[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] There has been a growing trend of K-pop idol groups personally inviting the “original artists” to appear in promotional challenge videos for new songs that pay homage to or remake their past hits. This is interpreted as a strategy to convincingly demonstrate a musical connection through the original artists’ participation and thereby positively capture the public’s attention.

◇EX’s Lee Sang-mi Lends Support to Soyeon’s New Song
A prime example of an artist who has recently succeeded in capturing the public’s attention through this approach is Soyeon, a member of the girl group iZ*ONE under Cube Entertainment.
Soyeon is currently gaining popularity with her new solo song “I’m Quitting,” an homage to the band EX’s hit “Please Take Care of Me.” “Please Take Care of Me” is the song EX performed at the 2005 MBC University Song Festival, for which they won the Grand Prize. It gained immense popularity at the time by expressing the bold resolve of young people embarking on their professional careers through honest lyrics and an upbeat band sound.
So-yeon has created “I’m Quitting,” a new song that wittily reimagines the original’s spirit to humorously depict the joys and sorrows of office life. Immediately after its release on the 7th, online reactions noted that the song evoked the atmosphere of “Please Take Care of Me.” However, some critics expressed negative views regarding the similarities between the two songs.
The mood shifted dramatically once it became known that So-yeon had received permission from the original song’s creators to pay homage to it, and a video was released showing the original vocalist, Lee Sang-mi, personally participating in the challenge. The sight of Lee Sang-mi and So-yeon singing and dancing together on the same screen sparked widespread attention, highlighting the connection between the two songs.
Their collaboration was not a last-minute arrangement prompted by the reaction following the new song’s release, but rather a pre-planned project. Lee Sang-mi revealed via her social media accounts that the video was filmed on the 26th of last month, which was Soyeon’s birthday.
“I’m Quitting” continues its upward trend, entering the top 10 on real-time charts across major domestic music platforms, including Melon, on the 15th. A representative from Cube Entertainment stated, “The public continues to respond positively to the sight of So-yeon and Lee Sang-mi communicating and enjoying music across generations.”

◇ Synergy Through Cross-Generational Collaboration
Previously, Starship Entertainment’s girl group Kiki garnered attention with a challenge video filmed alongside Uhm Jung-hwa during the promotion of their new song “Pop Off Pop Off,” released last month. The video received even more attention after it was released following reactions that Kiki’s new song resembled Uhm Jung-hwa’s “D.I.S.C.O.”
That same month, the girl group At Heart from Titan Content, which made a comeback, released a remake of Lulala’s hit song “3!4!” and unveiled a challenge video featuring a collaboration with the original members, Chae Ri-na and Lee Sang-min. Chae Ri-na also made a special appearance in the web drama prepared by At Heart alongside the song, actively contributing to the promotion.
Prior to them, Ailette also produced challenge content in May with Lee Jung-hyun—the “techno warrior” who dominated the music scene at the turn of the century—during their promotional run for the techno track “It’s Me.” The song remains in the top ranks of major charts to this day.
New songs that borrow from past styles can easily attract attention by capitalizing on familiarity, but there is also a risk of criticism that they resemble the original too closely. In such cases, having the original artist participate directly in the challenge can help turn public opinion in a positive direction. Another advantage is that the intergenerational collaboration between senior and junior artists becomes a new talking point in itself.
An official from a K-pop public relations agency stated, “Collaborating with the original artist has the effect of increasing public favorability toward the new song,” adding, “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, as senior artists can also expand their connection with the younger generation.”