rough gem than get my hands on a small jewel. And Min-ju, you possess a massive rough gem. Your voice is so beautiful."
After both performances concluded, the "Top 100 Ears" panelists could not easily choose one contestant. When all the decisions were made after deep contemplation and the results were announced, everyone was shocked.
An unprecedented 75-75 tie had occurred. An emergency meeting was convened over this situation, the first of its kind across both Season 1 and Season 2. Ultimately, respecting the evenly split verdict of the "Top 100 Ears," both contestants advanced to round three to warm applause.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.