MBN ‘Active Singer King 3’
‘Dark horse’ Gu Su-kyung soaked the ‘Active Singer King’ stage with deep emotion.
On the 10th broadcast of MBN’s ‘Active Singer King 3’, Gu Su-kyung took the Round 2 ‘Fate War’ stage of the third main match and, with an unconventional song choice, once again stamped her presence.
Having risen to No. 1 in the interim rankings with an overwhelming score in Round 1 of the third main match, Gu Su-kyung shared her resolve: “Winning first place made me feel pressured. But the further the contest goes, the more ambitious I become.” Lyn likewise heightened expectations even before the stage, saying, “I’m so excited. I’ve fallen for Gu.”
Selecting Lee Seung-jae’s ‘A Distant Place’, Gu Su-kyung left a deep impression by filling the stage with nothing but her voice, without flashy performance. Beginning in a low, grounded register, she calmly built a sense of solitude in the intro and seized the song’s mood at once, conveying the emptiness and longing in the lyrics with restrained delivery and delicate nuance.
As the latter half approached, the gradually mounting high notes showcased her unwavering focus and stable projection, elevating the performance’s completeness. With a voice that pinpointed the emotions to complete the song’s narrative, Gu Su-kyung drew the audience in, and fellow contestants exclaimed in succession, “She gives off the vibe of a vocal genius,” and “She’s a formidable person.”
Composer Yoon Myung-sun praised her, saying, “Even though she didn’t sing the first verse forcefully, the immersion was considerable. There was tight tension across the entire stage,” adding, “She’s a singer whose vibe changes with each singing angle of her face, helping the audience interpret the song.”
Jung Soo-ra offered encouragement, saying, “During the preliminary judging, I thought, ‘Where did this raw gem come from?’ I’ll keep watching until that raw gem becomes a jewel,” and Lee Ji-hye also applauded, saying, “It was impressive that you took on a genre that isn’t your forte.”
Meanwhile, overcoming ten years of obscurity and emerging as a hidden dark horse through ‘Active Singer King 3’, Gu Su-kyung placed fifth in the third main match and clinched a ticket to the semifinals. Anticipation is building for her next stage as her presence grows with each performance.
