Lee Hyo-ri to pick up baton as decades-long KBS late-night music show host

Can a talk show be appealing, even if the host is a diva with a bigger ego than the guests? Lee Hyo-ri says yes — and she's even named the show "Lee Hyo-ri's Red Carpet" to prove so.

From left, co-producer Choi Seung-hee, singer Lee Hyo-ri, singer and band master for the show Jeong Dong-hwan and co-producer Kim Tae-joon pose for a photo during the online press conference for ″Lee Hyo-ri's Red Carpet″ on Friday. [KBS]

Can a talk show be appealing, even if the host is a diva with a bigger ego than the guests? Lee Hyo-ri says yes — and she's even named the show "Lee Hyo-ri's Red Carpet" to prove so.

The show will be the fourth season of KBS's live music show "The Seasons" (2023–), and Lee will host its 14 episodes, drawing on two decades of show business experience to spice up the show and expand its popular appeal.

The season-based late-night music show, which invites musicians to perform and talk, has previously been hosted by rapper Jay Park, rock band Jannabi lead singer Choi Jung-hoon and sibling duo AKMU.

The inaugural episode will air Friday at 11:20 p.m. on KBS, with new episodes coming out weekly after.

Singer Lee Hyo-ri [KBS]

"It is an honor for me to be hosting this new season of the show," Lee said during an online press conference for "Lee Hyo-ri's Red Carpet" held Friday. "I used to watch old episodes of previous seasons, and the show has continued on KBS for 30 years with different names. To take part in such a long-running and beloved program has a lot of meaning for me."

"Lee Hyo-ri's Red Carpet" has already gained traction by teasing the appearances of high-profile artists, including Blackpink's Jennie, dance crew BEBE and Lee Chan-hyuk of AKMU.

The show's producers promised to expand the show's popular appeal with the new season.

Left, singer Lee Hyo-ri, and right, Jennie of girl group Blackpink in a teaser image for the first episode of ″Lee Hyo-ri's Red Carpet″ [KBS]

Kim Tae-joon, co-producer joining the show for the fourth season, said, "Lee [Hyo-ri] has a huge spectrum and a lot of experience — so if the fun of the previous seasons was to watch the young hosts grow within the show, this time with Lee, it will be to watch her knowledge and experience shine from years in the show business."

Lee also intends to invite a more diverse range of singers and celebrities to her "Red Carpet."

"I want to have many different kinds of people on the program," she said. "Actors, previous hosts of the show, and people who haven't been on before."

She added, "I want to hear the stories of a diverse range of people and also hear them sing. I am prepared to hear it all."

"Now that I am in my mid-40s, I have shown others how I sing plenty of times, and I am ready to hear others do so."

Lee is the perfect fit for the role of the host because she is naturally curious about others, another co-producer, Choi Seung-hee, said.

"I think it's very admirable that Lee, who by all standards has it all and does not really need to do more to prove herself, is willing to communicate with younger performers," Choi said.

"She says also that she still has a 'musical craving' that needs to be fulfilled. I hope to showcase Lee's charms into the program well."

Lee debuted as a member of girl group Fin.K.L in 1998, and launched her solo career in 2003 with the album "Stylish...E." She has numerous hit songs under her belt, including "10 Minutes" (2003), "U-Go-Girl" (2008), "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (2010) and "Bad Girls" (2013).

Lee has been dubbed the "nation's fairy" and is considered an icon, having appeared in many hit variety shows and creating an image of herself as an "it girl." She married singer Lee Sang-soon in 2013.

"The Seasons" began in February 2023, six months after "You Hee-yul's Sketchbook" ended in July 2022. The first episode of the first season hosted by Park recorded a 1.5 percent national viewership rating, and viewership ratings for episodes have risen, with the third season hosted by AKMU seeing ratings as high as 1.9 percent.

To find out more about Lee Hyo-ri, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]