JTBC aired an episode of Hidden Singer 8 featuring Younha on the night of the 7th at 8:50 p.m.
On the episode, Younha, the original artist behind numerous hits, faced off against five impersonators in a tense showdown.
Host Jun Hyun-moo introduced Younha as his top pick for the show, raising expectations. Younha said she was thrilled to finally appear on Hidden Singer—her father’s favorite program. She recalled her unusual path, debuting first in Japan before being reintroduced to Korea, and opened Round 1 with “Gidarida” (“Waiting”), a self-penned song she wrote at 17 about her first crush. The impersonators’ performances were so flawless that Jun Hyun-moo proposed a replay for the first time in the program’s history, throwing the studio into confusion. In the vote to identify who sounded least like Younha, she received just four votes and advanced comfortably as a co-leader.
Round 2’s mission song was “Password 486,” the title track from her first studio album, but Younha faced an unexpected crisis. She joked about cringing at the intense, hard-eyed delivery she used early in her career, which drew laughs, but onstage the impersonators’ fierce challenge visibly shook her confidence. Jun Hyun-moo reminded viewers that past original artists such as Jo Sung-mo and Taeyeon had been eliminated in Round 2, heightening the tension. Younha narrowly avoided elimination, earning 22 votes and placing fourth to move on to Round 3. In the subsequent performance of “We Broke Up Today,” judges reacted to the historic difficulty of the rendition, but Younha secured 20 votes and advanced safely to the final round.
The top prize went to Lee Ji-young, nicknamed “Can’t Give Up, Younha,” who captured 41 of 100 votes. Younha finished a close runner-up with 38 votes—just three fewer—and applauded Lee Ji-young’s ability to reproduce even her early vocal nuances. Though she fell short of the win, Younha ended the night visibly satisfied after reconnecting with the fans who have accompanied her musical journey.
Lim Chae-ryeong, TenAsia reporter
