Miss Trot 4 Crowns Top 5 Finalists as Competition Heats Up

TV Chosun's blockbuster singing competition "Miss Trot 4" reached a pivotal moment on February 26 as the show's semifinal round determined the five contestants who will advance to the grand finale. In a live broadcast that had viewers across South Korea glued to their screens, the Top 5 selection delivered both expected triumphs and heartbreaking eliminations.

Heo Chanmi Claims the Crown

Heo Chanmi emerged as the clear frontrunner, earning an astonishing master score of 1,585 points out of 1,600 — with ten out of sixteen masters awarding her a perfect 100. Her rendition of Kim Sang-bae's "You Can't" had initially raised eyebrows among the judges, who considered it a risky song choice for a competition setting. However, Chanmi silenced all doubts with a performance that judge Joo Young-hoon described as "like listening to the definitive version of the song, as if AI had perfectly calibrated every note."

With her final combined score of 2,406 points including the real-time viewer vote, Heo Chanmi secured first place and was visibly emotional during her acceptance. She revealed that she had auditioned for singing competitions four times before, tearfully expressing her gratitude to voters and saying she had hoped there would be no fifth attempt.

The Complete Top 5 Lineup

Joining Heo Chanmi in the finals are Lee Sona in second place with 2,365.92 points, Hong Sungyun in third with 2,326 points, Yoon Taehwa in fourth with 2,231.69 points, and Gil Ryeowon in fifth with 2,208.10 points. In a dramatic twist, Gil Ryeowon had led the intermediate rankings before real-time voting was factored in, only to drop to fifth place in the final tally.

The scoring system combined master evaluations worth 1,600 points, online voting worth 200 points, a national support panel worth 200 points, and real-time text voting worth 500 points, making the live audience vote the decisive factor in several rank changes.

Yumi Earns a Legend's Praise

One of the evening's most memorable moments came from Yumi, a ballad singer who had been impressing audiences throughout the competition with her successful transition into the trot genre. Performing Sul Woon-do's emotional classic "Lost 30 Years," Yumi delivered a deeply heartfelt rendition that moved both the studio audience and the master panel.

Trot legend Kim Yeon-ja, serving as a master judge, offered particularly high praise, declaring that Yumi had become her "rival." Kim noted that despite Yumi's background primarily in ballads, she had rapidly mastered trot singing techniques in a remarkably short time. "If she continues to develop, she will truly become a trot master," Kim predicted, encouraging Yumi to keep exploring the genre.

Yumi herself expressed her passion for the competition, telling host Kim Sung-joo that appearing on Miss Trot 4 was "the most praiseworthy thing I've done in my life" and that she was amazed by the joy of discovering new vocal techniques daily. Despite receiving an impressive master score of 1,503 points, Yumi ultimately placed tenth in the final standings with 1,864.72 total points.

Looking Ahead to the Finals

The show's ratings continue to reflect its massive popularity, with recent episodes recording a 14.7 percent national viewership and peak moments hitting 15.6 percent. The confirmed Top 5 — Heo Chanmi, Lee Sona, Hong Sungyun, Yoon Taehwa, and Gil Ryeowon — will compete in the grand finale next week to determine the season's ultimate Miss Trot champion.