Yunmin of co-ed band TOUCHED speaks on achieving nine consecutive wins on 'King of Mask Singer.' Newsis

Yunmin, singer of the four-member co-ed rock band TOUCHED, said she is still stunned after achieving nine consecutive wins on MBC's "King of Mask Singer."

Yunmin held a media conference on Wednesday at MPMG Music headquarters in Mapo District, Seoul, to commemorate her nine-win streak on "King of Mask Singer."

She appeared on MBC's popular singing competition program as "Hui-Ro-Ae-Rak Is Also Rock," maintaining the champion's throne for five months.

She became the second contestant to win nine consecutive times, eight years after Ha Hyun-woo of Guckkasten achieved the same feat in 2016.

Reflecting on her achievement, Yunmin said, "I never imagined I would keep my identity hidden and perform as long as five months."

She said that while performing, she was often tempted to reveal her identity.

"As a regular viewer of 'King of Mask Singer,' it was an honor just to participate. Achieving nine consecutive wins and receiving so much attention still leaves me in awe and gratitude."

Yunmin said she initially decided to appear on the program to promote her band TOUCHED.

"I wanted to let the public know about our band and showcase the vocals within our team," she said. "I chose 'Pianissimo' as my first song because I believed it best highlighted my vocal charms."

Yunmin poses after a media conference at MPMG Music headquarters in Mapo District, Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis

Meaning of final song 'Amateur'

Yunmin chose Lee Seung-chul's "Amateur" for the final defense stage. Through this song, she delivered a message of hope to people living under harsh realities, concluding her journey with the emotion of "joy."

Interestingly, she showcased the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure (Hui, Ro, Ae, Rak) in sequence, leading to speculation that she might have planned to end her nine-win journey with a return to "joy."

"I wanted to create a more meaningful atmosphere on stage. I thought about how I could make the performance more significant and realized that 'Hui Ro Ae Rak' conveyed what I wanted to express to the audience. That's why I chose 'Amateur,'" she said.

Yunmin said that her time on the program led to significant growth as a vocalist. “While I've certainly grown vocally, I believe the greatest growth was overcoming psychological pressure and finding meaning in the process," she said.

Despite her solid skills and unstoppable progress, Yunmin said that maintaining the "King of Mask Singer" title for nine consecutive wins was not easy.

"At one point, I was mentally and physically exhausted, and I remember the emotions I felt during that time. It was then that I thought, 'The weight of the crown is too much. I don't think I can continue any further.'"

Nevertheless, her best efforts paid off with the remarkable achievement of nine consecutive wins. She reflected, "I truly gave my all to every song."

She said, "Someone once asked me, 'What do you think rock and roll is?' To me, the spirit of rock and roll is life itself. All of rock and roll is found within life."

TOUCHED is under MPMG Music's sub-label Faction A Like. They debuted on Jan. 21, 2021 with their first digital single "The Dawn Star."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea times, is translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.