Masked singer is one of the most memorable collaborations in K-Pop. Not just because of its success, but also because of the unique style that they brought together.
In early 2017, Mnet’s Masked Singer premiered and it immediately gave us some goosebumps. The show was an extended version of a popular Chinese singing competition called I Am a Singer, which had already captivated millions with viral clips showing their contestants’ unbridled passion for music and raw talent.
Not only did Masked Singer bring together many segments from the original version such as live shows, judges and guest mentors, but it also added new elements to make the whole collaboration seem even more authentic; from old school hiphop to funk rock to pop ballads, everything was covered in this music competition.
Despite only airing for three episodes per week (8 episodes total), Masked Singer quickly became extremely popular with viewers across Asia. It’s no surprise why either – searching online will reveal that there are actually plenty of other Masked Singer versions all over the world including Southeast Asia, Europe and South America.
Fans were especially thrilled when two of their favorite artists were involved in this collaboration: Jang Bum Joon and Lee Seung Chul (Seunghyuk). Jang Bum Joon is better known as Seungri of boy band Big Bang while Lee Seung Chul is known as Yoon Il Sang (Yi IL SUNG
The Story of Masked Singer’s Collaboration
The story behind the success of Masked Singer is its unique style. Not only did it capture the interest of many K-Pop fans, but also audiences from other Asian countries and even Western countries. The show was also a huge hit with viewers in Asia because it provided a different experience from regular singing competitions.
In order to create this unique style, parts of the original Chinese show were adapted for Korean production.
As for why Mnet chose Jang Bum Joon and Lee Seung Chul to be part of this collaboration, they probably saw the opportunity to appeal to these two artists’ particular taste in music. But more importantly, they wanted to make an impact on their fanbases by collaborating with 2 idols that have been incredibly popular since their debut in the early 2000s.
Seunghyuk and Jang Bum Joon – the Stars of Masked Singer
Both Seunghyuk and Jang Bum Joon did not disappoint in terms of their performance. Their chemistry on the show was evident; they traded jokes back and forth with one another, danced together, performed amazing acrobatics and more. And although they were a bit more subdued compared to their normal selves, they still managed to deliver an energetic performance that had viewers cheering for them.
The two were also paired up with some of the most popular contestants on Masked Singer too – these included Lee Da Hee (Lee Hae In), Lee Chae Min (Lee Chan Mi) and Jung Jin Woon (Jin Woo).
Besides being a fun addition to the show, Seunghyuk and Jang Bum Joon represented a new era of K-Pop collaboration. From what we have seen from this collaboration so far, it is clear that the time for big collaborations has come and gone. We hope that this trend will continue into the future so that we can continue to see different artists perform together on Masked Singer or any other big variety shows.
The Producers Wanted to Collaborate Again
The producers of the show wanted to take this opportunity and have it be a more direct collaboration in their next season. They wanted to push for an even more powerful finale with the entire cast, and they knew that doing so would require a lot of effort from all involved.
Although there are no plans for another season yet, many fans are hoping that this will happen again in the future as Masked Singer proved it could be a hit among Korean audiences.
Why Did Mnet Choose These Artists?
This collaboration is so successful because it began with some of the most popular K-pop artists in the industry. Mnet knew that they could create a reputable show by inviting these two popular celebrities to the mix.
The producers of the show were also shrewd enough to take a chance on other lesser-known artists in order to add diversity to their line-up and make sure there was a wide variety of genres represented.
Of course, this is not the first time we’ve seen collaborations between different K-pop artists – as we mentioned earlier, Seunghyuk and Jang Bum Joon have collaborated before on MBC’s Show Champion. But with Masked Singer, they have come together again for an even more ambitious project! This collaboration is so unique because it brings together two artists that are highly respected in K-POP for something completely different.
Why Was Masked Singer So Successful?
Masked Singer was successful for many reasons, but two of the most important were the diversity and authenticity of their content and the originality of their collaborations.
Diversity in content is important because it broadens your audience’s perspective on what you’re trying to sell. They could see that different artists are coming together with different genres under one roof and they could relate to their interests.
Authenticity is just as important. People can tell when something seems fake and Masked Singer is a show where everything seems genuine. It’s a show where people can see that those who are different from them can be successful in this industry and they can also see that there is more than one way to succeed in this industry.
Finally, the originality of their collaborations is another huge reason why Masked Singer was so successful. Not only did they have unique styles, but they also brought in new artists and generations of artists to create an entirely new sound for the competition. With such various songs being performed for each contestant, viewers were given variety which made watching every episode worth it.
Where to Watch Masked Singer in Korea
If you are looking for a way to watch Masked Singer in Korea, you can tune into their live stream on Mnet’s website. In addition to broadcasting the show, this website also includes all the contestant profiles and voting results in real-time! You’ll be able to watch your favorite contestants perform as well as all of the competition.
Other streaming options include Viki or DramaFever. If you are looking for subtitles they can be found on both sites as well.
Final Words
I AM A SINGER is a well-known Chinese singing competition show which originated from the Chinese TV station Wuhan TV. It was first shown in 2011 and became quite popular, so it was adapted into this Korean co-produced TV show called MASS SINGER for Mnet in 2017.
MASS SINGER has given us many unforgettable moments such as the moment when Seungri (Jang Bum Joon) and Yoon Il Sang (Lee Seung Chul) first met up on the show and the moment when they sang “Beautiful” by Zico together.
The collaboration between these two artists had an unforgettable impact on fans of both artists as well as being an influential factor in creating more K-Pop music collaborations.
In conclusion, I AM A SINGER has definitely brought us some unique moments with its unique style.