Hidden Singer 8 Proves Enduring IP Power

JTBC's entertainment program 'Hidden Singer' Season 8 is proving its potential as a long-running IP that has been loved for 14 years. It showcases the power of long-running variety shows by delivering new immersion and emotion within a familiar format.

'Hidden Singer 8' is a variety program depicting a singing competition between a representative Korean singer and a "mimic singer" who perfectly emulates the original singer's voice and singing style. The show began its broadcast on the 31st of last month and has aired up to episode 3. MC Jun Hyun-moo, who has been with the show since Season 1, is hosting, and Shim Soo-bong, Younha, and Kim Jang-hoon have appeared as original singers. In the future, singers from various genres and generations such as Lee Hae-ri, Kim Hyun-jung, Jung-in, Lee Seung-gi, Ha Hyun-woo, and 10CM are scheduled to appear.

'Hidden Singer', which garnered attention every season since its first season in 2012, had high expectations from fans for Season 8. As a result, it recorded a first-episode viewership rating of 4.6%, receiving a heated response.

The greatest strength of 'Hidden Singer', which has been consistently loved for about 14 years, is the presence of the mimic singers. While singers' singing styles, breathing, and emotional delivery change over time, mimic singers vividly revive the voices from that era, offering clear memories to fans.

Season 8 has precisely tapped into this point. Timeless hit songs by artists like Shim Soo-bong and Younha were played, and the mimic singers, going beyond simply imitating voices, revived the emotions and nuances of that era, stimulating viewers' memories.