Some stories take years to tell, and for legendary Korean singer Lee So Ra, this was one of them. On March 15, 2026, she made a rare public appearance as a guest on Jung Jae Hyung’s YouTube channel (요정재형), marking her first YouTube guest appearance and one of her first public outings in approximately five years. The video, titled “소라야 오늘은 편집 없는 거야 오케이?” (Sora-ya, today is no-editing, okay?), went viral almost immediately. What followed was one of the most honest and emotionally raw interviews she has ever given, covering a past hosting controversy, a devastating health crisis, and the moment she finally found her way back to music.
Why Lee So Ra Appeared on I Am a Singer
Lee So Ra opened up about her decision to join I Am a Singer, the groundbreaking Korean competition show that was the first of its kind to make veteran singers compete against each other and receive scores for their performances.
She explained that she does not typically seek out television appearances on her own initiative. Instead, she tends to agree when respected producers or directors personally invite her. Her appearance on I Am a Singer came about the same way, driven by respect for the people asking rather than a personal desire to have her singing judged competitively.
The Kim Gun Mo Controversy: What Really Happened
One of the most talked-about moments from Lee So Ra’s time on I Am a Singer was her visible reaction when veteran singer Kim Gun Mo was eliminated from the competition. She openly expressed her displeasure on camera, which caused a significant stir and contributed to a situation that eventually gave Kim Gun Mo a controversial second chance on the show.
Looking back on the incident, Lee So Ra admitted she acted immaturely and should not have allowed her personal feelings to show while serving as the host. She clarified that she was not personally close to Kim Gun Mo at the time, but was simply a genuine fan of his as an artist. In that moment, she forgot her role as the MC and instead placed herself mentally in the position of a fellow contestant.
After the incident, she described how it served as a turning point. From that point forward, she approached the hosting role with far more professionalism and kept her personal emotions separate from her on-screen duties.
Vocal Cord Damage, Depression, and Five Years Away from the Public
The most significant part of the interview centred on Lee So Ra’s extended disappearance from public life, which many outlets have reported as approximately five years since her last major broadcast activity. She revealed for the first time that the root cause was severe vocal cord damage, which she had never previously discussed publicly.
The injury sent her into a deep depression. At her lowest point, she described the following:
- She barely left her home, with elevator rides happening only around once a year when she had contracted performances to fulfil
- Her weight reached 100kg during the period of isolation
- Her blood pressure spiked to a dangerously high level, exceeding 190, requiring medical attention
- She stopped listening to music entirely, which for a musician of her stature represented the depth of how lost she had become
- She described the period as one where she genuinely did not know whether she would ever sing again
The vocal cord injury itself occurred during filming for the overseas singing programme Begin Again, when she spent an extended period alone outdoors in cold night air. By the following day, her voice had been severely damaged.
How Jung Jae Hyung Helped Bring Her Back to Music
Lee So Ra credited Jung Jae Hyung as the central figure in her eventual return to music. She described how he would occasionally call her during her period of isolation, sometimes after a drink, and tell her directly: “You need to sing. There is no one who sings love songs the way you do.”
Those calls accumulated over time and planted the seed of a return. However, the real turning point came when Jung Jae Hyung sent her a song he had composed as the OST for the JTBC drama 히어로는 아닙니다만 (You’re Not a Hero), which he music-directed. Hearing that track felt to her like a ray of light breaking through. The melody and emotion of the song reconnected her with the feeling of being a singer, and she made the decision to record it.
She noted that she wrote the lyrics within a few days of hearing the song, describing how clearly the music spoke to her. The recording session took place at a small studio near her home in her own neighbourhood, where Jung Jae Hyung made the environment as comfortable as possible for her. The entire session lasted under one hour and was completed in a single take.
Jung Jae Hyung later reflected that he was moved to tears simply upon hearing she was willing to come out of isolation, before the recording had even begun.
Reflecting on Lee So Ra’s Propose and Her Early Career
During the conversation, Lee So Ra also looked back on her long history as both a performer and a broadcaster. She joked about her now-legendary music talk show Lee So Ra’s Propose, one of Korea’s most beloved late-night music programmes, saying that watching her early episodes now makes her cringe slightly at how awkward and unpolished she appeared as a host in those early days. Lee So Ra credited radio DJ work over the years with gradually refining her on-air tone and delivery.
She also discussed her early music career, including her time with the group Naesaramdeul (Strangers) and her connection to producer Kim Hyun Chul, whose song Blue in You became one of the tracks that introduced her music to a far wider Korean audience.
What Comes Next for Lee So Ra
| Upcoming Activity | Details |
| Spring Concerts | May 2 and 3, 2026 at Kyung Hee University Peace Hall |
| Concert Title | Bom (Spring) / 봄의 미로 (Maze of Spring) |
| YouTube Channel | Launch began in early March 2026; first intro video around March 13 |
| Possible Music Programme | Collab with Jung Jae Hyung discussed enthusiastically during interview |
Lee So Ra confirmed two upcoming concerts at Kyung Hee University’s Peace Hall on May 2 and 3, 2026, under the title 봄의 미로 (Maze of Spring). She described the title as carrying multiple meanings beyond just the season, including the Korean verb meaning “to see” or “to look at.” Tickets went on sale via Ticketlink from March 13, 2026, and the concerts will feature a 16-piece string orchestra collaboration.
She also confirmed that she launched her own YouTube channel in early March 2026, with her first intro video going live around March 13. Lee Sora also expressed a desire to use the platform to connect with people on a daily basis, describing that need to care for and support others as a core part of her personality. She even noted that whenever she plays video games, she always chooses the healer class, a detail that drew laughs and resonated instantly with viewers.
Additionally, she and Jung Jae Hyung discussed the possibility of collaborating on a music programme together, with both expressing genuine enthusiasm for the idea.
Lee So Ra’s appearance on Jung Jae Hyung’s YouTube channel (요정재형) on March 15, 2026 stands as one of the most candid and emotionally significant interviews she has ever given. Her story of injury, isolation, and eventual return to music through the support of a trusted friend offers a rare and deeply human look at one of South Korea’s most enduring musical voices.
![YouTube Offers Millions to Keep Top Creators Exclusive as Netflix Moves In: “Deprioritizing [YouTube] as Their Primary Outlet”](https://i0.wp.com/backyarddrunkard.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Zulfugar-Karimov-Pexels-Credit-.webp?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1)
Leave a Reply