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Tue, March 2, 2021 | 13:36
Marriage
Superstar K denies audition fixed
슈퍼스타K6, 일부 참가자 톱10 조건부 섭외?
Posted : 2014-11-19 15:09
Updated : 2014-11-19 20:40
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From left, Kim Feel, Lim Do-hyeok, and Kwak Jin-eon, the top three members of Mnet's popular audition program, Superstar K6, attend a press meeting on Oct. 12. Two days later, Lim failed to advance in the semi-final round at the Grand Peace Hall in Kyung Hee University, Seoul. Mnet, CJ E&M's cable music channel, recently denied allegations that scriptwriters guaranteed some contestants a place in the top 10. / Courtesy of CJ E&M
From left, Kim Feel, Lim Do-hyeok, and Kwak Jin-eon, the top three members of Mnet's popular audition program, Superstar K6, attend a press meeting on Oct. 12. Two days later, Lim failed to advance in the semi-final round at the Grand Peace Hall in Kyung Hee University, Seoul. Mnet, CJ E&M's cable music channel, recently denied allegations that scriptwriters guaranteed some contestants a place in the top 10. / Courtesy of CJ E&M

By Kim Jae-heun


Widely popular audition program, Superstar K, denied allegations Wednesday it had an arrangement with some contestants guaranteeing them a slot in the final round of 10.

The initial field of 1.5 million applicants from Korea, Asia and the United States has now been narrowed down to two Season 6 finalists, Kim Feel and Kwak Jin-eon, who will square off in a singing contest at 11 p.m. this Friday.

Responding to an inquiry by The Korea Times, Mnet, the broadcaster of Superstar K, denied any hint of wrongdoing. "We have not made potential participants any kind of promise, nor could we make one," a company official said. She added: "We invite little-known but talented singers we find on YouTube by contacting them via their Facebook accounts. We also encourage others who are good, but failed to make it in other audition programs." Mnet is a music channel affiliated with CJ E&M.

Speaking to The Korea Times, a music industry source revealed that scriptwriters who work for Mnet sent handwritten letters inviting talented singers with a degree of popularity.

The scriptwriters, who play an influential role in everything from storytelling to cast recruitment, would then offer guarantees that the contestants would advance into the final rounds, he said.

In addition, he also alleged that artists pre-selected for the Season 6 teaser clip would be presented beforehand to a judging panel of singers and composers.

The teaser clip for this season aired at midnight, Aug. 21, on the eve of the first episode, and attracted over 1 million viewers.

Of the four artists that appeared in the teaser, two made it into the top three, Lim Do-hyeok and Kwak Jin-eon, with Kwak making it all the way to Friday's decider.

Some bloggers and Internet posts have also linked the participation of Jason Ray, an American YouTube star, with the alleged Mnet scheme. Ray was not available for comment when contacted by The Korea Times.

Superstar K officials have responded by saying they contacted "a lot of people" to offer invitations.

Regarding the allegations of handwritten letters of encouragement, Mnet said it checked with its writers and found that one was written to lure one very enticing potential contestant for a previous season. "But it was never sent," an official said.

Superstar K has run for six seasons now as K-pop's premier audition program.

Its ratings reached an incredible 11.8 percent of total viewership in its third season. A 2 percent rating is usually considered a success for a cable program.

Superstar K5 last year was considered a flop in comparison, garnering a 4.24 percent rating.

Of the three finalists this year, all were professional singers — one has released his seventh album, another is an underground singer and one participated in the making of a movie original soundtrack.

Superstar K insisted that no applicants receive preferential treatment.

An Mnet official did confirm the need for "special" contestants, saying, "If we only receive ordinary applicants, the program would lack diversity. So we include talented singers with little public exposure."

He added that all the "invited" contestants were treated the same as any other participants.


슈퍼스타K6, 일부 참가자 톱10 조건부 섭외?

Mnet측, “보장을 전제로 참가자를 섭외한 적은 절대로 없어”

Mnet측은 지난 8월 22일 첫 방송으로 시작한 대국민 오디션 프로그램  ‘슈퍼스타K6(이하 슈스케6)’의 오디션 과정에서 작가들이 일부 참가자들에게 톱 10을 조건으로 출연을 제안했다는 일부 주장을 부인했다.

제기된 의혹 중에는 작가가 직접 친필 편지를 작성하여 몇몇 참가자들을 섭외했고, 이들의 실력을 심사위원들에게 사전 검증 받은 후 선공개 방송에 내보냈다는 내용도 포함된다. 지난 8월 21일 방영된 선공개 영상은 117만 건 조회수를 기록했고, 당시 화제가 되었던 참가자 4명 중 3명이 톱5까지 진출했다.

참가자 섭외 논란과 관련하여 슈스케6 측은 “Mnet 자체가 음악채널이기 때문에 당연히 음악 쪽 관계자들을 많이 알고 있고, 주위사람들에게 당연히 권유를 받거나 할 수는 있다. 다만, 일반인 참가자만 계속해서 받다 보면, 너무 다양성이 떨어질 수 있는 측면 때문에, 제야의 고수들에게 권유하는 경우는 있다”라고 해명했다.

특히, 톱 10을 조건부로 일부 참가자를 섭외했다는 의혹과 관련해서는 사실 무근이고 오디션 참가자에게 그 어떤 ‘약속’도 하지 않았다고 전했다.

친필 편지와 관련해서 Mnet측의 한 관계자는 “직접 편지를 보낸다던가 연락처를 받아서 ‘한 번 당신이 참가를 하면 좋을 것 같다’라는 권유의 정도가 전부였다”고 전하며, “예전에 꼭 섭외하고 싶은 참가자가 있어 쓴 적은 있지만, 결과적으로 보내지 않았다”라고 덧붙였다.

슈퍼스타K는 시즌 4까지 케이블 방송에서 평균 10% 이상의 시청률을 기록하고, 국내 오디션 사상 전무후무한 208만 명의 참가자 지원이라는 기록을 세우며 오디션 프로그램의 한 획을 그었다.

그러나, 작년에 방영된 슈퍼스타 K5는 참가자들의 지나친 ‘사연팔이’에 집중했고 노래 실력을 보여 주는 데는 소홀했다는 평가를 받으며, 역대 최저 전 회차 평균 시청률인 4.24%를 기록하는 한편 슈스케 폐지 논란을 촉발했다.

시즌6에서 제작진은 슈스케를 다시 일으켜 세울만한 ‘괴물’ 참가자가 필요했고, 참가자들을 선발하는 과정에서 작가들의 실력자 섭외가 불가피했던 것으로 보인다.

제작자 측과 방송 출연자들은 프로그램과 관련하여 외부에 일절 언급할 수 없는 것을 계약상 원칙으로 하고 있다. 프로그램과 관련하여 해가 되는 내용을 언급할 시, 법적 처벌을 받게 된다.

슈퍼스타K6 결승전은 21일 밤 11시에 Mnet을 통해 생방송으로 중계된다.
Emailjhkim@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter









 
 
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