[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] Singer Lee Chan-won shares his experiences auditioning for the three major entertainment agencies.

Episode 764 of KBS2’s “Immortal Songs” (Bulhu), airing on the 11th, will be themed “Kim Tae-won Special” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of “Buhwal,” a living legend in South Korea’s rock band scene. To mark the occasion, Kang Seung-yoon, Kim Shin’s Band, Yuk Joong-wan Band, Lee Ye-ji, Lee Seung-hyup & Yoo Hoi-seung (N.Flying), and Jo Jazz will take the stage.
Amid this, host Lee Chan-won drew attention by revealing an unexpected connection to “Buhwal.” When Jo Jazz selected “Never Ending Story”—the title track of Buhwal’s eighth album and a mega-hit—and filled the stage with explosive vocals and deep emotion, Lee Chan-won, moved by the performance, was transported down memory lane.
With a wistful look in his eyes, Lee Chan-won revealed, “Back in my third year of middle school, I used to sing this song at auditions for the top three entertainment agencies,” before flashing a wry smile and adding, “I sang it as a trot version and got rejected on the spot.” Nevertheless, Lee Chan-won gave a passionate performance of the trot version of “Never Ending Story,” drawing cheers from the audience. In particular, Kim Shin-i gives him a thumbs-up, saying, “As expected, his ability to pull off any song as trot is truly unmatched.”

Meanwhile, Lee Chan-won, who was completely captivated by the music of “Resurrection”—reborn through the voices of these world-class vocalists that day—expressed his admiration, saying, “When I quietly reflect on Kim Tae-won’s lyrics, there are times when I’m moved to tears just by reading the words, even without the music.” Consequently, attention is focused on how the music of “Resurrection”—which has captivated listeners’ hearts with its timeless emotional power, from Lee Chan-won’s days as a ninth-grader to the Lee Chan-won of 2026—will be reinterpreted on the “Immortal” stage.
“Immortal” is a program where various singers reinterpret and perform classic songs from diverse genres. Having aired for over 700 episodes, it is considered one of KBS’s flagship long-running programs. It airs every Saturday at 6:05 p.m.