After seven months of intense competition, Weinberg senior and former American Idol contestant John Park lost the final round in South Korean singing show “Superstar K2” to fellow competitor Huh Gak on Friday.
“It was an awesome experience, but I am so relieved that it’s over because it was exhausting,” Park said. “It was actually pretty surprising how many people rooted for me because I thought they might not be able to connect with my story, but I’m really satisfied and thankful for everything.”
Similar to American Idol, Superstar K2’s winner was determined by a combination of the three judges’ scores and viewers’ votes. The grand prize was 200 million won (approximately $180,000), a recording contract and a Renault Samsung QM5 car.
Park received the support of one of the judges, while Huh got the votes of the two others.
The Northbrook, Ill., native has had an affinity for music since he was little, childhood friend Peter Yu said.
“I’ve known him since junior high when we were in the school choir together, and he was already an amazing singer back then,” the Weinberg senior said. “He’s a fun, soulful person and very passionate about singing. I’m proud of him for doing so well.”
Despite his loss on Superstar K2, Park’s passion and talent for singing are expected to carry him far in the South Korean entertainment industry. The average viewer rating for the show was nearly 15 percent, a record high for cable television.
“The general consensus in Korea right now is that John Park has something special about him, which I think stems from his uniquely low singing voice and good looks,” said Yoon Jong Shin, a South Korean celebrity and one of the judges on the show, in an e-mail. “Anyone can win the competition, but in order to become a star there are so many things involved, from the manager to the current fashion trends. John’s very wise and smart about his contacts though, so I believe in him.”
Yoon was the judge that gave Park a higher score in the final round.
“I personally liked John’s final song, as well as his good overall manners, but Huh’s voice is very powerful as well and that may be why the other two decided to choose him over John,” Yoon said. “In the end, though, it’s all a matter of personal taste.”
Kim Jong Min, a manager and producer at Mnet, the network that aired the show, said the final competition made for great television and produced a friendaship.
“During the final rounds, the relationship between Huh Gak and John Park was very good,” Kim said. “It was a friendly rivalry and genuine friendship between the two.”
Park currently has offers for commercials, ranging from cosmetics to clothing lines, as well as possible movie and television roles, Kim said. But Park said he hopes to continue singing and sign with a label.
“After all of the media appointments for Superstar K2 are over, I’m probably going to settle down and pursue a music career,” Park said. “I might stay in Korea to do this.”
Despite his success and potential plans to stay in South Korea, Park said he misses school and life in Evanston.
“I miss school a lot,” said Park, an economics major. “Although this was an awesome experience and I would never trade it for anything, I realized that it’s also scary not to be in school. I really miss my friends and the parties and everything, so I will eventually go back and finish college.”
In the meantime, he has numerous opportunities awaiting him as an artist in Seoul, Yoon said.
“John will get a lot of offers from scouts and production companies,” he said. “His experience on Superstar K2 has made him more aware of what his South Korean fans want from him, and if he gets a good producer and good songs, I believe he will be very successful.”
