From an aspiring idol to a trot sensation! Singer Seong-ri’s long-awaited success is becoming a true inspiration to many.
MBN’s audition program ‘Unknown Legend – Trot Men’s Hierarchy War’ (hereafter ‘Unknown Legend’) came to a grand close on the 13th. The final episode featured the contestants’ last performances and the highly anticipated ranking announcement.
After a nail-biting competition where the results were unpredictable, the glory of 1st place and the title of ‘1st Legend’ went to Seong-ri. He secured the win with an overwhelming final score of 4,784 points.
“I faced a lot of frustration after dreaming of becoming a singer. Realizing how difficult it was while challenging numerous auditions, I was about to give up my dream and was learning how to do wallpapering,” Seong-ri shared. “I feel like the time I endured has finally created a brilliant day. I want to give my mother the kind of days she never could have dreamed of.” With this, Seong-ri has finally ended his long period of obscurity to bloom as a rising trot powerhouse.
Seong-ri’s debut was actually 13 years ago! He debuted as a member of the group K-BOYS using the stage name ‘Seong-ri A’. Five years later, he appeared on Mnet’s ‘Produce 101 Season 2’ (hereafter ‘Produce 101 S2’) under his real name, Kim Seong-ri, showcasing impressive vocals despite limited screen time. After the show, he spent a year promoting with the group RAINZ alongside members Byeon Hyun-min, Seo Seong-hyeok, Lee Gi-won, Jang Dae-hyun, Joo Won-tak, and Hong Eun-gi.
Despite his non-stop efforts, the results were often disappointing. While his singing ability was consistently praised, he remained unknown to many.
It would have been easy to get exhausted by such a long period of obscurity, but Seong-ri never stopped. Starting in the 2020s, he ventured into the new territory of trot. He continued his endless challenge through ‘Voice Trot’, ‘Voice King’, ‘Mr. Trot 2 – The Beginning of a New Legend’, and ‘Active Singer 2’. Finally, he proved that his time was not wasted by becoming the first-ever winner of ‘Unknown Legend’.
Seong-ri’s victory means more than just winning an audition. It is the fruit of his perseverance through trainee days, project group activities, multiple auditions, and a long period of being unknown.
Some may remember him as the 47th place finisher from ‘Produce 101 S2’ who sang EXO’s ‘CALL ME BABY’ and Jung Seung-hwan’s ‘If It Is You’. Others will remember him as the champion who set ‘Unknown Legend’ ablaze. One thing is certain: Seong-ri never let go of his dream of being on stage, even while switching genres. After a long journey, Seong-ri is finally getting the spotlight as a trot singer, and many are cheering for his new leap forward.
