Group EXID, who performed on stage for the first time in 6 years, took home the honor of winning KBS2‘s ‘Immortal Songs’. EXID member Hani, who postponed her marriage due to the death of a psychiatrist Yang Jae-woong hospital patient, also participated and stood in front of the audience with the full group.

According to Nielsen Korea, a viewership rating research agency, the 697th episode of ‘Immortal Songs’ (produced by Park Hyung-geun, Kim Hyung-seok, Choi Seung-beom) recorded 4.6% in viewership ratings nationwide and 4.2% in the metropolitan area, ranking first in viewership ratings for the same time slot.

Episode 697, which aired on the 15th (Sat), was decorated with the ‘Artist Baby V.O.X.Episode 697, in which ONEWE, Stephanie, Jung Seung-won, Yook Joong-wan Band, and EXID performed on stage in turn.

Before the full-scale competition, Baby V.O.X captivated the audience with the performance of their hit song ‘Missing You’. The five members showed off their frozen human looks and mature chemistry, properly displaying the true colors of BABY V.O.X., making the judges of famous songs cheer.

ONEWE was called as the first stage protagonist once again, following their last appearance. ONEWE, who selected ‘Doll’, caught people’s attention visually with their costumes that paid homage to BABY V.O.X. Reinterpreting ‘Doll’ in a strong band version, ONEWE pulled off a deadly and sexy concept, and Yonghoon‘s high-pitched vocals over the band sound shook women’s hearts. It was a stage where each member‘s charms poured out. About ONEWE’s stage, Baby V.O.X‘s Shim Eun-jin said, “I was impressed by their pretty boy visuals and the fact that they often do experimental music. I was surprised once again when I saw their interpretation of ‘Doll’. ”She was so sexy,“ she said.

Stephanie came on stage for the second time with ‘Killer’. Stephanie, who transformed into a killer wearing a long leather jacket, stole the spotlight with her pistol performance from the beginning of the stage. Stephanie showed an admirable performance during the dance break in the middle of the stage. Stephanie proved herself to be an all-rounder artist by performing a fierce performance while also showing a stable live performance. Baby V.O.X’s Kim Ee Ji gave a thumbs up to Stephanie‘s ‘Killer’ stage, saying, “This song is so hard even if the five of us split it up and sing it, but Stephanie did both the singing and the performance, so I was so surprised.” ONEWE took the winner’s seat with more votes than Stephanie.

Jung Seung-won, who made his first appearance on ‘Immortal Songs’ as a soloist, was called third and reinterpreted ‘Why’ in a vocal version. ‘Why’, which unfolds in a unique arrangement, boasted an overwhelming scale with a large-scale orchestra and powerful band sounds. Jung Seung-won filled every corner of the stage with his heavy vocals on a vocal bass. Jung Seung-won showed off his hidden charisma through his magnificent version of ‘Why’. Baby V.O.X‘s Lee Hee-jin said of Jung Seung-won’s stage, “It felt like watching a musical. I was very satisfied because I think he showed an overwhelming stage,” and added, “I became a fan right away after seeing Jung Seung-won‘s stage,” drawing attention. Onewe defeated Jung Seung-won with great momentum and achieved two consecutive wins.

Yuk Joong-wan Band was called for the fourth stage. The Onewe Band, who selected ‘What Should I Do?’, overwhelmed the audience from the start with their unique stage manners and charisma. Onewe and Kang Jun-woo exchanged melodies and ran the first half with a calm feeling, then attempted a reversal. Onewe’s vocals exploded as the atmosphere gradually heightened, revealing sexiness. The cute rhythms in the middle of the stage made everyone‘s shoulders move. Regarding this, Gan Mi-yeon commented, “It was as if the original singer was Onewe Band. If the original singer had appeared at the University Song Festival, it would have been a stage where they would have won the grand prize. However, the winner of the big match titled ‘Immortal Visual Sexy Band’ was Onewe. ONEWE defended their spot with three consecutive wins.

EXID took the lead in the finale. They chose ‘Get Up’, and created a highly complete stage by adding EXID’s unique charm based on Baby V.O.X.‘s color. The composition that highlighted each member’s characteristics, such as performance, rap, and vocals, stood out. EXID caught everyone‘s attention by showing great teamwork that made it hard to believe that it was their first full group stage in six years, stimulating nostalgia and properly implementing Baby V.O.X’s musical world. Shim Eun-jin praised EXID‘s stage, saying, “’Get Up’ is originally a bit of a slump song, but today’s stage was so exciting that I thought I should rearrange it like this later.”

Before the announcement of the final winner, Baby V.O.X‘s Kim Ee-ji said, “I learned a lot by watching my juniors’ stages. He expressed his gratitude by saying, “Thank you,” and Shim Eun-jin said, “There were many touching moments today. I will show you a better side in the future,” moving the scene with emotion. After that, EXID won the final championship. This was also the moment when EXID fan Lee Chan-won’s wish came true.

This special highlighted the story of Baby V.O.X.’s successful reunion after 14 years and the behind-the-scenes stories of their hit songs, evoking delight from viewers. Also, EXID, who performed on stage with a full group for the first time in 6 years, Onewe who emerged as the new rookie of ‘Immortal’ with 3 consecutive wins, Stephanie who lived up to the name of performance queen, sexy band Yook Joong Wan Band, and Jung Seung Won with unexpected charm, presented a stage that was infused with identity and gave viewers a lot of enjoyment.

‘Immortal Songs’ airs every week at 6:05 PM on KBS 2TV.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com reporter jhj@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.