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‘I Am A Singer 3′ stirs controversy with casting of MC the Max’s Lee Soo

January 21, 2015

An announcement of the newest lineup for the third season of MBC’s runaway hit singing competition program “I Am A Singer” has South Korean netizens buzzing in controversy, Yonhap reported.

Lee Soo (Yonhap)

Lee Soo (Yonhap)

The network announced Wednesday during a press conference it had cast MC the Max vocalist Lee Soo, 33, who was allegedly involved with an underage girl in a prostitution ring in 2009 while serving his mandatory military service.

No charges were filed against Lee during the scandal.

“I understand I’ve caused a lot of worry to be standing here,” Lee said at the press conference. “I think the best answer is to meet you all through music.”

“We’ve been recruiting singers since October, but singers said there was a lot of burden with appearing on the show,” said PD Kang Young-seon.

“I Am A Singer” caused waves in the Korean entertainment industry when it originally aired in 2011, pitting top talents and legends like Insooni and Kim Gun-mo against each other in a survival-style singing competition.

The rest of the lineup includes Park Jung-hyun — who will also host — So Chan-whee, Yang-pa, Sistar’s Hyo-rin, Sweet Sorrow and Ha Dong-kyun.