(Following the exclusive interview①) "A total of 2,079 masked singers have passed through." The history of 'King of Mask Singer', celebrating its 10th anniversary and 500th episode, has been filled with masked singers over the years. Nevertheless, the 9-match winning jinx, reminiscent of the number nine, remains unbroken.

The MBC entertainment program 'King of Mask Singer' will mark its 500th episode on the 22nd. Since its first broadcast on April 5, 2015, it has now reached its 10th anniversary. Stars who hide their age, identity, and occupation showcase their talents with only their voices in the music variety show 'King of Mask Singer', which has become a national favorite requiring no further explanation. Moreover, while short seasons are typical in the current entertainment market, 'King of Mask Singer' has consistently maintained its Sunday night slot as a rare long-running program. On the 12th, OSEN met with Director Jang Hyo-jong, who oversees 'King of Mask Singer', the day after the recording of the special 500th episode, to discuss the program's remarkable achievements.

The simplest indicator proving the program's longevity is the number of participants. Director Jang Hyo-jong noted, "We counted the masked singers who have appeared on 'King of Mask Singer', and a total of 2,079 have performed. Since some have returned to appear again, the total number of appearances or masks would be even higher," he said with a smile.

He said, "Our production team always collects that data. We organize and keep it in our own Excel files, noting when, where, and which masked singer performed which song," expressing pride that they even meticulously record details like whether the mask is an object or a human shape and whether the head is emphasized.

In this regard, Director Jang Hyo-jong expressed gratitude to the writers of 'King of Mask Singer', stating, "There are records that viewers diligently compiled on the portal site Namuwiki. Our writers have compiled their own data meticulously without missing anything. Over time, we have had instances where returning participants choose songs they performed before, but based on our writers' data, we ensure that someone cannot appear three times, and we provide return opportunities for those who appeared at least 4-5 years ago or ensure that song selections do not overlap within at least 2 years."

Among the diligently invited masked singers, very few have achieved the glory of becoming the champion. Notably, the record for the most consecutive wins remains at '9 wins', almost as if it were by agreement. 'Music Boss' Ha Hyun-woo, 'Emotions are Rock' by Touchd's Yoon Min, and 'Flower Over Perfume' Jung Joon-il all stopped at 9 wins. On this, fans of 'King of Mask Singer' have even said, "Is it not a nine jinx?" Director Jang Hyo-jong emphasized, "More than anyone, our production team is waiting for a champion who will break that record with 10 consecutive wins."

However, he noted, "The pressure and responsibility felt by the champions are truly enormous. It seems they feel they must show a stage worthy of being a champion. From my observation, the actual pressure seems greatest from their 6th to 8th consecutive wins. By then, former champions look almost exhausted as if they've performed on stage once."

He added, "The most recent champion who set the 9-win record, Jung Joon-il from 'Flower Over Perfume', originally had a fear of performing and a habit of looking only at the ground while singing. However, because he can't see his face behind the mask, he has been able to do more on stage. His confidence has gradually grown."

Moreover, Director Jang Hyo-jong remarked, "Our music director, who also worked on the previous show 'I Am a Singer', feels tense when the champions continue to win. Every stage is approached with nerves, sensitivity, and precision. In that sense, the transition from Jung Joon-il of 'Flower Over Perfume' to the current champion 'Antique Mirror' is significant. I am careful, fearing his identity might be revealed, but personally, I think 'Antique Mirror' is fully capable of achieving 10 consecutive wins," he added with a smile.

Furthermore, he mentioned, "Our panel of ordinary judges is composed of different people each time, and they are all very discerning. They all have high musical knowledge and make sharp choices in judging. They are known to be rather strict about it. In the past, there was a strong tendency to eliminate participants whose voices were recognizable. Like singer K.Will, who sang excellently as his reputation suggested but could not hide his voice and got eliminated. Even early champions like Kim Youn-woo said they were more concerned about hiding their voices. However, audience reactions have changed these days. Individual judgments on whether a stage is good or not have become much more accurate. They select a clear winner for a well-performed stage."

To meet the aesthetic standards of the discerning ordinary judges and viewers, is there a participant among the 2,079 that the production team still wants to invite? Director Jang Hyo-jong stated, "Personally, I'd really like to see Moon Myung-jin participate. I also have not yet met singer Park Jung-hyun, and there is always a desire to have participants who viewers would consider to be 'champion-worthy'. If the opportunity arises, I'd definitely want to invite 'Kim Na-bak' (Kim Bum-soo, Naul, Park Hyo-shin). We are never closed to invitations under any circumstances. One day, I hope to showcase their performances on 'King of Mask Singer,'" he stressed.

(Continued from the exclusive interview③.)

[Photo] Provided by MBC, OSEN DB.

[OSEN]