“MY NAME is…” The eliminated contestants of JTBC’s audition show Sing Again revealed their names for the first time before exiting the stage for the final time. This strange moment of emotional goodbyes and welcome reveals set the tone for the “reboot” audition show that captivated viewers with its familiar but unique approach to the audition genre.

Another audition show

   The audition program Sing Again started recruiting “nameless” and “forgotten” singers who wanted “one more opportunity to shine” from May 26 to July 31, 2020. The only qualification criteria that contestants had to meet was having at least one album or single to their name[1], making every contender a certified singer in a technical sense. The show first aired on Nov. 16, 2020, and continued for 12 episodes with a bonus director’s cut episode at the end. The final episode, which was shot live on Feb. 8, 2021, took in viewers’ votes to determine the final winner and reached the show’s highest rating of 10%. In the end, Lee Seung-yoon, the vocalist of the indie band Alary-Kansion, was crowned the winner[2].

   For the most part, Sing Again followed the formulaic structure of most audition programs. The contestants were eliminated each round based on the scores the judges gave them. Each round had a distinct theme, ranging from 1 vs. 1 battles between contestants to duets that required them to cooperate. The popularity of Sing Again, however, was due to the show’s unconventional features. The most “iconic” aspect was the numbering system; contestants were referred to by their designated numbers instead of their names, showcasing “nameless” singers in the most literal sense. For instance, the winner was called “Singer no. 30” until the finale, when the top ten contestants finally reclaimed their names and performed for the first time with their identities made public. The names of other contestants were only revealed when they got eliminated, making their first introductions a poignant farewell. JTBC would then update their participant list on the website to show the real names of the eliminated contestants, giving them a last shot at exposure.

   Appearances by former stars drew much attention. For instance, many viewers recognized Singer no. 11, identifying her as Lee So-jung from the idol group Ladies’ Code. Yumi, an artist with many hit songs in the past, also made it to the top ten as Singer no. 33. Although they were more well-known than other contestants, they felt the need to reclaim their individual identities as singers, which had been overshadowed by their hit songs and prior fame[3]. Other singers, even those with one-hit wonders, were largely unknown to the public. Their anonymity, along with their stellar performances, garnered much attention on the show as viewers scrambled to uncover the contestants’ identities.

A different audition

   Sing Again’s fame was not reliant on the popularity of the audition genre nor its special numbering system; staying true to the show’s vision was what set it apart from the cookie-cutter mold. During the craze for competitive audition shows, many programs such as Superstar K and Produce 101 series focused on producing mainstream K-pop stars or idol groups. More recently, TV Joseon’s Miss Trot led to an explosion of derivative trot audition programs such as MBN’s Voice Trot and KBS’s National Trot Festival. The age, skillsets, and stories of the contestants were circumscribed by the shows’ narrowly defined objective, and viewers and potential contenders who were not interested in these genres were excluded. No show was particularly distinct; they were more or less interchangeable with one another. Sing Again, on the other hand, was not limited to a specific music genre or goal. Singers from diverse backgrounds got a chance regardless of whether they were proficient in rock music, hip-hop, or musical theatre. For example, Jung Hong-il, the runner-up, was a heavy metal vocalist, while contestants like Lee So-jung and Taeho were K-pop idols. The oldest contestant, Yoon Sul-ha, was in her 50s with a 36-year long music career, while the youngest, Lee Mu-jin, was a university student who only had one official music album to his name[4]. Contestants came from all walks of life and had their own unique stories to tell that were not written by the producers for the sole purpose of appealing to viewers. Coupled with the hardships that small, nameless artists are facing during the pandemic, it was easy for the audience to become enamored by the contestants and start rooting for them.

   Diversity amongst the judges was another factor that made the show popular. The four male and four female judges who made up the judges’ panel were deliberately picked from different age groups. The younger judges could give insight into the popular trends of the contemporary music market. Older judges with expansive music careers in the industry appreciated old-school music and gave much credit to more experimental attempts. Judges who were singers were selected from various genres, from soft pop to hip-hop and dance. There was even a non-singer judge—lyricist Kim Yi-na—who reviewed the performances from the audience’s perspective. This diversity ensured a well-rounded perspective on the performances without bias for a particular genre or style, enabling artists to perform their preferred music without feeling pressured to conform to a particular trend.

   Another positive trait of the show was its lack of staged “drama.” Audition shows were notorious for maliciously editing clips to manipulate the viewers’ perception of the contestants, sacrificing their reputations for publicity. Superstar K, for example, became infamous for this by editing a friendly group discussion scene to make a specific contestant look overbearing. In addition, several contestants from the rap audition show Show Me the Money accused the producers of intentionally editing clips to make them look rude[5]. Sing Again lacked these sensationalist elements. The show focused on appreciating performances without staged drama or cut-throat competition, with the contestants’ respectful and professional attitudes towards each other being on full display. The performances themselves were also not excessively edited; there were no unnecessary repeated shots, exaggerated reactions, or tacky sound effects. This fit in well with the show’s original purpose of providing singers an opportunity to perform on stage instead of providing cheap entertainment for the audience.

   The comparatively gentler tone of the show extended to the judges’ criticisms as well. Harsh and sassy criticism by the judges was an additional source of entertainment in the audition genre. However, because Sing Again required contestants to have released at least one single in the past, it negated the need for basic criticism. Instead, judges predominantly gave words of encouragement and praise. Contestants who made mistakes during the performance but kept going were praised for being brave rather than being humiliated. The eliminations were also treated with more sincerity than the tense competition often set up in survival auditions shows, with judges encouraging eliminated contestants, even those eliminated early, to continue with their dreams. This more sympathetic and “humane” approach differentiated the show from others; contestants were not objects to be used as a source of entertainment but deserved respect as the stars of the show.

 Sing Again was a breath of fresh air for audiences who were tired of indistinguishable, melodramatic shows in the competitive music genre. The positive reception of the show is a testament to the genuine authenticity of the show and the potential popularity of “wholesome” content on television. Sing Again’s non-sensationalized touch was, in the end, what made the show a “sensation.”

[1]JTBC

[2]Yonhap News Agency

[3]Kookmin Ilbo

[4]Top Star News

[5]Money Today