In the final results of the combined scores from the 1st and 2nd rounds of the 3rd preliminary round of ‘Current King of Masked Singer 2’, a rollercoaster of ranking changes and shocking reversals occurred, confirming the 14 contestants who will advance to the semifinals.
The 9th episode of MBN's 30th anniversary special ‘Current King of Masked Singer 2’, aired on the 28th, recorded a peak rating of 10.8% and a nationwide rating of 10% (according to Nielsen Korea). It ranked first in the same time slot across all programs aired on terrestrial, comprehensive, and cable channels for eight consecutive weeks, showcasing its dominance as a top entertainment show.
This episode featured the remaining contestants' performances in the 2nd round of the 3rd preliminary round, ‘A Flip of the Coin’. In the announcement of the results, which confirmed the 11 semifinalists based on the combined scores from the 1st and 2nd rounds, unexpected results emerged as the top and bottom rankings flipped, shocking everyone. In the ‘Losers' Resurrection’ match, which applied a death match rule where only one out of three contestants survives, three additional successful candidates emerged after dramatic competition.
Han Gang, determined to erase the criticism of lacking impact, completed a musical-like performance with ‘Singing and Dancing’. He received high praise from Yoon Myung-sun, who said, “This is the best stage I’ve seen so far,” but was disappointed with a low score.
Seongri faced difficulties with his voice not coming out right after the 1st round due to the pressure of competing in ‘Current King of Masked Singer 2’ while serving in the military. He returned to the stage with an IV drip, raising concerns. Seongri sang ‘Itaewon Love Song’ with all his might despite his poor vocal condition, earning praise from the original artist Joo Hyun-mi, who said, “You sang it in your own style,” which brought a relieved smile to his face.
The elder brother Park Gu-yoon shared his unique feelings, saying that his hit songwriter father was always cold but praised him for the first time for his performance of ‘I Don’t Know’. He received compliments from Nam Jin for ‘One Ticket’ saying, “This is how pop music should taste.” However, he surprised everyone by confessing, “I still have stage fright. I was so nervous.”
Song Min-jun, who was anxious due to a drop in confidence, expressed the charm of ‘Ballad Trot’ with an emotional rendition of ‘Spring Days Are Gone’. However, after revealing his emotions at the end of the song, he ultimately broke down, saying, “I was scared to come on stage,” leaving everyone in shock.
Kim Junsu, who was frustrated after being diagnosed with the flu and unable to prepare properly for the competition, chose ‘Joy’ and delivered a performance pouring out everything he had, but his poor vocal condition led to disappointment.
Shin Yu, who said, “It feels like walking on thin ice every round,” is finding his original intention through new challenges and took on a direct confrontation with ‘Oh My Love’. He received praise for perfectly harmonizing explosive high notes, fantastic vocal runs, and emotional expression, showcasing a masculine charm different from his previous softer image.
‘Trot Performer’ Kim Joong-yeon, inspired by the comment that he had lost his edge compared to before during the 2nd preliminary round, took a risk with ‘Lonely Glass’. Joo Hyun-mi praised him, saying, “I give a big round of applause for this challenge,” as he shed tears.
Finally, Jae-ha, realizing he lacked in vocal aspects, received harsh advice from his mother Lim Joo-ri and chose ‘Plea’, completing a calm yet heartfelt performance with a changed breath and singing style, earning praise from Shin Dong-yeop, who said, “I was so immersed that I forgot about gender and thought, ‘Come here, brother’.”
After the ‘A Flip of the Coin’ segment ended, the 20 contestants gathered for the long-awaited announcement of the final rankings for the 3rd preliminary round. The mid-rankings were revealed, showing the top 11 based on the scores from the 1st round and the celebrity judging panel from the 2nd round, leaving everyone tense as the scores from the national judging panel were still to be announced.
Moreover, when the unpredictable final rankings combining the 240 points from the national judging panel were announced, the venue was completely shocked. Kang Moon-kyung, who was thought to be safe, dropped from 9th to 13th, Jin Hae-sung from 8th to 12th, and Kim Junsu from 10th to 17th, confirming their status as elimination candidates. Meanwhile, the lower-ranked Jae-ha made a remarkable leap from 19th to 9th, No Ji-hoon from 12th to 10th, and Kim Kyung-min from 14th to 8th, creating a stunning turnaround that left everyone speechless.
Enoch, who dramatically secured the last spot in the semifinals at 11th place, appeared dazed after his name was called, eventually collapsing in shock. Ultimately, the top 11 contestants who secured their spots in the semifinals were Na Tae-joo in 1st, Park Seo-jin in 2nd, Shin Yu in 3rd, Kim Soo-chan in 4th, Shin Seung-tae in 5th, Choi Soo-ho in 6th, Hwanhee in 7th, Kim Kyung-min in 8th, Jae-ha in 9th, No Ji-hoon in 10th, and Enoch in 11th.
The 9 elimination candidates, including Jin Hae-sung, Kang Moon-kyung, Park Gu-yoon, Kim Joong-yeon, Song Min-jun, Kim Junsu, Hwang Min-ho, Han Gang, and Seongri, participated in the ‘Losers' Resurrection’ round, divided into three teams of three, with the rule that “only one from each group can survive.” The masters expressed their distress, saying, “There’s really no one to eliminate.” At this time, Kim Junsu expressed his intention to withdraw due to his vocal condition, but withdrawal was not allowed under the resurrection rules, so he decided to continue the competition without regrets.
Kang Moon-kyung, Kim Joong-yeon, and Han Gang chose ‘A Glass of Makgeolli’, Park Gu-yoon, Kim Junsu, and Hwang Min-ho chose ‘Barley Hill’, and Jin Hae-sung, Song Min-jun, and Seongri chose ‘Wrapping Up’. After 30 minutes of practice, they matched their performances. During practice, Kang Moon-kyung expressed his struggles to Han Gang, saying, “It’s mentally too hard,” revealing the weight of the competition. The ‘A Glass of Makgeolli’ team, featuring Kang Moon-kyung’s unique tone and vocal runs, received 8 out of 12 votes from the masters and survived, while the ‘Wrapping Up’ team saw Jin Hae-sung’s signature vocal runs lead to their revival. The ‘Barley Hill’ team unexpectedly overwhelmed the stage with a passionate performance from Kim Junsu, who was selected, and he sat down in shock, tears streaming down his face.
The final eliminated contestants, Kim Joong-yeon, Han Gang, Song Min-jun, Seongri, Park Gu-yoon, and Hwang Min-ho, expressed, “I don’t think I will ever forget ‘Current King of Masked Singer 2’. I will continue to work hard and grow in the future.” The remaining contestants and even the masters shed tears, creating a sea of emotions.
The anticipation for the fierce semifinals, where the 14 contestants including Kang Moon-kyung, Kim Kyung-min, Kim Soo-chan, Kim Junsu, Na Tae-joo, No Ji-hoon, Park Seo-jin, Shin Seung-tae, Shin Yu, Enoch, Jae-ha, Jin Hae-sung, Choi Soo-ho, and Hwanhee will compete for just 10 final tickets, has intensified.
‘Current King of Masked Singer 2’ Episode 10 will air on February 4.
