In the third episode of MBC's variety show "1st Place," which aired on the 1st, an intense competition took place for the sole "One-on-One Battle" first-place trophy and the right to advance to the "Final Battle." In this episode, Kim Ki-tae, who secured first place in the lineup battle, advanced by default, while the participants ranked second to fifth began their one-on-one battles for the first-place trophy.

Second-place contestant Heo Gak earned the opportunity to choose his opponent. He stated, "Unintentionally, the contestants ranked second, third, fourth, and fifth are winners of 'Superstar K' and 'The Voice Korea.' So, for the sake of our '1st Place' ratings, we decided on a family feud." Heo Gak surprised everyone by selecting Ulala Session, the winner of "Superstar K" Season 3.

Heo Gak passionately sang Yada's "Jinhon," while Ulala Session performed Radi's "Mom." As a result, Heo Gak defeated Ulala Session and advanced to the second round. Following this, Son Seung-yeon and Lee Ye-jun, the first and second winners of "The Voice Korea," faced off.

Son Seung-yeon took the stage and said, "This has become a very delicate tournament. Losing here would hurt my pride a lot. I also chose my song with Lee Ye-jun in mind. It turned into more of a pride battle." She selected Ahn Ye-eun's "Sangsahwa," showcasing her powerful vocal skills.

Lee Ye-jun performed Naul's "Memory of the Wind," flawlessly hitting a three-step high note that amazed the audience. After watching their performances, Baek Ji-young said, "Wow, I'm really glad we debuted early," and Kim Yong-joon agreed, saying, "I don't think I could do that." Baek Ji-young added, "I can't do audition programs."

While waiting for the voting results, Lee Ye-jun said, "I didn't want to face that monster, but I thought I wanted to win at least once," continuing the psychological battle with Son Seung-yeon. Lee Min-jung admired their performances, saying, "I almost cried, but the high notes pulled me back," and added, "It was a battle between a monster and AI. The monster versus AI to see who would conquer."

After a fierce competition, Son Seung-yeon advanced to the second round and was set to have a one-on-one battle with Heo Gak. Lee Ye-jun expressed his nervousness, saying, "Ah, I can't watch. What should I do?" Son Seung-yeon also expressed her anxiety, saying, "What is this?"

This episode attracted great popularity among viewers due to the participants' outstanding skills and the tense battles. Viewers focused on each contestant's stage and emotional journey, expressing anticipation for the upcoming developments. "1st Place" will continue to offer viewers a variety of exciting content through fierce competition.