The Miss Trot 4 TOP7 are back to compete in unique duets with non-celebrity participants.
A production presentation for TV Chosun’s new variety show “Miss Trot For You” was held on the morning of the 14th at the TV Chosun studio in Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul. MC Boom, Ahn Sung-hoon, CP Min Byeong-ju, and PD Lim Ji-hoon, along with the Miss Trot 4 TOP7—Lee Sona, Heo Chanmi, Hong Seongyun, Gil Ryeowon, Yoon Taehwa, Yoon Yunseo, and Yeom Yuri—attended to share details.
“Miss Trot For You” is a passionate and touching duet battle featuring the Miss Trot 4 TOP7 (Jin Lee Sona, Seon Heo Chanmi, Mi Hong Seongyun, Gil Ryeowon, Yoon Taehwa, Yoon Yunseo, and Yeom Yuri), who previously achieved a peak viewership rating of 18.4%, and their special partners.
CP Min Byeong-ju introduced the show, saying, “While producing auditions, I found the master preliminary rounds to be the most entertaining. While the main stages have tension and competition, the preliminaries offer a different kind of fun as they serve as a gateway for new talent and a place for returning contestants to harmonize. Spin-offs often feature various cover songs, which can sometimes feel repetitive. This project was created to transform that into something fresh. I planned it to maximize the differentiation from previous spin-offs.”
PD Lim Ji-hoon added, “There have been various spin-offs, but ‘Miss Trot For You’ has a cute and charming logo. However, once you open the package, it’s a full-on competition program. The TOP7 likely felt the same after the first recording. With preliminaries and finals, there are eliminations, first place, and last place. Because it follows a competition format, the participants are taking it much more seriously, resulting in more impressive performances. I believe that’s the biggest difference for this spin-off.”
Regarding the competition format, CP Min Byeong-ju explained, “It will conclude in two episodes. The key point is the anticipation and interest in the non-celebrity participants. Duet stages between the TOP7 and non-celebrities will take place, rankings will be assigned, two teams will be eliminated, and five will move forward. The process concludes over two recordings with three stages leading to the final ranking. Also, it doesn’t just end with a winner; they can keep winning, and if they win up to the fourth episode, they receive a prize of 10 million won. We tried to highlight the entertainment aspect in that way.”
PD Lim Ji-hoon explained the criteria for non-celebrity participants: “Naturally, we look at the singing. Since it’s a competition, we believe the synergy with the Miss Trot 4 TOP7 will be greater if they are paired with skilled singers. We also look for star quality. We focus on those with diverse charms and stories, as they are more likely to create a wonderful stage.” CP Min Byeong-ju added excitement by mentioning, “We plan to hold ‘Mr. Trot 4’ this year as well. I’m hopeful that some of the people judged here might transition into that.”
The MCs for “Miss Trot For You” are Boom, Ahn Sung-hoon, and Song Eun-i. PD Lim Ji-hoon stated, “One of the differences this time is the duets with non-celebrities. To match this new attempt, we brought in new MCs. Boom has been with us for a long time and knows everything, so he’ll be the veteran handling the hosting and wit. Ahn Sung-hoon is the Jin of Mr. Trot 2, so he can approach the non-celebrities and TOP7 musically. We cast Song Eun-i because she can play the role of an older sister and handle the emotional aspects well.”
Boom shared, “I felt great and refreshed after the first recording. You get that energy when a recording goes well. Specifically, my favorite part of audition programs is the first preliminary round. Here, the TOP7 watch the first preliminaries together. It’s an open space where anyone can participate, and we can judge the stories and songs of non-celebrities. Hearing the stories along with the songs made the music feel more impactful. I was moved, and there were times I was so excited that I shouted before the song ended, for which I felt sorry. I was very excited during the first recording. Actually, Trot requires breathing with the audience. In ‘Miss Trot,’ the stage was separated, so that was lacking, but now we go on stage, hold hands, and duet, which I think differentiates this from previous spin-offs.”
Ahn Sung-hoon, making his MC debut through “Miss Trot For You,” said, “I’ve always just sung, but since they asked me to be an MC without singing this time, I thought of it as an opportunity to grow and readily agreed. I’m still lacking. Rather than a professional MC, I want to approach the TOP7 as a student teacher or a comfortable older brother. I think I’m more comfortable when singing. When I sing, I just have to react enthusiastically once it’s over, but after trying MCing, I realized how amazing Boom hyung is and how well he takes care of people. You have to constantly look after others, stay focused, and think about what to say. It’s still difficult, but I believe I have potential. Please help me grow.”
