Kim Yong-bin Wins Mister Trot 3

In the finale of TV Chosun's Mister Trot 3, which aired on March 13, 2025, Kim Yong-bin (33), a seasoned trot singer with 22 years of experience, was crowned the champion after receiving 27% of the live text votes. Reflecting on his victory, he expressed disbelief, saying, "I still feel like I'm dreaming. I've been singing for 20 years, but this is the first time I've ever come in first place."

The final competition, themed 'Life Songs,' was evaluated on a total of 3,000 points, comprising 1,500 points from master scores, 300 points from online support votes, and 1,200 points from real-time text votes. Kim Yong-bin chose to perform Na Hoon-a's 'Gamsa' and scored 1,490 points (2nd place) from the masters, while he topped the online support votes with a perfect 300 points (1st place). He tied for first place in the interim rankings with Son Bin-ah, who received 1,500 points from the masters and 290 points online. However, in the live broadcast, Kim Yong-bin garnered an impressive 440,256 votes from a total of 1,641,378 valid text votes, securing his victory with a 27.01% share.

Son Bin-ah, who performed Park Woo-cheol's 'Yeonmo,' made history by receiving perfect scores of 100 from all 15 masters but ultimately finished second with 34,646 votes (21.11%). The third place went to Cheon Rok-dam, who jumped from 6th to 3rd in the national voting with Na Hoon-a's 'Gong.'

Before the finale, Kim Yong-bin admitted to being extremely nervous, surviving on just porridge for days. During the broadcast, he was moved to tears by a video featuring memories of his late grandmother, who had raised him after his parents' divorce. His emotional reaction was palpable as he recalled the lyrics, "Even the wind that brushed by hurt me, the past years I cried in hiding."

"I sincerely thank the public for voting for me so much. I am grateful to my family watching from home. I believe my grandmother would have been so happy to see this moment," he said, his face radiating joy despite the shadows that often lingered.

In an interview just before the live show, Kim Yong-bin shared, "I know hundreds of trot songs, but the moment I heard this song by Na Hoon-a, I cried for the first time. The lyrics resonated deeply with my life experiences, especially the pain I had to overcome during my seven-year hiatus."

The finale of Mister Trot 3 achieved a remarkable viewership rating of 19.1%, a 3% increase from the previous episode, marking its highest rating ever. The peak moment, with a rating of 19.6%, occurred when Kim Yong-bin shared memories of his grandmother in his hometown of Daegu.

This competition was a fulfillment of his grandmother's wish for him to perform on the Mister Trot stage, although she passed away before witnessing his success. Kim Yong-bin recalled her words before her passing, promising to support him even after her death.

"Before going on stage, I always repeated, 'Grandma, please be with me,' which helped me stay calm this time. I sang with the mindset of performing my own song, just as I always did in front of her," he said, emphasizing his dedication to his craft.

His relentless pursuit of perfection and commitment to traditional trot music ultimately won the hearts of the audience. He meticulously practiced every aspect of his performance, from vocal tone to facial expressions, ensuring he delivered his best.

When asked about his true dream, Kim Yong-bin replied, "As long as I am healthy, I want to sing for as long as I can whenever people want to hear me. I was a child who almost died from a high fever just ten days after birth, and now I have been reborn through singing."

As the champion, Kim Yong-bin received a cash prize of 300 million won along with various other awards. The top spots were rounded out by Chun Gil in 4th, Choi Jae-myung in 5th, Nam Seung-min in 6th, and Chu Hyuk-jin in 7th. Choi Jae-myung also received a special award from Takahashi Yoko, a master from Mister Trot Japan.