A New Journey Begins for ‘Our Ballad’ Stars Lee Ye-ji, Lee Ji-hoon, and Song Ji-woo! [Interview]

Even after the final spotlight faded on the intense stage, the music didn’t stop. Lee Ye-ji, Lee Ji-hoon, and Song Ji-woo, who proved the power of music through ‘Our Ballad,’ are now tying their laces for a fresh start and dreaming of the day they reunite with their audience.

Aired last year, SBS’s competition program ‘Our Ballad’ was a music variety show that brought nostalgia to all generations by having teens and twenty-somethings cover classic ballads. With an average age of 18.2, the participants added a modern touch to familiar songs, offering memories to adults and freshness to the youth. Among the fierce competition, Lee Ye-ji, Lee Ji-hoon, and Song Ji-woo proved their skills and made it into the final Top 6.

Winner Lee Ye-ji has been active without a break since the broadcast. While she loves competition, she desperately needed rest after the long journey. However, an offer to appear on the program ‘1st Place’ alongside legendary seniors drew her back to the stage. She reflected, “I wanted to learn by watching my seniors’ performances up close with the heart of a beginner. Being able to stand on that stage was a huge gift in itself, regardless of the result.”

While Lee Ye-ji dove into another survival challenge, runner-up Lee Ji-hoon is focusing on telling his own story through music. On the 20th of last month, he officially began his journey as an artist by releasing ‘A Decent Person,’ a new song gifted by singer Yoon Jong-shin. The track contains his sincere feelings about the presence that helped him endure times when he wanted to give up on music. He showed confidence, saying, “There’s a lot to do, but the process itself is enjoyable.”

Song Ji-woo, who was the first to release new music, headed straight to the stage. She began gaining valuable experience as a singer and interacting with the public through music shows. Now facing fans with a more relaxed heart, Song Ji-woo shared, “At the start of the competition, I was so nervous I was walking on eggshells, but now I can smile and make eye contact with fans while singing. I hope my songs reach the audience’s hearts like a letter.”

These three grew in their own ways while overcoming the mountain that was the competition. Lee Ye-ji, who previously preferred band music, fell deeply in love with the charm of ballads through this program. The experience of bringing a judge to tears during her first performance became the turning point for her musical direction. She vowed to convey the sincerity of ballads based on that confidence, saying, “The feeling that my singing was understood was deeply moving.”

While Lee Ye-ji immersed herself in the genre, Lee Ji-hoon is focusing on building his own unique color within it. He stated, “I don’t want to stay only in nostalgia; I want to find my own color by adding a modern sensibility.” After watching seniors like Park Hyo-shin and Lee Sora, his goal of becoming a “singer who makes people cry” grew even stronger. He also expressed a wish to give a deep resonance, singing as if having a one-on-one conversation with fans.

Song Ji-woo said this challenge made her think a lot about the word ‘sincerity.’ Although the transition from classical vocal music to pop was burdensome, she found great meaning in the joy of communicating through her own voice. She realized, “The most important thing is to show myself as I am, even if I make mistakes,” and dreams of creating songs that seep deeply into the public’s heart, like senior singers IU and Sunwoo Jung-a.

The growth of these three was further strengthened by the support of their agencies and colleagues. Lee Ye-ji mentioned, “I feel like I’m growing together with my colleagues by sharing musical knowledge,” and Lee Ji-hoon and Song Ji-woo also shared that they are creating stages with reliable supporters.

The three are now looking beyond the competition stage. Rather than just becoming flashy stars, they have set clear individual goals. Lee Ye-ji aims for the life of a singer-songwriter who tours overseas with her own compositions, while Lee Ji-hoon hopes to become a free troubadour who covers everything from large dome venues to small theaters. Song Ji-woo is also envisioning a solid future where she communicates closely with fans through her own songs.

The friendship built through dreaming and practicing together is making their music even richer. Having served as healthy motivation for one another, they agreed, “Now, it feels empty without each other.”

Their synergy is set to be proven on stage once again. In honor of Family Month, they are preparing an encore concert with the Top 12 members of ‘Our Ballad.’ Teasing a variety of segments including unit stages and new songs, they asked for anticipation, saying, “The sweat we all shed together will shine on this stage.”

Their journey to comfort the world with their voices has just begun. It will be interesting to see what kind of waves their promise to approach the public with honest hearts and simple voices, rather than grand techniques or pretense, will create in the hearts of the audience.