Lee Sona, the Jin of Miss Trot 4, shared, “‘Miss Trot For You’ is my first regular program. I’m looking forward to seeing which participants with what stories I’ll duet with. I’ll work hard. Since I’m competing again right after the main competition ended, I think I feel the most responsibility and pressure. Non-celebrities are joining us, and especially since I won Jin, I feel pressured to sing well for them. I hope the charms of the TOP7 are showcased more in ‘Miss Trot For You,’ and as the Jin, I’m doing my best hoping I won’t be eliminated.”
Seon Heo Chanmi expressed her nerves, “It’s my first regular program in 16 years since my debut, so it feels new and exciting. I’m even more nervous wondering who my duet partners will be. The good thing is that since we pick people who sing well, everyone interprets songs differently. I think it’s great to learn the emotions others interpret. My worry is that they might sing better than me, so I’m quite nervous and feel I need to practice a lot.”
Mi Hong Seongyun said, “Performing with someone else instead of alone makes me feel more secure and makes it a more enjoyable time. To be honest, I still don’t know much about broadcasting, so doing this spin-off isn’t easy. It feels like competing again after the main competition, which is a bit scary, but I have no doubt that my partner will do well. I’ll go through this second competition by relying on and trusting each other.”
Gil Ryeowon said, “This is my first spin-off program. During the competition, it was overwhelming just handling myself, but doing it with a partner makes me feel a huge amount of pressure regarding how to do well and survive. I think I can show a stage of even better quality than during the main competition.”
Yoon Taehwa, who said she entered the competition with the goal of making the TOP7 to do a spin-off, said, “I worked so hard to make the TOP7 just to do a spin-off, but I’m flustered to suddenly be competing again. I’ll do my best, believing that life is a competition. The participants joined because they miss the stage and cherish it, so I’m working harder to make sure I’m not a nuisance. I’m also learning about dreams and hope, so it’s a great program, and I hope many people watch it.”
Yeom Yuri said, “It feels new because it’s like being with family. The duet format itself isn’t about doing it alone but matching breaths together, so it feels like a warmer program than usual. It’s heavy to compete again after struggling through Miss Trot seasons 3 and 4, but since we’re sharing human stories along with the competition, it’s less scary than the previous competitions and has happier parts. Also, since I’m 7th, I feel a lot of pressure that my partner might worry about us coming in 7th, but I’ll do my best because sincerity reaches everyone.”
Yoon Yunseo shared her ambition, “I was incredibly nervous before going on stage. I trembled a lot with my partner, but we’re enjoying the stage by relying on each other. In Miss Trot 4, I showed many individual performances, but this time it’s a duet. So I can’t just think about myself; I have to think about my partner. I believe we need to rely on each other to do well.”
When asked about the criteria for selecting non-celebrity partners, Lee Sona said, “I chose partners whose strengths I wanted to incorporate.” Yeom Yuri added, “Some people have energy that I don’t have. I thought the chemistry would be good if I paired with someone with a strong, opposite energy, so I focused on those with different charms.” Hong Seongyun explained, “I looked for someone who could show their own charm while also allowing me to show a new side of myself.” Yoon Taehwa said, “I want to accept everyone who wants to be with me. I’m very grateful. With that mindset, I’m focusing on those who desperately want to stand on stage. I’m also looking for partners who can show charms other than Trot. If I pair with someone who likes a different genre, I have to learn that song, so I’m looking for a partner who can help me grow.”
Regarding the key points to watch in “Miss Trot For You,” Heo Chanmi answered, “Since we’re with various people, you’ll see different sides in every stage. People from all genres are appearing, so I think the chemistry and harmony between them and the TOP7 is the key point.” Gil Ryeowon added, “It might feel familiar if only the Miss Trot 4 TOP7 appeared, but the fact that new faces appear every time will be a point of curiosity.”
PD Lim Ji-hoon mentioned that the reaction he wants to get from “Miss Trot For You” is “fresh.” He said, “Existing spin-offs were often similar. This time, it’s a duet, a competition format that determines rankings, with direct audience voting and a live band. Non-celebrities with various charms will appear, and the Miss Trot TOP7 will further enhance their charms. I hope this variety and novelty are delivered to the viewers, and if it attracts interest, I hope the ratings are high.” CP Min Byeong-ju emphasized, “What we’re pushing these days is TTT. Please remember that Thursday nights are Trot Day on TV Chosun.”
Finally, Ahn Sung-hoon urged, “Miss Trot For You isn’t just a variety show; it’s a life drama. It can bring a lot of laughter, tears, and comfort. I hope many people watch and find healing through Miss Trot For You.” Boom added, “There aren’t many family variety shows these days because generations are divided. But this is a true family show. Everyone can enjoy it. Please enjoy it comfortably. I’ll record with the mindset of ‘I’ll come for you if you don’t watch’!”
Meanwhile, “Miss Trot For You” premieres today (14th) at 10 PM.
