The rise of Lee Mujin - is the vocalist tradition coming back?

Few people had heard about Lee Mujin before 2021, and the 2000-born singer is now residing at #1 in Melon.

He placed #3 in the Sing Again audition held by JTBC earlier the year, but the #1 follows an experimental style of music and the #2 is a rocker in his 40s, so his style was the most friendly with the Korean general public.

He does not follow the traditional style of K-ballads - many people say his singing style is similar to Jason Mraz.

Now, I have said earlier that male vocalists will always be in demand. However, after Akmu's Lee Chanhyuk, Korea lacked male vocalists and the better talented ones ended up in trot.

I had expected that the vocalist tradition would end with the Senior Singer and Akmu, but JTBC managed to find a successor to the vocalist tradition which had taken a long hiatus, ending with KWill and Hwang Chiyeol.

While Lee Mujin is still not well known among i-fans, it seems that with the trot craze kind of fading from the general public (although they will still be strong among the older population), it seems after many years, the vocalists are coming back with a vengeance, although they will compete for a different niche from the KPoppers.

Quote from bbgc

Shouldn't you mention that the Senior Singer, has already has him in her orbit of filial Hoobaes?

Collab coming up

I am aware of it but I thought mentioning her more than casually takes off from this post since this post is about Lee Mujin

Quote from Kreatin

Yes,

IU has already taken control and is surly overseeing his path to chart domination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiRYe-o9DHs

It is likely that now he has a hit song he will be invited to Palette

Quote from Kreatin

For a more serious reply, i do think Lee mujin has the potential to become something thats been missing for some time in korea, a consistent big male "pop artist", maybe something to balance out the female dominance in the charts (soloists)

That said i doubt he will ever any reach outside the domestic market.

He is already garnering an interest in China, like Hwang Chiyeol did. With popularity in China, Lee Mujin is set for life.