Kim Heechul Surprised by Imi Joo's Mistake on 'Twenty Century Hit Song'

On the December 20 episode of 'Twenty Century Hit Song' (이십세기 힛-트쏭), Kim Heechul was taken aback by a slip of the tongue from co-host Imi Joo. The 244th episode revisited iconic songs that, despite their popularity, fell short of winning the coveted Golden Cup on the music ranking show Gayo Top Ten (가요톱텐). This program was known for its systematic and fair ranking system, utilizing ARS and PC communication for accurate results. To win the Golden Cup, a song had to maintain the number one spot for five consecutive weeks, and if it lost that position, it had to start over.

The episode highlighted songs that, while they finished in second place, were still celebrated for their impact, under the theme 'We Lost, But We Fought Well! Hit Songs That Lost the Golden Cup.' One notable mention was Gu Bon-seung's 'For You Alone' (너 하나만을 위해), which ranked ninth. This track, written and composed by Lee Hyun-do, features a stylish arrangement typical of the duo Deuce, blending upbeat and funky New Jack Swing rhythms.

Upon hearing the intro, Kim Heechul immediately recognized the song, exclaiming, 'I know this song very well.' He reminisced about Gu Bon-seung's nickname 'Kkeobung' during that time, noting his prominence as both an actor and singer.

Imi Joo added that Gu Bon-seung's popularity surged with his role in the drama 'General Hospital' (종합병원), where he played a character who was a doctor and became a sensation, even releasing albums as a singer. She humorously remarked, 'With looks like that, he could have topped the charts regardless of the song.'

The conversation took a humorous turn when Imi Joo learned that the song had maintained a position in the top ten for 16 weeks in the mid-90s. She exclaimed, '16 weeks is almost a year!' This statement left the studio in shock, prompting Kim Heechul to question, 'Is 16 weeks really a year?' Imi Joo quickly apologized, to which Kim Heechul quipped, 'You don’t need to apologize to me; you should apologize to your parents for the trouble you caused them!' This playful banter elicited laughter from the audience.