Flashback Friday
Doing something different for this week’s Flashback Friday. Mainly because 5 week months are annoying and throw me off. So I thought I’d take an easy way out this week lol. But also because tomorrow marks the final episode of Infinite Challenge. Infinite Challenge is a variety show on MBC that has been running for 12 years. Led by the Nation’s MC, Yoo Jae Suk, the Nation’s Variety Show is a group gets together every week to accomplish a mission or “challenge”. Most of the time the challenge only lasts a week, but some will go on for weeks or even months.
Starting in 2007, every couple of years they held something called the Infinite Challenge Song Festival. This challenge had the cast collaborate with musicians to make a song. We would watch for weeks as the hosts and musicians pair up and work on their songs and performance together. Sometimes they get along quite well (Hyungdon & GD ended up winning MBC’s Best Couple Award in 2013 lol), and sometimes they don’t (Park Myungsoo with anyone, really). The big finale finally culminates with a concert in front of a live audience.
After the episode would air, usually all the songs featured on the show would top the charts. And the really popular ones would stay for weeks. So popular that the show’s PD and even Yoo Jae Suk himself made a formal apology one year for the chart dominance because some companies complained lol #DealWithIt. Anyways, some songs became really huge and recognizable outside the show.
The festival has official “winners” every year, but I’m not going to follow that ranking lol. I wanted to have at least one song from each cast member. Got to have some variety! I’m starting with the Song Festival in 2009, because that’s when they really started working with other artists and really taking it seriously.
2009 “Olympic Highway Duet Song Festival”
Myung-ca Drive (Park Myungsoo & Jessica) "Naengmyun"
Oh, sweet Jessica! I still hear this all the time, especially in the summer. Like, when some news shows or whatever talk about eating cold noodles to cool you down lol. This was also before Myungsoo got all horrible and demanding during these shows. I felt like he was such a bully to GD and IU.
Jun Jin & Lee Jung Hyun “Charisma”
Lee Jung Hyun is such a freaking diva. There’s just like, a handful of random people there, but she gives it 110%. Jun Jin is also just so ridiculous and over the top lol. She would later show up on the show again in 2015 for the first ToToGa special, killing it on stage once again.
Future Liger (Yoo Jae Suk & Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae) “Let’s Dance”
It doesn’t matter the genre, Yoo Jae Suk always does really well in these lol. It always looks like he’s having fun. This song won first place this year, and I remember them performing it at music shows too.
2011 “West Coast Expressway Song Festival” (The absolute BEST year, all of the songs this year were so good! It was so hard to pick just three!)
GG (Park Myungsoo & G-Dragon) featuring Park Bom “I Had An Affair”
A Song Festival legend! So crazy popular! In the middle of the strike last year, the show revisited the festivals and when they got to this performance they edited Bom out because of course MBC. Totally didn’t make sense, she’s the best part of the song! This also marks the first of GD’s three appearances at the festivals.
Cheolssa (Noh Hong Chul & PSY) “Shake It”
So much energy from the start! Lots of fun and definitely something to pump up a crowd. Hong Chul did so great! This song has become a staple at PSY’s concerts now.
Sweet Nasal Sorrow (Jeong Junha & Sweet Sorrow) “Will You Give Your Affection?”
At first, it’s like “what the hell is going on?”. But by the end you’re singing and dancing along! It’s a lot of fun and can easily get stuck in your head.
2013 “Freeway Song Festival”
G.A.B (Gil & Boa) “G.A.B Live”
Why yes, I would like a song with a super long intro that allows Queen Boa to bless us with some dancing, thank you so much. I remember being surprised with this duo-, she picking Gil to be her partner and because Gil usually stayed somewhat in the background lol.
How Do Yoo Dul (Yoo Jae Suk & Yoo Hee Yeol) featuring Kim Jo Han “Please Don’t Go My Girl”
Yoo Jae Suk making the panties drop lol! A little throwback R&B! I remember being really confused by the song choice lol, but Yoo Jae Suk pulled it off!
Seventy Finger (Haha & Kiha and The Faces) “Super Grass Man”
Rock so hard! I think that Haha really pulled this off, I would much rather see him doing rock instead of reggae he normally does lol.
2015 “Yeondong Expressway Song Festival”
Eutteugeottasi (Haha & Zion.T) “Sponsor”
Okay, Haha could do this too and I wouldn’t complain. This is probably my favorite from this year. The singing! The cash cannons! So much going on and it all works so well lol!
Hwangtaeji (Kwanghee, Taeyang & GD) “Mapsosa”
Poor Kwangee didn’t deserve all the hate he got when he joined the show. But I remember he got so much support and positive comments through this festival. I remember watching it and being so impressed, he worked so hard and did so well! And the rest of the cast seemed so proud of him too. This was 100% for Kwanghee to be front and center for once. This was his only time to do the festival, he enlisted last year.
