Chun-gil uses Destiny Roulette to seize stars from Kim Yong-bin

Chun-gil reclaimed eight Golden Stars from Kim Yong-bin during the October 30 broadcast of TV CHOSUN's 'Golden Friday' after scoring 100 points. The Destiny Roulette maneuver caused a major shift in the competition, leaving Cheon Rok-dam in the solo lead with nine stars.

Chun-gil caused a massive upheaval in the Golden Cup competition on the October 30 broadcast of the 43rd episode of TV CHOSUN's 'Golden Friday' by using the Destiny Roulette to seize the Golden Stars from Kim Yong-bin.

The episode featured emotional trot master Kim Sang-bae as the Golden Star. As the performer of many beloved hits from various trot auditions, the TOP10 contestants competed fiercely, each presenting a song from the Golden Star's life in their own style. With the birth of three Golden Cups imminent, the Destiny Roulette shook up the Golden Star rankings, leading to a suspenseful battle. The broadcast recorded a 3.9% viewership rating nationwide according to Nielsen Korea, with the peak instantaneous rating soaring to 4.3%, ranking first among general programming and cable shows for the day.

In the first match, Jeong Seo-ju faced off against Son Bin-a. Jeong Seo-ju performed Kim Sang-bae's "Sunset-Glowing Seohae Bridge," capturing the essence of traditional trot with a voice reflecting the autumn mood. Although she performed the song in her own style—a track Kim Sang-bae admitted was difficult even for him—she received an unexpected 92 points. Son Bin-a countered with Kim Sang-bae's representative song "No, No," captivating the venue with deep emotion from the very first verse. Son Bin-a took the first victory with 95 points.

The second match featured Chu Hyuk-jin and Cheon Rok-dam. Chu Hyuk-jin performed Kim Sang-bae's "Rain Falls on a Man's Heart," which features an impressive blues rhythm, fully utilizing his charming tone. Kim Sang-bae praised him, saying, "He is a friend who knows how to express his own feeling." Chu Hyuk-jin earned 96 points following the original singer's praise. Cheon Rok-dam selected "You Are the Answer." Recalling the ballad sensibility from his past activities as 'Lee Jung,' Cheon Rok-dam moved the audience by skillfully handling the folk genre. Watching the stage, Kim Sang-bae was moved to tears.

The atmosphere was electrified when Kim Sung-hwan, a 57-year veteran national actor and singer, made a surprise appearance as a "Catfish Singer." As a close friend of Kim Sang-bae, Kim Sung-hwan demonstrated his long-standing expertise by singing "A Few Meters Away." In the match, Kim Sung-hwan scored 97 points, while Cheon Rok-dam scored 99 points, resulting in a final victory for Cheon Rok-dam. By defeating the Catfish Singer and adding 2 Golden Stars, Cheon Rok-dam rose to the solo lead with a total of 9 stars.

In the third match, Nam Seung-min, who had been stuck in a five-game losing streak, sought redemption. Nam Seung-min performed Kim Sang-bae's "Asian Lizard's Tail," demonstrating solid vocal skills and deepened emotion. He proved his improved singing ability by adding a key change not present in the original and showcasing refreshing high notes. Nam Seung-min's karaoke master score was 96 points. Yang Ji-eun, performing later, staged a performance of "You, Whom I Cannot Leave." She added lyrical emotion to a song typically sung cheerfully by male singers, including Park Ji-hyun from 'Mr. Trot 2,' maximizing the sadness of parting. It was a unique stage that even impressed Kim Sang-bae.

The appearance of the "Baby Tiger" Kim Tae-yeon as another Catfish Singer surprised everyone. Now 15 years old, Kim Tae-yeon performed Cho Yong-pil's "Record of Ganyang," delivering a heavy resonance that belied her age. Kim Sang-bae was moved, stating, "I got goosebumps all over my body," while Yang Ji-eun expressed pride at Kim Tae-yeon's significant growth. Kim Tae-yeon won the golden medal by scoring 98 points, defeating both Yang Ji-eun and Nam Seung-min, who both received 96 points.

The fourth match saw Chun-gil face Choi Jae-myeong. Chun-gil declared his intention to end the competition, noting that the 8 Golden Stars he once held had passed through Jeong Seo-ju, Yang Ji-eun, and Cheon Rok-dam before reaching Kim Yong-bin. After singing Kim Sang-bae's "Good Man" and showing strong determination for the Golden Cup, Chun-gil finally scored 100 points, earning a chance at the Destiny Roulette. Choi Jae-myeong performed Kim Sang-bae's "Burning With Longing," utilizing a soulful singing style with traditional Korean musical colors, but he lost to Chun-gil with 98 points.

Having won the match, Chun-gil successfully drew "Switch" from the Destiny Roulette. Under everyone's intense gaze, Chun-gil without hesitation designated Kim Yong-bin. As a result, Chun-gil reclaimed 8 Golden Stars, while Kim Yong-bin, who was on the verge of the Golden Cup, instantly dropped to 6 stars. With a single spin of the roulette, the fates of the two were reversed, bringing the Golden Cup competition into a new phase.

In the final match, Kim Yong-bin attempted a counterattack with Cho Yong-pil's "The Woman Outside the Window." Leaving behind the disappointment of losing his Golden Stars, he heightened the emotion of the song with powerful vocals and deep interpretation. Kim Sang-bae expressed admiration for Kim Yong-bin's unique interpretation, noting, "I didn't even think of Cho Yong-pil." Opposing him, Oh Yu-jin performed Kim Sang-bae's "Utterly Lost," adding enjoyment with a clear and refreshing vocal style different from the original. Kim Sang-bae could not hide his surprise, saying, "I didn't know this song was this clear and refreshing."

Kim Yong-bin defeated Oh Yu-jin to add 2 Golden Stars, but he missed the chance for the Destiny Roulette by failing to reach 100 points by just 1 point. Consequently, Cheon Rok-dam maintained the solo lead with 9 Golden Stars, while Kim Yong-bin and Chun-gil followed closely with 8 stars each.

Meanwhile, the preview for next week released at the end of the broadcast raised expectations by announcing the appearance of the trot queen Song Ga-in. As it was teased that the intense Chapter 3 Golden Cup war would reach its grand finale, curiosity is mounting over who the ultimate winner will be.

TV CHOSUN's 'Golden Friday' airs every Friday at 10 PM.

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