MBN ‘Nameless Legend - Trot Men's Ranking War’

MBN ‘Nameless Legend - Trot Men's Ranking War’ (hereafter, ‘Nameless Legend’) finally unveils the third main-round stage, the last gateway to the semifinals, the ‘National Songs Grand Match’. Another fierce struggle for survival is foreshadowed as the 27 remaining contestants vie for only 14 tickets to the semifinals.

In episode 8 of ‘Nameless Legend’, airing on the 15th, the ‘National Songs Grand Match’ unfolds, built around songs by four legends who epitomize national favorites: Choi Baek-ho, Jeon Young-rok, Jang Yoon-jeong, and Kim Jin-ryong. The original artists behind these national hit songs appear in person for ‘Nameless Legend’, completing an unprecedented lineup never seen elsewhere and amplifying anticipation. As this round features challengers who have survived a war-like competition, even more tightly crafted medley stages are expected.

The ‘National Songs Grand Match’ proceeds with round 1, the ‘Team Medley Battle’, and round 2, the ‘Top Ace Battle’. Scores from the National Pro Crew and the Top Pro Crew are combined each round, and the new TOP5, who advanced through the recent ‘1-on-1 Deathmatch’, have taken the helm as team leaders and completed their rosters. The team ranked first on the combined total across both rounds advances entirely to the semifinals, while all others are pushed to the elimination zone, so each team clashes with a stage armed with a ‘finishing move’.

Led by Jeong Yeon-ho, who took first place in the ‘1-on-1 Deathmatch’, the team ‘Yeonho-ne Jin-ppong Masterpiece’ features Kang Tae-gwan, Shin Sung, Iru-ne, and Choi Woo-jin, a lineup that naturally elicits the exclamation “Are they not all title contenders?”, signaling the prowess of active performers. With Choi Woo-jin's condition becoming a variable after he suddenly fainted before the contest and was taken to the emergency room, attention focuses on whether they can overcome the crisis and complete their stage.

Facing them, second-place Lee Chang-min's ‘Sing-along Republic’ team plays its trump card with a Jeon Young-rok medley. With Seongri, Hwang Min-woo, and Ko Young-taeregarded as performance powerhousesjoining, they preview an unprecedented stage that ranges from a musical-like structure to even a fire show. In particular, the pairing of Lee Chang-min and Seongri, who met as opponents in the second main-round ‘1-on-1 Deathmatch’, draws attention; amid a crisis caused by a string of completely unexpected mistakes that disrupted their flow, eyes are on whether they can overturn the game with performance.

Haru, who took third place, forms the dark-horse team ‘Haru All Day’, assembling the visuals of ‘Nameless Legend’ in one place with Park Min-su, Lee Dae-hwan, Choi Jong-won, and Hwang Yoon-seong. As it was put together with the determination “We wanted to create a trot Avengers that has visuals, vocals, and performance all at once,” attention gathers on whether they can present a Jang Yoon-jeong medley with chemistry and explosive synergy worthy of the ‘Avengers’ title.

The Jang Yoon-jeong medley continues in order to break the jinx that “performing Jang Yoon-jeong songs in auditions leads to poor results.” Fourth-place Kim Tae-woong's ‘Woong Heart-Throb Corps’ features a cross-generational combination that promises a different kind of synergy: prodigies representing ‘Nameless Legend’ Kim Han-yul and Son Eun-seol, veteran Moon Eun-seok who began as a prodigy, and active performer Lee Do-jin. Attention focuses on what kind of stage the meeting of veterans and prodigies will produce.

Led by fifth-place Yu Ji-woo, the ‘Romantic Ji-woo’ team, composed solely of the namelessJang Han-byul, Lee Woo-jung, and Kwak Hee-sungwrites a “number-one challenge by the nameless.” As for those who took on the Choi Baek-ho medley, which demands deep emotion and high musical completeness, original artist Choi Baek-ho remarked, “The world has gone blind. To confine this level of skill to the nameless,” adding to the anticipation for the stage the ‘true nameless’ team will complete.

The third main-round ‘National Songs Grand Match’, with only the skilled remaining, forewarns fiercer competition and overwhelming stage quality than ever. Not only did it incite mass sing-alongs and mass dancing from the National Pro Crew, but there was even the rare sight of Top Pro member Joo Hyun-mi standing up for the first time to dance, reportedly heating up the venue even more.

On a stage whose poise and composure were uncharacteristic of the nameless and even made the legends tense, Jang Yoon-jeong reportedly offered high praise, saying, “If voting had been possible, I would have given 100 points,” heightening expectations. All eyes are on which team will take first place in round 1 of the third main round, the ‘Team Medley Battle’.

Amid the appearance of legendary national singers such as Choi Baek-ho, Jeon Young-rok, Jang Yoon-jeong, and Kim Jin-ryong and brink-of-the-cliff battles for a berth in the semifinals, the heightened competition and scale of round 1, the ‘Team Medley Battle’, of the third main-round ‘National Songs Grand Match’ can be seen in episode 8 of ‘Nameless Legend’ airing at 9:40 p.m. on the 15th.