Lee Seung-chul, the “ancestor of the audition world,” created plenty of heart-fluttering moments with his affectionate comments, despite his sharp judging style.
In the first episode of ENA’s growth-oriented music project ‘The Scout: Stars Born Again’ (hereafter ‘The Scout’), which premiered on the 8th, Lee Seung-chul, Kim Jae-joong, Wendy, Young K, and Choo Sung-hoon appeared as ‘Masters’ and met 17 contestants for the first time.
‘The Scout’ delivered a fast-paced and immersive experience by revealing the final qualifiers and the main ‘Scout Stage’ back-to-back. Online reactions heated up as unique contestants appeared, with viewers commenting, “I already have a contestant I want to root for,” “The stage quality is beyond expectations,” and “It’s been a while since I’ve been this focused on a music variety show.”
Lee Seung-chul, who spent over two years preparing the program, opened the show by stating, “I wanted to show the process of a new star being born.” During the final qualifiers, he provided his signature straightforward and realistic advice. For instance, when musical actor Choi Ha-ram sang ‘You Fool,’ Lee Seung-chul delivered a customized “fact attack,” saying, “Without the piano, you’re a bit clumsy, but in front of the piano, you give off Terryus vibes.”
As the Masters gathered, a competitive atmosphere began to form. After reviewing videos of the contestants, the Masters started picking individuals who caught their eye based on their own tastes and standards. Kim Jae-joong showed early interest in a specific contestant, while Young K highly praised the musicality of those with a singer-songwriter vibe.
At the ‘Scout Stage’ held in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, contestants fully showcased their skills. Tension rose as the rules were introduced: after a performance, a Master expresses their desire to scout the contestant, and if multiple Masters choose them, the contestant decides which team to join.
Kim Dong-won, the first to perform, drew attention with sweet vocals, and Wendy highly praised his potential for growth. Jo Yong-hwan then made his presence known with a unique performance, prompting Wendy to comment that “charm is also a skill.” Park Jun-seong’s stage sparked a scouting competition, with both Kim Jae-joong and Young K showing active interest.
Other contestants left strong impressions with their distinct personalities: Lee San showcased his emotions with guitar playing, Kwon Ui-bin delivered impressive vocals despite not being in top condition, and Lee Jin caught eyes with a unique stage style. In particular, Jo Yoon-chan captured the Masters’ attention with an unrivaled aura even before the performance began, leaving Kim Jae-joong in admiration.
In the pre-vote results revealed at the end of the episode, Kim Yu-shin recorded the highest vote count, proving a strong presence from the very first episode. There is great anticipation to see what kind of impact ‘The Scout’ will make as a differentiated music program.
