[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] Singers Lim Young-woong, Young Tak, and Kim Hee-jae are set to make their comebacks next month with new albums. It is drawing attention as an unusual scene unfolds, with singers who rose to stardom through the same trot competition program releasing new albums around the same time.

The three met on TV Chosun’s “Mr. Trot,” which aired in 2020. At the time, Im Young-woong took first place, while Young Tak came in second and Kim Hee-jae ranked seventh, securing their spots in the “Top 7.” After the show ended, they continued to collaborate on nationwide tours and various spin-off programs.
According to music industry sources on the 19th, Kim Hee-jae will be the first to release a new album. He is set to release his third full-length album, “REVERB,” on the 7th of next month. This marks his first new full-length album in approximately two years and six months since the release of his second album, “Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Happiness,” in March 2024.
“REVERB” refers to “after-echo” and “resonance.” With this album, Kim Hee-jae aims to demonstrate his deepened musical sensibility and expanded musical spectrum.
Previously, Kim Hee-jae demonstrated the strength of his fanbase by selling over 120,000 copies of his mini-album “HEE’story,” released last September, so expectations are high for the performance of this new release. At the time, Kim Hee-jae made his presence known by reaching No. 18 on the Circle Chart’s monthly album chart with that album.
The following day, on the 8th, Lim Young-woong will release his special digital album “IM HERO 10.” A key point of interest is that this album marks the 10th anniversary of Lim Young-woong’s debut, which began with the 2016 digital single “I Hate You.”
Lim Young-woong previously demonstrated his immense popularity with his first full-length album, “IM HERO,” released in 2022, which recorded cumulative sales of approximately 1.14 million copies. For his second album, “IM HERO 2,” released last August, he took an unconventional approach by releasing only a digital album and a photobook, without producing a physical copy.
While it was difficult to gauge album sales once again, his digital music power was reaffirmed. The title track of “IM HERO 2,” “As If a Moment Were Forever,” climbed to No. 16 on the Circle Chart’s monthly digital comprehensive chart that September. It was the sixth-highest ranking among songs by non-idol artists.
Attention is also focused on the impact these new songs will have on the charts. Ahead of the album’s release, Lim Young-woong will hold his solo concert, “I’m Hero – The Stadium 2” (IM HERO – THE STADIUM 2), at the Main Stadium of the Goyang Sports Complex from the 4th to the 6th of this month.

Young Tak will release his third full-length album, “GOGO,” on the 14th of the same month, marking the finale of this relay of comebacks. This is Young Tak’s first full-length album in about three years, following the release of his second album, “FORM,” in August 2023.
With “FORM,” Young Tak recorded cumulative sales of approximately 630,000 copies, proving his solid album sales power. As an “all-rounder” musician who writes his own lyrics and composes his own music, attention is focused on what kind of musical style and stories he will present in this long-awaited full-length album. It remains to be seen whether this album will also achieve “half-million seller” status (sales of 500,000 copies or more)—a feat even idol groups rarely accomplish.
Six years after the conclusion of “Mr. Trot,” the three continue to exert influence across various fields, including digital releases, physical albums, live performances, and television appearances. They also share the common trait of having expanded their musical horizons beyond trot to include dance, ballads, and pop.
Regarding the reason behind their sustained popularity, the CEO of a trot singer’s agency said, “The bond among trot fans is incredibly strong. They share their daily lives and even travel together through the music of the singers they support.” He added, “In particular, the fanbases of Lim Young-woong, Young Tak, and Kim Hee-jae take great pride in having helped the singers from the first season of ‘Mr. Trot’ grow together.”