Recovered Song Hae returns to Sunday airwaves

Song Hae returns to the airwaves last Sunday after fighting Covid-19. [KBS]

Song Hae, 95, Korea’s most venerable television presenter, has returned to broadcasting after fighting Covid-19. Song recorded a new episode of “National Singing Contest,” a show that has been on the air since 1980, last Saturday. The episode aired Sunday.

Song halted his appearances on “National Singing Contest” last month when he tested positive for Covid-19. He also temporarily took a break in January for different health issues.

According to the Korean Broadcasting System, which airs “National Singing Contest,” Song did not enter a hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 despite his age. He opted to isolate at home and took Paxlovid, a drug used for Covid-19.

Song, born in 1927, is one of Korea’s oldest celebrities and “National Singing Contest” is Song’s professional home. He has been the main presenter since 1988. KBS plans to nominate Song for the Guinness Book of World Records as being the longest presenter on a television program.

It’s been over a year since Song quit drinking soju, once his favorite drink, and in recent years he has been turning down offers from other programs and advertisers to focus on “National Singing Contest.”

“I told him that another show wanted him to come on, and he said ‘I won’t do it even if they pay 100 million won,’” said Jo Eun-hee, a close friend of Song. “On Covid-19, he says in the old days a shot of soju would have cured him. But he won’t touch any alcohol now because of his health.”

Last Saturday, when Song recorded the episode of “National Singing Contest,” he wasn’t completely recovered. But according to KBS employees on the scene, he seemed fine. “On set, he was just as he was before, fit as a fiddle.”

The studio taping of “National Singing Contest” has been done every two weeks instead of weekly due to Covid-19. When Song was unable to record, Lee Ho-seop, 63, a composer and judge for “National Singing Contest,” appeared with KBS anchor Lim Soo-min.

During the last Lunar New Year, KBS aired a musical special about Song's life entitled "Thank You, Song Hae."

When Song returned to "National Singing Contest" on March 13 from his break in January, he thanked viewers and referred to the KBS special.

“Sunday man Song Hae is back,” he said, wearing a costume he donned in the special. “Is everyone well? A lot of people showed interest and watched the special last week. I received as much praise as I could wish in a lifetime. I am very grateful.”

The trot musical achieved an audience rating of 12 percent.

BY KIM JEONG-YEON [kjdnational@joongang.co.kr]