Yoon Suk-min's retirement at 33 and Song Ga-in's 8 years of obscurity... Sharing stories through songs on 'Songs That Survived Today - Playlist 109'

On the 25th, former Kia Tigers pitcher Yoon Suk-min and trot singer Song Ga-in appeared on MBC's 'Songs That Survived Today - Playlist 109' (Planned by Choi Haeng-ho, Directed by Lee Min-ji, Heo Ja-yun, and Kim Seong-nyeon) to reveal the songs and stories that helped them endure.

Yoon Suk-min, His Baseball Life and Slumps

The three MCs, Lee Seok Hoon, Lee Joon, and DinDin, visited the Guri Little Baseball Field where Yoon Suk-min first started playing baseball. Yoon Suk-min met with young players and shared the motivation behind starting baseball and stories from his days as a player. He recalled an incident in 2010 where he fractured his right hand by punching a door because he could not contain his anger after a game loss. He revealed that after returning from injury, he faced the misfortune of repeated dangerous hit-by-pitches during a game against Lotte, and eventually shed tears on the bus while sending a message to his coach saying, "I will quit baseball." At that time, Manager Cho Bum-hyun said, "Suk-min, go home and rest, and come out if you want to," and Yoon Suk-min shared that he took a break afterward.

Early Retirement and 'I Am Not Alone'

Yoon Suk-min confessed that he reached his prime in 2011 thanks to Manager Cho Bum-hyun, who selected him as a national baseball representative for the 2010 Asian Games. He said, "I thought, 'I really have to show them,' and I did really well during the Asian Games." Later, after being hit by a walk-off home run, he accepted the fact that "I am not at a level where I can face batters," and decided to retire at the early age of 33. In the house he lived in after retirement, the cheering sounds from the baseball stadium could be heard, and Yoon Suk-min stated that he went through a difficult time for about six months, saying, "I had a strong desire to be at the scene, so it was painful because I had retired." The song he listened to repeatedly during this period was Seo Young-eun's 'I Am Not Alone,' and he shared that it was a song that gave him strength when he felt "truly alone." DinDin sang this song himself to continue his journey. Yoon Suk-min also left a message: "Don't be disappointed because you couldn't do it, don't be sad because you aren't confident, just do it."

Song Ga-in, 8 Years of Obscurity and 'Miss Trot'

Next, Song Ga-in appeared and performed an impromptu collaboration stage with Lee Joon, commenting, "Your dance lines are alive" after seeing Lee Joon's dancing. Song Ga-in explained that she naturally became a VIP because she frequently visited department stores to buy gifts for those who helped her during her years of obscurity. She confessed that during her approximately eight years of obscurity, she had only one or two events a month, making living expenses tight, and she experienced unfair treatment such as not being paid properly for her appearances. She revealed that at a time when she heard remarks to the effect of "Since your face and body shape aren't right, you must compete with your singing," she continued her activities with the thought of "Just you wait" in her heart. Song Ga-in, who had hesitated to appear, believed her mother's words, "Go out, if you go out, you'll hit the jackpot," and entered 'Miss Trot,' where she took first place in the first round by singing 'Han Man Dae Dong Gang' on her first stage. At that time, she said, "I had no money, no backing, and no agency, but seeing that I took first place, I realized there is no corruption here," and "I realized I just need to work hard."

Live Performance of 'Han Man Dae Dong Gang' and 'The Moon of Seoul'

Song Ga-in sang passionately to her first stage song from 'Miss Trot,' 'Han Man Dae Dong Gang,' and the three MCs marveled at her singing ability, saying, "The real thing is different from an imitation." The subsequent 'survival song' she sang, 'The Moon of Seoul,' was a song containing her wish for those living in Seoul after leaving their hometown to find strength, and it resonated with Song Ga-in's own time. At the recording site, reactions such as "A stage that would even make the Grammys faint," "You should just go to Coachella," and "You sing better than Beyonce" emerged. Immediately after the broadcast, 'The Moon of Seoul' rose to number one on the Melon popular search rankings.

Meanwhile, at the end of the broadcast, scenes were shown of the three MCs, Lee Seok Hoon, Lee Joon, and DinDin, appearing on the MBC 'Show! Music Core' stage after releasing their first official digital single 'Together.' 'Playlist 109' is a national 'survival song' collection project that completes a playlist of 109 songs, gathering 'survival songs' that helped people stand up again during difficult moments and their stories.

Source: Provided by the relevant institution

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