Lee Seung-cheol, Lee So-ra, Kim Gun-mo... Legends return, receiving love calls from YouTube too [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

While legendary singers who dominated a generation, including Lee Seung-cheol, Lee So-ra, and Kim Gun-mo, have announced their long-awaited comebacks, the industry is also extending numerous love calls to them. Each artist is promoting their presence in their own way as part of activities for their main careers, with persistent casting inquiries continuing behind the scenes on platforms like YouTube, which have long become mainstream. This marks a shift from their previous trajectory of appearing on major terrestrial broadcasters to promote new songs.

Marking his 40th anniversary since debut this year, Lee Seung-cheol has unexpectedly found himself at the center of attention among both Gen-Z and MZ generations.

Lee Seung-cheol appeared on KBS 2TV's 'The Seasons: Sung Si-kyung's High-Pitched Boyfriend,' broadcast on the 10th, performing a duet of 'Mali Flower' with Sung Si-kyung and showcasing live performances including 'Fate.'

Subsequently, the video of the 'Mali Flower' performance accumulated approximately 2.87 million views, while clips from the broadcast spread across short-form platforms and online communities, drawing significant attention. This naturally led to love calls for university events and other engagements from younger generations. Notably, in Good Data Corporation's Q2 2026 TV-OTT Trendiness Survey, KBS 2TV ranked first among all broadcasters in non-drama program trendiness share, and 'The Seasons: Sung Si-kyung's High-Pitched Boyfriend' secured the top spot in weekly average trendiness rankings for KBS non-drama programs.

Despite numerous love calls from various sources, Lee Seung-cheol remains focused on preparing for his long-awaited performance. He is intensifying preparations for KBS's Mid-Autumn Festival special project 'Your Life Is Never Ending Story - Lee Seung-cheol.' This project was planned by KBS to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Following Na Hoon-a's successful stage in 2020 and Cho Yong-pil's in 2025, Lee Seung-cheol will now headline the Mid-Autumn Festival this year. Over four decades, Lee Seung-cheol has gifted comfort and memories through music to countless lives, and this performance announces the return of Ra I-beu (황제). The 2026 KBS Mid-Autumn Festival special project 'Your Life Is Never Ending Story - Lee Seung-cheol' will be held at Inspire Arena on August 1. Following the live event, the emotional experience will be broadcast on KBS 2TV during this year's Chuseok holiday.

Alongside this, Lee Seung-cheol is conducting a 40th-anniversary nationwide tour titled 'The Voice: Lee Seung-cheol' together with Lee San, the final winner of ENA's 'The Scout.' He plans to expand his tour schedule in the second half of the year to major cities including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju.

Reflecting on his 40th anniversary, Lee Seung-cheol expressed firm determination: "I reached this point thanks to my fans. I will continue to stay active for a long time," earning applause from the audience.

Lee So-ra's comeback news was also warmly welcomed after a long absence.

Previously, Lee So-ra announced her first main career comeback in seven years through her new single 'I Will Forget Your Face All' (Summer Breeze), marking her return since releasing the single 'Request Song' (Feat. SUGA of BTS) in January 2019.

Lee So-ra debuted in the music industry in 1993 as a member of the vocal group Natsun-saramdeul, later transitioning to a solo career in 1995. She released numerous hit songs including 'I'm Happy,' 'Proposal,' 'Blue Inside You,' 'Please,' 'Don't Leave My Side,' 'Remember Me,' 'The Wind Blows,' and 'Track 9.' Until recently, Lee So-ra has primarily communicated with the public through OSTs for well-made dramas following her single album 'Request Song.'

Through her agency, Lee So-ra stated, "It feels fresh to release a new song after such a long time. I hope many people will listen to it." She added, "I am grateful to those who waited for me. I will sing more from now on, so please continue to watch and support me."

Later, Lee So-ra appeared on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' and honestly confessed the real reason she had to leave the public eye for an extended period. She revealed that during filming of JTBC's 'Begin Again,' she endured cold winds throughout the night, causing her voice to become unusable. This led to severe depression as she feared she might never sing again, resulting in a difficult period. Additionally, due to rapid weight gain, her body weight increased to 90–100 kg. After hospital tests revealed her blood pressure exceeded 190 mmHg, triggering life-threatening concerns, she finally snapped out of it and began managing her health. She shared recent updates on her efforts to regain a healthy lifestyle, including stopping late-night snacks after 6 p.m., placing a photo of her attending physician beside the sofa, and continuing exercise.

In this regard, it is reported that inquiries for appearances on YouTube and other platforms regarding Lee So-ra continue to arrive.

Kim Gun-mo also announced his comeback with a completely new song after 10 years. On the 1st at 6 p.m., Kim Gun-mo released his new single 'Where Are We Going?' through major online music sites. This marks exactly 10 years since he released '50,' his 25th-anniversary commemorative album in 2016.

The track 'Where Are We Going?' is a remake of the title song from Jeon Young-eui's first album, released in 1977. By minimizing instrumental arrangements while preserving the lyrical melody of the original, the minimalist arrangement highlights Kim Gun-mo's signature simple yet profound voice.

Regarding this comeback, Kim Gun-mo briefly shared his thoughts: "Since this is the first song I have sung while playing the guitar, I hope it becomes an opportunity to show a 'new Kim Gun-mo' to many people."

After being implicated in sexual assault allegations in 2019, which shocked everyone, Kim Gun-mo was ultimately forced out of the entertainment industry. He faced consequences including withdrawing from SBS's 'My Little Old Boy,' for which he was then appearing, and canceling his entire 25th-anniversary concert.

Eventually, after approximately two years until the Prosecution Service decided not to indict him, Kim Gun-mo returned with a nationwide tour concert titled '25-26 Kim Gun-mo Live Tour 'KIM GUN MO.'' He humorously remarked, "I planned to take a five-year break but ended up resting for one more year," coolly addressing his divorce as well. He added, "From now on, I won't worry about comments or such things. I'll live freely and show you how to age cutely," sharing his candid feelings.

Although he recently announced activities again through a new song, it is reported that he is not currently engaging in any external activities beyond this.

A source told StarNews, "We are receiving many casting inquiries not only for broadcasts but also from platforms like YouTube, but we have no plans to accept them."

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*This content was translated by AI.