A familiar Girls’ Generation face is stepping back into Korean variety television, but this time the mission is less about a conventional studio show and more about delivering music directly to people with stories to tell. Sunny is joining veteran singer Lee Seung Chul and entertainer Tak Jae Hoon for KBS2’s Chuseok special “배송왔송” (What Song Express).

The programme arrives as part of a much bigger celebration of Lee Seung Chul’s four-decade career. With the trio travelling to deliver songs connected to personal stories, the special gives Sunny a fresh television role while placing her alongside one of Korea’s veteran vocalists and one of its established entertainment personalities.

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Sunny joins Lee Seung Chul and Tak Jae Hoon for What Song Express

KBS2’s “배송왔송,” translated as “What Song Express,” is scheduled to premiere on September 21, 2026, at 10 p.m. KST.

The KBS programming announcement confirms Sunny, Lee Seung Chul and Tak Jae Hoon as the central trio.

The programme is built around a simple but emotional idea: instead of asking people to come to a conventional music programme, Lee Seung Chul and his team travel to places where his voice and music have been requested.

Lee Seung Chul, who is celebrating his 40th debut anniversary, personally visits people whose stories call for a musical response. The songs are presented as gifts, with the programme focusing on how music can provide comfort and encouragement in everyday life.

Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon join him as members of the project’s staff.

Recent reports from the production identify the three-person team as “철탁써니” (Cheol-Tak-Sunny), a name combining elements of the three performers’ names.

According to the production reports, the trio first gathered at Lee Seung Chul’s studio before setting out on their first music-delivery assignment. Lee Seung Chul introduced the project as a way to give something back to fans who have supported his music throughout his career, while Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon accepted his invitation to become part of the team.

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What Song Express at a glance

Detail	Information
Programme	“배송왔송” (What Song Express)
Network	KBS2
Premiere	September 21, 2026
Broadcast time	10 p.m. KST
Main team	Lee Seung Chul, Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon
Team name	“철탁써니” (Cheol-Tak-Sunny)
Format	Music variety programme built around delivering requested songs
Main occasion	Lee Seung Chul’s 40th debut anniversary

The first What Song Express mission centres on a wedding

The premiere episode takes the music-delivery concept into a particularly personal setting.

According to Newsen’s preview, the first story centres on a bride-to-be who submitted her personal story before her wedding.

The woman was raised by her grandmother and wanted the absence of her father at her wedding to be filled with something brighter rather than becoming a lasting source of sadness.

That story leads the “철탁써니” team to the wedding venue, where Lee Seung Chul, Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon prepare a special musical surprise.

The episode is therefore built around more than simply putting three entertainment personalities together. The personal story becomes the reason for the music delivery itself.

That approach also reflects KBS’s description of the programme. Lee Seung Chul’s music is taken away from the conventional concert environment and delivered directly to people who have requested it.

The wedding assignment gives viewers the first example of how that format will work.

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KBS is celebrating Lee Seung Chul’s 40-year music career across three programmes

“What Song Express” is also part of a larger KBS Chuseok project dedicated to Lee Seung Chul’s 40 years in music.

KBS has scheduled the three-part celebration across September 15 to September 24.

The project began with the original documentary “Never Ending Lee Seung Chul” on September 15. “배송왔송” follows on September 21, before the celebration concludes with the concert programme “Never Ending Story – Lee Seung Chul” on September 24 at 7:30 p.m. KST.

This gives the new variety show a specific place within a broader anniversary broadcast.

The documentary looks back at Lee Seung Chul’s four-decade career, including his emergence during the height of Korean rock music in the 1980s and his development as a vocalist.

The final concert programme will feature footage from the large-scale performance held at Inspire Arena in August.

KBS has also highlighted the use of Lee Seung Chul’s “Flying Sound” system alongside broadcast technology for the televised concert.

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The three-part KBS anniversary schedule

Date	Programme	Details
September 15, 2026	Never Ending Lee Seung Chul	Original documentary looking back at his 40-year career
September 21, 2026	배송왔송 (What Song Express)	Music variety programme featuring Lee Seung Chul, Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon
September 24, 2026	Never Ending Story – Lee Seung Chul	Anniversary concert broadcast at 7:30 p.m. KST

Lee Seung Chul looks back on four decades of songs and memories

The anniversary project is not only about marking a number. It also looks at the personal memories that Lee Seung Chul’s music has created for listeners.

Following the anniversary concert recording, Lee Seung Chul spoke with KBS World about reaching the 40-year milestone and the memories connected to his songs.

