Fans Are Buzzing Over Isa's 'Tell Me' Stage

STAYC's Isa is bringing a fresh voice to one of Korean pop's most familiar hooks, and the setting makes the moment bigger than a simple cover stage. On KBS2's Immortal Songs, the singer joined Jinusean for a new version of "Tell Me" during the show's Seoul Spring Festival 2026 special, a Han River event built around cross-generation pop memories.

The episode airs on May 23 at 6:05 p.m. KST and is presented as the program's 757th installment. It gathers veteran acts and younger idol teams in front of roughly 6,000 citizens, turning the music competition format into an outdoor city festival. For fans, the main draw is the unusual pairing: a 1990s hip-hop duo whose song became part of K-pop history, and a fourth-generation girl group member known for a bright, polished vocal tone.

Why Isa's "Tell Me" Stage Stands Out

"Tell Me" carries a long memory in Korean pop. Jinusean made the song a signature hit with Uhm Jung-hwa as the original guest vocalist, and that connection still shapes how many Korean listeners remember the track. Bringing Isa into the song changes the texture without erasing that history. The new performance is framed less as a remake and more as a meeting between eras.

Reports from the recording describe Isa's voice as clear and modern against Jinusean's upbeat hip-hop energy. That contrast is the point. Her part does not try to imitate Uhm Jung-hwa's original presence, which would be a difficult and unnecessary burden. Instead, the stage uses her lighter tone to make the song feel newly open for an audience that includes longtime viewers, STAYC fans, and casual festivalgoers.

The visual direction also appears designed to make Isa the bridge between old and new. Korean coverage highlighted her red hair, black boots, gloves, sleeveless top, and shorts, a stage look that nodded to pop-star confidence without turning the performance into a costume exercise. It gave the collaboration a clear visual identity, which matters for a broadcast stage likely to spread through clips after the episode airs.

For STAYC, the guest spot is useful in a different way from a standard comeback performance. The group debuted in 2020 under High Up Entertainment and built its name around crisp hooks and the "TEENFRESH" image, a phrase often used to describe its energetic but clean pop style. Isa's appearance on a legacy song places that image inside a wider K-pop timeline. It shows how a younger idol can carry a familiar chorus for viewers who may not follow new girl groups closely.

A Han River Special Built For Several Generations

The Seoul Spring Festival episode is not only about one collaboration. KBS positioned the special as a city-centered music event staged at the Han River, one of Seoul's most recognizable public spaces. The lineup includes Jinusean, HoooW, Chae Yeon, Tei, Lee Chan-won, STAYC, NCT WISH and A Mudda Band, giving the program room to move from nostalgic pop to current idol performance and trot-influenced crowd energy.

That range fits the identity of Immortal Songs. KBS World describes the show as a program that reinterprets classic songs through Korean vocalists and performers, with an emphasis on moments that connect generations. The Seoul Spring Festival special stretches that idea into a public festival setting. Instead of a studio audience reacting to a single legend's catalog, thousands of people are shown as part of a broader Seoul music scene.

The event was recorded on May 4 with about 6,000 citizens at the Han River, according to Korean entertainment reports. That detail is important because it explains the episode's scale. Many music shows are tightly controlled studio broadcasts, but this special leans on the sound and visual energy of an open-air crowd. For performers like Jinusean and STAYC, that kind of environment can make a familiar song feel more communal.

NCT WISH Adds The New-Generation Festival Mood

NCT WISH gives the episode another clear new-generation pillar. The group opens its segment with "Ode to Love," introduced in Korean reports as a song about delivering warmth and kindness. Member Riku reportedly asked the audience whether that kindness had reached them, then moved closer to the crowd to greet people more directly. It is a simple exchange, but it fits the Han River format, where the distance between stage and audience can become part of the performance.

The members also spoke about performing at the Han River for the first time. Ryo said he had visited the area for walks and picnics, but found it new and surprising to stand there as a performer. Yushi joked about Han River ramen, a small detail that Korean viewers immediately understand because eating instant noodles by the river is a familiar Seoul ritual. Sion encouraged the audience to enjoy the atmosphere and taste of the river area.

Those comments add local texture for international readers. The Han River is not just a scenic backdrop in Seoul entertainment; it is a weekend leisure space, a date spot, a picnic area, and a frequent symbol of the city in dramas and variety shows. When young idols talk about ramen, picnics, or walking there, they are speaking in a language ordinary Seoul residents recognize. That helps the special feel less like a closed industry event and more like a public celebration.

NCT WISH is also expected to perform "Surf" and unveil "Sticky" on a formal stage outside concerts, according to Korean reports. That gives fans a practical reason to watch beyond the general festival theme. It also balances the program's nostalgia. Jinusean and HoooW bring memory; NCT WISH and STAYC bring the present tense of idol performance.

Sean's Running Story Gives The Episode A Human Hook

Jinusean's segment includes more than music. Sean tells the audience that he comes to the Han River almost every day and even ran there on the morning of the recording. Jinu then teases him by saying he once called Sean only to find that his partner was overseas running. The exchange turns a performance segment into a variety-show moment, which is exactly the kind of rhythm Immortal Songs often uses between songs.

Sean also says he completed the world's seven major marathons in one year, calling it a first for a Korean runner. The reported remark gives the episode an uplifting personal story without shifting the focus away from entertainment. It explains why the Han River location feels especially natural for him. For Korean viewers who know Sean's long public association with charity runs and fitness, the detail reads as part of his broader public image.

The humor lands when Sean encourages Jinu to join him. Jinu reportedly answers that he will support him if the chance comes, but he will not run. The joke is light, but it matters because it gives younger viewers a quick way into Jinusean's dynamic. Even if someone knows the duo only through clips or older songs, the contrast between Sean's endless running and Jinu's firm refusal is easy to understand.

That balance of performance, banter, and biography is what makes the source material article-worthy. A simple lineup announcement would not be enough. Here, the episode combines a legacy hit, an idol collaboration, a large public audience, a Seoul landmark, and a personal achievement story that viewers can remember after the stage ends.

What Fans Should Watch Next

The immediate question is how Isa's version of "Tell Me" will travel after broadcast. Stages like this often live longer online than they do in the scheduled episode, especially when they connect a classic song with a current idol. If the vocal arrangement gives Isa enough room, the performance could become a reference point for fans who enjoy seeing younger idols reinterpret first-generation and Y2K-era K-pop.

For Jinusean, the stage reinforces the durability of their catalog. A song that can welcome a 2026 guest vocalist without feeling frozen in the past has a different kind of value from a one-time hit. For STAYC, it gives Isa a solo spotlight that is connected to cultural memory rather than only group promotion. That can help general viewers remember her voice apart from the group's usual performance structure.

The Seoul Spring Festival special also points toward a useful future for televised music programs. Outdoor, city-based specials can make familiar formats feel larger and more accessible, especially when they mix fandom-driven idol stages with artists known to older viewers. If the broadcast draws strong clip traffic, KBS has a clear reason to keep building these festival-style editions.

For now, the promise is simple: a Han River crowd, a song many Koreans already know, and an idol voice giving it a new color.