Roy Kim’s Journey from Contestant to Judge
Singer Roy Kim, who rose to fame as a contestant on ‘Superstar K4’ in 2012, recently opened up about his transition into a judging role for the new SBS audition program ‘Our Ballad 2’. During the production press conference held on the 30th in Mok-dong, Seoul, Kim shared his initial reservations about accepting the offer.
The Reason Behind the Initial Refusal
Reflecting on his past experiences, the singer noted, ‘I was in the same position as these contestants 14 years ago. While I have been offered judging roles before, I felt I wasn’t ready to guide others because I was still struggling to navigate my own career.’ He emphasized that he joined ‘Our Ballad 2’ specifically because the show focuses on growth and encouragement rather than looking for pre-perfected artists.
Production Team’s High Praise
PD Ahn Jung-hyun expressed his confidence in casting Roy Kim, labeling him the ‘Current Face of Korean Ballads’ for his unprecedented 103-week chart presence. The production team highlighted that Kim’s deep empathy for the young contestantsβoften rooting for them during rehearsalsβmade him the perfect mentor for the series. ‘Our Ballad 2’ is scheduled to premiere on October 5th at 10 PM.
