"Never once failed." The production team of "Our Ballad 2" expresses well-founded confidence [★FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

The production team behind SBS's audition show "Our Ballad 2," which aims to continue its undefeated legacy, has revealed strong conviction and confidence for the new season.

As the newlywed judge Moon Geun-young joined the panel amid a double celebration of her secret marriage, her bold commentary, heartfelt tears, and an emotional behind-the-scenes moment that even moved the director to tears while recalling a contestant have sparked public curiosity to its peak about what magical three minutes will unfold in the premiere.

Recently, a roundtable interview with SBS's "Our Ballad 2" Chief Producer Jung Ik-seung and PD Ahn Jeong-hyun was held at a café in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Launched last September as Season 1, "Our Ballad" is a survival audition program where aspiring singers present reinterpreted classic ballads with their unique styles. The highly anticipated Season 2 premiere is set for October 5.

Reflecting on Season 2, Chief Producer Jung said, "Whenever I recall past memories, I feel proud that previous seasons were loved and successful. But that leads to more concerns from the planning stage onward." He added, "We must faithfully convey what was beloved, yet we also need to create something just a step different, which brings many worries."

He continued, "As of last weekend, we have already completed two rounds of filming. During these two rounds, I personally witnessed the contestants' performances and exchanged thoughts with the eight Top Back-Gui representatives. What I can confidently say is that this year will bring new and diverse elements beyond our expectations."

He emphasized, "If we lean a bit on fate, looking at SBS's history of audition programs produced for two consecutive years, there was a pattern where after a beloved season, the following year always delivered something even newer and hotter without a single failure. This year, I believe we can once again convey messages like, 'Such friends have appeared?' or 'This is how auditions can be done?'"

PD Ahn Jeong-hyun also expressed gratitude, saying, "I am thankful for the opportunity to showcase new sensibilities and special ideas."

He added, "During filming, those present had high expectations, but I saw them leave even happier than expected. This autumn, I feel we can once again convey deep emotion and the beauty of ballads, so we are happily preparing for the premiere."

Actress Moon Geun-young, who recently married musical actor Jung Pyeong in a secret ceremony and became a topic of discussion, has joined "Our Ballad 2" as its first female Top Back-Gui judge amid the double celebration.

Regarding the internal team atmosphere when Moon's marriage news broke, PD Ahn said, "To be honest, we weren't informed beforehand. We were contacted that an article would be published and congratulated her warmly. We also congratulated her again on-site." He added, "It was wonderful. Having a program launched with someone who shared happy news naturally brings positive energy. I thought the show must be destined to succeed," expressing his joy.

He then revealed the special background behind casting Moon Geun-young as a judge. "We struggled greatly with whom to invite, but we were determined to have Moon Geun-young." He explained, "She entered the entertainment industry at a young age and became a star immediately. She lived under national attention and love, faced personal hardships, and had periods where she paused various activities. Yet, she recovered her health, returned to the public stage to be loved again, and continues active work."

He further stated, "We felt that although Moon Geun-young is a star, she understands the hearts of children starting anew better than anyone else. With deep life experience, she has much wisdom to offer them. We desperately wanted her to join, and fortunately, she loves audition programs and readily agreed."

Moon Geun-young's judging style observed on-site exceeded the production team's expectations. PD Ahn said, "She understood the contestants' hearts most closely, grasping their freshness at the beginning and depth without limits, offering insights from her own perspective." He continued, "For some contestants, she cried uncontrollably. It wasn't because they shared a special story or performed exceptionally; rather, upon hearing one sing, she said, 'At this tender age, do you know such deep loneliness? I wanted to hug you after hearing your song.' She exceeded our expectations by several times."

Most surprisingly to the production team was Moon Geun-young's bold and honest commentary. PD Ahn revealed, "We were greatly surprised because we didn't realize she could speak so strongly and directly. It wasn't criticism; upon hearing a contestant's voice, she said, 'The moment I heard your voice, it lost its flavor.' That shocked us on-site."

He added, "I thought she might feel shy if other cast members teased her, but she responded with statements like, 'I am an assertive woman.' Such moments occurred. She exceeded our initial expectations and even showed aspects we hadn't anticipated, which brought great satisfaction."

When asked who the most anticipated contestant was, PD Ahn replied, "It's difficult to pick just one," revealing his overwhelming emotions.

On this day, emphasizing the program's purpose, he drew a clear line: "We are not looking for friends who majored in music or possess technical excellence." He then cautiously shared the story of one contestant who moved him.

He described, "There is a girl who lives with her grandparents and works on their farm in the countryside. With nothing around her home and no activities, she began loving music by holding a guitar from a young age." He explained, "She created her own world while playing music while gazing at the rural landscape and reflecting on nature."

PD Ahn recalled, "Technically, she might not sing as well as friends living in Seoul. But when she came before us to share her story and sang about the music she envisioned, I cried."

Especially while recounting this story, he suddenly became emotional, saying, "Thinking of it again now, tears come to my eyes once more."

Composing himself, he said, "Although the song was short at 3-4 minutes, I felt her life journey, her heart for music, and what she wanted to convey to others. It created a magical moment." He expressed high expectations for sincere performances that transcend technical skill.

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*This content was translated by AI.