MBC's 'Midnight Horror Story' Benched as University Song Festival Returns After 13 Years
'Midnight Horror Story 5' Preempted for 13-Year Revival of '2025 MBC University Song Festival'
MBC's popular program 'Midnight Horror Story 5' will be preempted on October 26, 2025, and replaced with the highly anticipated revival of the '2025 MBC University Song Festival - Ignite Youth,' returning after a 13-year hiatus. While this news may disappoint viewers who were looking forward to 'Midnight Horror Story 5,' anticipation is high for the long-awaited return of the University Song Festival. The festival is expected to be a stage showcasing the passion and spirit of youth, and it remains to be seen whether it can recapture the glory of the University Song Festivals of the past. This year's festival is expected to be more than just a music competition; it aims to be a platform for sharing and communicating the culture and sensibilities of the younger generation. The event is also attracting attention for its potential to become a breeding ground for new stars and to inject fresh energy into the stagnant music industry. The judging panel is also impressive, promising not only to help improve the skills of the participants but also to provide viewers with a rich and engaging spectacle. As the University Song Festival has historically served as an important gateway to the music industry, producing countless stars in the past, there are high hopes that the festival will once again unearth young talent.
Jang Do-yeon, Lee Jun-young, and Kim Min-ju will host '2025 MBC University Song Festival - Ignite Youth,' bringing smooth hosting skills and youthful energy to the event. The three MCs are expected to relieve the participants' nervousness and entertain viewers with their individual personalities and wit. Jang Do-yeon, in particular, is expected to elevate the atmosphere of the University Song Festival with her unique sense of humor, Lee Jun-young with his stable hosting skills, and Kim Min-ju with her fresh and bubbly charm. The combination of the MCs is expected to create a stage that harmonizes the old and the new, allowing all generations to enjoy the event together and playing a significant role in the successful revival of the University Song Festival. Furthermore, the MCs will convey not only the performances of the participants but also their passion, hard work, and dreams to the viewers, adding emotion and fun to the event. Their hosting is expected to transform the University Song Festival from a simple music competition program into a communication platform for sharing the culture and sensibilities of the younger generation.
The judging panel will include music experts from various fields, including Yoon Sang, Lee Juck, Park Kal-lin, Lee Won-seok (Daybreak), Lee Young-hyun, Yuk Jung-wan, and Kim Yong-jun (SG Wannabe), who will conduct fair and in-depth judging. They are expected to comprehensively evaluate the participants' musical abilities, as well as their creativity, expressiveness, and potential, contributing to the discovery of future stars. Yoon Sang, in particular, is expected to provide practical advice to participants based on his long experience and in-depth musical knowledge, Lee Juck will evaluate the participants' performances with his unique sensitivity, and Park Kal-lin is expected to analyze the participants' strengths and weaknesses with a sharp eye. Furthermore, Lee Won-seok, Lee Young-hyun, Yuk Jung-wan, and Kim Yong-jun are expected to present various perspectives to the participants, leveraging their individual personalities and expertise, and help them grow. The expertise and experience of the judges are expected to elevate the level of the University Song Festival and provide participants with valuable learning opportunities.
At this year's University Song Festival, the children of the late Shin Hae-chul, Shin Ha-yeon and Shin Dong-won, will collaborate with LUCY to present a reinterpretation of their father's signature song, 'To You.' This is expected to be more than just a tribute performance; it will be a meaningful event that honors the musical legacy of their father and introduces his music to a new generation. Shin Ha-yeon and Shin Dong-won are expected to demonstrate exceptional musical talent, inheriting their father's musical gifts, and LUCY is expected to reinterpret 'To You' with a youthful sensibility and original musical style, providing both emotion and freshness. Their performance is expected to reminisce about the glory of the University Song Festivals of the past while presenting hope for the future of the University Song Festival, offering a special moment that all generations can relate to and enjoy together. It is expected to provide unforgettable emotion to fans who love the music of the late Shin Hae-chul and provide young people with the opportunity to rediscover his music.
Meanwhile, 'Midnight Horror Story 5' will return to viewers on November 2nd at 11:10 PM after the preemption. Viewers who were disappointed by the preemption can look forward to the next broadcast. 'Midnight Horror Story 5' is a program that has been loved by many for its unique subject matter and interesting story development, and it is expected to continue to provide viewers with even more diverse horrors and fun in the future. It is also expected to send chills down viewers' spines with new episodes and even more powerful horror stories, raising expectations for future broadcasts. The production team of 'Midnight Horror Story 5' has worked hard to create even more complete episodes during the preemption period and has promised to return with the best quality that can meet viewers' expectations.
