Singer Hong Ji-yoon, affiliated with Choi Lab, has become the 3rd reigning king of singers on MBN's "Active King of Singers 3." On the final stage of "Active King of Singers 3," which aired on the 10th, Hong Ji-yoon won the ultimate championship based on overwhelming skill and popularity.

In the first round of the finals, "New Song Battle," Hong Ji-yoon performed "At Least I Saved One Outfit," composed by Im Kang-hyun, earning a total of 1,040 points (853 points from celebrities and composers, 187 points from the national judging panel), securing first place and advancing directly to the second round of the finals. She then encouraged live text voting while preparing for the final stage.

Reflecting on her journey in "Active King of Singers 3," Hong Ji-yoon revealed that she put in great effort by selecting fabric and sketching designs for her stage outfits and consistently studied Japanese and enka. She described this challenge as a "series of challenges" and said, "I didn't want to settle but wanted to show a new side of myself."

In the second round of the finals, "Song of the Active," she chose Park Sang-chul's "My Crying Mother" to deliver an emotional performance. Hong Ji-yoon shared her heartfelt story, saying, "I was first introduced to trot thanks to my grandmother, whose health suddenly worsened, causing my mother to become depressed while staying by her side. My grandmother went through a lot, and I hope she lives a long life."

During the "My Crying Mother" performance, Hong Ji-yoon restrained the typical trot embellishments and techniques, filling the stage with classic vocalization and rich volume. She deeply contemplated the meaning of the lyrics and expressed the emotions calmly yet sincerely.

Composer Yoon Myung-sun commented, "With each stage, the anticipation for the next grows. It feels like a national singer is taking their first step." Joo Hyun-mi encouraged her, saying, "Hong Ji-yoon is an active singer who will bring a fresh breeze to the traditional trot scene. I send her infinite support and applause."

In the final results, Hong Ji-yoon scored a total of 3,727 points (2,527 points from the combined midterm scores and 1,200 points from real-time text voting), becoming the 3rd "Active King of Singers." She expressed, "I thank all the viewers who watched, and I believe this glory is not just by my own strength. I had many concerns before participating in 'Active King of Singers 3,' but I worked hard to show a more grown and developed side of myself. I will continue to do my best to become an excellent musician."

[Source: Provided by Choi Creative Lab]