The 5 Emperors (Jeong Hyungdon & Hyukoh) “Wonderful Barn”
Hyungdon is another one that explored different musical genres for this show. He and Hyukoh were just fun when we meet up together! Fun and awkward lol!
sources: MBCentertainment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Starting in 2007, every couple of years they held something called the Infinite Challenge Song Festival. This challenge had the cast collaborate with musicians to make a song. We would watch for weeks as the hosts and musicians pair up and work on their songs and performance together. Sometimes they get along quite well (Hyungdon & GD ended up winning MBC’s Best Couple Award in 2013 lol), and sometimes they don’t (Park Myungsoo with anyone, really). The big finale finally culminates with a concert in front of a live audience.
After the episode would air, usually all the songs featured on the show would top the charts. And the really popular ones would stay for weeks. So popular that the show’s PD and even Yoo Jae Suk himself made a formal apology one year for the chart dominance because some companies complained lol #DealWithIt. Anyways, some songs became really huge and recognizable outside the show.
The festival has official “winners” every year, but I’m not going to follow that ranking lol. I wanted to have at least one song from each cast member. Got to have some variety! I’m starting with the Song Festival in 2009, because that’s when they really started working with other artists and really taking it seriously.
2009 “Olympic Highway Duet Song Festival”
Myung-ca Drive (Park Myungsoo & Jessica) "Naengmyun"
Oh, sweet Jessica! I still hear this all the time, especially in the summer. Like, when some news shows or whatever talk about eating cold noodles to cool you down lol. This was also before Myungsoo got all horrible and demanding during these shows. I felt like he was such a bully to GD and IU.
Click to viewJun Jin & Lee Jung Hyun “Charisma”
Lee Jung Hyun is such a freaking diva. There’s just like, a handful of random people there, but she gives it 110%. Jun Jin is also just so ridiculous and over the top lol. She would later show up on the show again in 2015 for the first ToToGa special, killing it on stage once again.
Future Liger (Yoo Jae Suk & Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae) “Let’s Dance”
It doesn’t matter the genre, Yoo Jae Suk always does really well in these lol. It always looks like he’s having fun. This song won first place this year, and I remember them performing it at music shows too.
2011 “West Coast Expressway Song Festival” (The absolute BEST year, all of the songs this year were so good! It was so hard to pick just three!)
GG (Park Myungsoo & G-Dragon) featuring Park Bom “I Had An Affair”
A Song Festival legend! So crazy popular! In the middle of the strike last year, the show revisited the festivals and when they got to this performance they edited Bom out because of course MBC. Totally didn’t make sense, she’s the best part of the song! This also marks the first of GD’s three appearances at the festivals.
Cheolssa (Noh Hong Chul & PSY) “Shake It”
So much energy from the start! Lots of fun and definitely something to pump up a crowd. Hong Chul did so great! This song has become a staple at PSY’s concerts now.
Sweet Nasal Sorrow (Jeong Junha & Sweet Sorrow) “Will You Give Your Affection?”
At first, it’s like “what the hell is going on?”. But by the end you’re singing and dancing along! It’s a lot of fun and can easily get stuck in your head.
2013 “Freeway Song Festival”
G.A.B (Gil & Boa) “G.A.B Live”
Why yes, I would like a song with a super long intro that allows Queen Boa to bless us with some dancing, thank you so much. I remember being surprised with this duo-, she picking Gil to be her partner and because Gil usually stayed somewhat in the background lol.
How Do Yoo Dul (Yoo Jae Suk & Yoo Hee Yeol) featuring Kim Jo Han “Please Don’t Go My Girl”
Yoo Jae Suk making the panties drop lol! A little throwback R&B! I remember being really confused by the song choice lol, but Yoo Jae Suk pulled it off!
Seventy Finger (Haha & Kiha and The Faces) “Super Grass Man”
Rock so hard! I think that Haha really pulled this off, I would much rather see him doing rock instead of reggae he normally does lol.
2015 “Yeondong Expressway Song Festival”
Eutteugeottasi (Haha & Zion.T) “Sponsor”
Okay, Haha could do this too and I wouldn’t complain. This is probably my favorite from this year. The singing! The cash cannons! So much going on and it all works so well lol!
Hwangtaeji (Kwanghee, Taeyang & GD) “Mapsosa”
Poor Kwangee didn’t deserve all the hate he got when he joined the show. But I remember he got so much support and positive comments through this festival. I remember watching it and being so impressed, he worked so hard and did so well! And the rest of the cast seemed so proud of him too. This was 100% for Kwanghee to be front and center for once. This was his only time to do the festival, he enlisted last year.
The 5 Emperors (Jeong Hyungdon & Hyukoh) “Wonderful Barn”
Hyungdon is another one that explored different musical genres for this show. He and Hyukoh were just fun when we meet up together! Fun and awkward lol!
sources: MBCentertainment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12