Finale of 'Handsome Trot' Features Legendary Performances with Live Audience

The finale of tvN STORY's '잘생긴 트롯' (Handsome Trot) kicked off with a spectacular display of legendary performances, marking the first time an audience participated in the show. The seventh episode, aired on April 4, showcased the final showdown, 'Last T4 Battle,' featuring eight finalists: Choo Sung-hoon, Choi Dae-cheol, In Gyo-jin, Ji Seung-hyun, Hyun-woo, Kim Dong-ho, Lee Taeri, and Kim Jun-ho.

Before the final stage, a team-building event added an extra layer of excitement. Team Na Hoon-a, consisting of Choi Dae-cheol, In Gyo-jin, Hyun-woo, and Kim Dong-ho, faced off against Team Nam Jin, made up of Choo Sung-hoon, Ji Seung-hyun, Lee Taeri, and Kim Jun-ho, in a series of fun challenges including 'Body Language' and a karaoke score battle. Notably, Choi Dae-cheol from Team Na Hoon-a won the 'Body Language' game but humorously received a low kick from Choo Sung-hoon, delivering a comedic moment.

The karaoke score battle featured two rounds: a solo and a group performance. Choo Sung-hoon captivated the audience with his rendition of 'One Love,' a song he hadn't performed in 17 years, while Kim Jun-ho, who dreams of releasing his own music, expressed his admiration. In the group performance, Team Nam Jin chose Yoon Soo-il's 'Apartment,' showcasing a unique vibe, but ultimately, Team Na Hoon-a emerged victorious. The four members of Team Na Hoon-a received special advice from Jang Min-ho and Lee Chan-won to prepare for the final.

Lee Chan-won shared, 'This is the first program where we created a chat room and contacted each other personally. I have a strong attachment to this show, and the members are wonderful.' Jang Min-ho added, 'I hope you prepare a stage without regrets. This will be a video that lasts a lifetime, and I hope it becomes a memorable stage that you can revisit anytime.'

The highly anticipated final stage finally commenced, featuring trot stars Ahn Seong-hoon, Hong Ji-yoon, and Jeon Yu-jin, along with the esteemed judges including Yoon Il-sang and the group 알고보니 혼수상태 (Allegedly in a Coma). The atmosphere was further electrified by the presence of 100 audience members from the T-100 panel. Celebrities like Choi Ji-woo, Park Soo-hong, Geum Jan-di, Jo Seong-ha, and Wax were also spotted in the audience, with Park Soo-hong humorously mentioning he rushed over after taking care of his baby to support Kim Jun-ho, with whom he appeared on a parenting show.

The first round of the 'Last T4 Battle' featured contestants selecting from a pool of 600 songs. In a surprising twist, the benefits for the T4 finalists—Kim Jun-ho, Choo Sung-hoon, In Gyo-jin, and Ji Seung-hyun—were revealed, showcasing unprecedented changes compared to previous rounds. Kim Jun-ho, who ranked first among the T4, opted for a '30-point deduction,' while Choo Sung-hoon aimed for a '40-point bonus' to secure his fourth consecutive T4. In Gyo-jin chose a '30-point deduction,' and Ji Seung-hyun selected the 'stage order decision right' to gain an advantage.

Following Ji Seung-hyun's decision, In Gyo-jin was the first to take the stage, performing Lim Young-woong's 'Home.' His impactful intro and surprise gesture towards his wife, So Yi-hyun, heated up the venue. The judges praised his performance, with Yoon Il-sang exclaiming, 'This is what explosive growth looks like.' So Yi-hyun expressed her happiness at the public proposal event, saying, 'It feels different from when I was judging.'

Next, the vocal prodigy Lee Taeri took the stage, delivering a powerful rendition of Jo Byeong-seon's 'Wildflower.' He admitted that preparing for this challenging song was the hardest part of the competition, dedicating significant time to practice. His emotionally restrained singing style garnered applause, but the judges' feedback was mixed, leaving the audience curious about the final results.

The third performance in the song battle featured Kim Jun-ho, who wanted to share his fencing life story through the final stage by singing Jo Hang-jo's 'Thank You, Life.' He poured his emotions into the performance, reflecting on moments when he considered giving up fencing, moving the audience to tears. The original artist, 알고보니 혼수상태, was also visibly emotional during Kim Jun-ho's heartfelt performance.

The grand finale was conducted on an unprecedented scale, with only the judges' scores (500 points) revealed, while the T-100 audience scores (500 points) remained undisclosed, heightening the suspense. The potential impact of the T4 benefits still to be factored in left everyone eager to see who would emerge as the first T4 winner in this round.