He said:

“제가 올해 40주년이라더라. 어떻게 (시간이) 간지 모르겠다”

He also described the anniversary as having the feeling of a birthday:

“생일 같은 기분이다. 좋으면서도 벌써 그렇게 됐나 싶다”

Lee Seung Chul went on to describe how different songs can become attached to different periods in listeners’ lives:

“40년 동안 노래를 불렀는데 어떤 분에게는 첫사랑을 떠올리게 하는 노래이기도 하고 어떤 분에게는 젊음을 함께한 노래이기도 하다. 추억이자 위로가 됐을 노래도 있다”

He also explained what he hoped the anniversary performance would represent for the audience:

“오늘 공연은 여러분과 함께 되돌아보는 시간이 됐으면 좋겠다”

Those comments fit closely with the concept of “What Song Express,” where music is connected directly to individual stories and memories.

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Sunny’s return to variety television comes after a major career transition

For Sunny, the KBS2 special represents an important return to television variety activities.

She debuted as a member of Girls’ Generation in 2007 and developed a substantial variety-show profile alongside her work as a vocalist.

Her television credits include KBS programmes such as Invincible Youth and Invincible Youth 2, as well as other entertainment and hosting roles.

Her new appearance comes after a significant change in her professional relationship with SM Entertainment.

Sunny’s exclusive contract with SM Entertainment ended in August 2023, approximately 16 years after her Girls’ Generation debut.

When announcing her departure, Sunny thanked the company, staff, fellow members and fans while describing the decision as the beginning of a new chapter.

Her career subsequently moved into another phase.

In 2025, A20 Entertainment announced that Sunny had signed with the company and was undergoing producing training.

The company said she was involved in several areas, including designing trainee programmes, providing psychological support, participating in video production and helping with styling and choreography.

That background places “What Song Express” within a wider period of activity for Sunny beyond her earlier career primarily associated with her role as a Girls’ Generation member.

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What Song Express will also revisit Lee Seung Chul’s anniversary concert

The KBS special is not limited to the music-delivery missions.

Recent programme previews indicate that “배송왔송” will also feature behind-the-scenes stories from Lee Seung Chul’s 40th-anniversary concert.

One of the stories involves actor Park Bo Gum, whose participation in the August Inspire Arena concert required lengthy preparation.

Lee Seung Chul revealed that he had spent approximately a year working on the arrangement for his collaboration with Park Bo Gum.

Tak Jae Hoon jokingly asked whether it had turned into a “Park Bo Gum show.”

Lee Seung Chul recalled the experience by saying:

“주객이 전도된 느낌이었다. 예상은 했는데 그 정도일 줄은 몰랐다”

Park Bo Gum appeared at the August concert, where he played piano and performed “내가 많이 사랑해요” with Lee Seung Chul.

That behind-the-scenes story is expected to be among the material discussed during the variety special.

The segment adds another connection between the new KBS programme and the anniversary concert, allowing the broadcast to move between the personal music-delivery missions and stories from the larger 40th-anniversary celebration.

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When and where to watch Sunny on What Song Express

KBS has officially scheduled “배송왔송” (What Song Express) for September 21, 2026, at 10 p.m. KST on KBS2.

The programme follows the September 15 documentary “Never Ending Lee Seung Chul” and comes before the September 24 broadcast of “Never Ending Story – Lee Seung Chul.”

At the centre of the special is Lee Seung Chul’s music-delivery concept, with Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon joining him as the “철탁써니” team.

The first mission takes them to a wedding involving a bride-to-be who wanted her father’s absence to be replaced by something brighter, leading the team to prepare a special musical surprise.

For Sunny, the broadcast also marks a return to television variety programming after a period of major professional change. Her previous variety experience, followed by the end of her SM Entertainment contract in 2023 and her activities with A20 Entertainment from 2025, gives the appearance a clear place within her newer career phase.

Conclusion

KBS2’s “배송왔송” (What Song Express) brings together Lee Seung Chul, Sunny and Tak Jae Hoon for a music-focused Chuseok special built around personal stories and requested songs. The programme forms part of KBS’s larger celebration of Lee Seung Chul’s 40-year music career, alongside the “Never Ending Lee Seung Chul” documentary and “Never Ending Story – Lee Seung Chul” concert broadcast.

The September 21 premiere will begin with a wedding story and a special musical surprise, while also exploring stories from Lee Seung Chul’s anniversary concert, including his collaboration with Park Bo Gum. For Sunny, the programme marks her return to Korean television variety activities and another step into a different professional phase following her departure from SM Entertainment and subsequent work with A20 Entertainment.

Source Disclaimer

This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the sources provided above, including KBS’s official programme information and the cited Korean media reports. The article reflects information available as of September 20, 2026. Details concerning the premiere episode and behind-the-scenes segments are based on programme previews released before broadcast and may be expanded or clarified when the episode airs.

Sources

• KBS – 2026 Chuseok Lee Seung Chul three-part special
• KBS official website and program listing
• KBS World – Lee Seung Chul’s 40-year music career
• Newsen – What Song Express wedding episode preview
• Newsen – Lee Seung Chul and Park Bo Gum behind-the-scenes preview
• SBS – Sunny’s move into producing and A20 Entertainment activities
• NME – Sunny’s 2023 departure from SM Entertainment

Featured Image Credit:

• SM Entertainment