What? They can sing so well?!

There are not many shows that I’m following nowadays. There’s one though, that has kept me looking forward to watching every week for the last few weeks – 놀면 뭐하니? or Hangout With Yoo.

Produced by Kim Tae-ho and hosted by Yoo Jae-suk, the show started in July 2019 and has undergone several concepts. The most recent iteration has Yoo Jae-suk taking on various projects. The current project that has both pleasantly surprised and touched me, sees Yoo Jae-suk putting together a male vocal group, MSG Wannabe (a parody of SG Wannabe), through his alter ego, producer Yoo Ya-ho.

Over the past few weeks, Yoo Ya-ho has been holding blind auditions to select members who would form MSG Wannabe. When the top 8 were picked and their identities revealed, I was really surprised by a few of the selected artistes because, I mean, they could sing so well?!

The final members have since been finalised, with all 8 making it to the group. They are: Jee Seok-jin, Lee Sang-yi, Wonstein, Parc Jae-jung, Kim Jung-min, Simon Dominic, Lee Dong-hwi and KCM.

When their identities were first revealed, I was most pleasantly surprised by Simon Dominic. I mean, he’s a rapper and my, he sings as well as any professional singer out there. What a hidden gem! I am truly impressed.

Then there’s Lee Dong-hwi of Reply 1988 fame. I wouldn’t have known that he can sing so well if not for this program. And mind you, he’s good.

Jee Seok-jin was another artiste that made me sit up. His sidekick image on Running Man is so entrenched that I could never imagine him as a serious singer. So, he debuted as a singer and he can truly sing. No joke.

Through the show, I also discovered the charming voices of actor Lee Sang-yi and Parc Jae-jung. KCM, whom I know as Rain’s best friend, has a delicate voice despite his built.

Words are not enough to express how well they can sing. Check out the performance clips below, and let me know who surprised you the most.

Here, the 8 of them sing “상상더하기” by LABOUM (라붐). It could have started out as something for laughs, to have 8 grown, masculine men singing a girl group song. The program’s producer probably did not expect them to pull it off that well.

Lee Sang-yi, Kim Jung-min, Simon Dominic and Lee Dong-hwi came together as 정상동기 and sang “체념”. What a breathtaking performance!

M.O.M, comprising Jee Seok-jin, Wonstein, Parc Jae-jung and KCM, sang “만약에”. Mesmerizing performance as well.