Han Hee Jun from "American Idol" Appears as Contestant on "K-Pop Star 3"

Former “American Idol” contestant Han Hee Jun, who made it to the top 9 of the American audition show, is leaving that achievement behind and starting over as a contestant on “K-Pop Star 3.”

On November 24, Han Hee Jun appeared on SBS‘s own audition program, “K-Pop Star 3,” as a contestant and surprised everyone on the show. People did not expect to see Han Hee Jun on “K-Pop Star 3” as he has already released an album in the U.S after gaining much popularity and support from his appearance on “American Idol.”

On challenging “K-Pop Star 3,” Han Hee Jun explained that he previously trained in Korea for two years and even auditioned for MBC’s survival audition program “The Great Birth.” But after failing that audition, he felt there was no future for him in Korea and returned to the U.S and successfully made it onto “American Idol.” He is returning to Korea, however, to once again challenge the Korean music industry and start from the beginning for his own sense of his Korean identity. 

Han Hee Jun sang for the judges, Park Jin Young, Yang Hyun Suk, and Yoo Hee Yeol, and ultimately won their blessing to move onto the next round. Congratulations, Han Hee Jun! 

Meanwhile, “K-Pop Star 3” premiered yesterday filling in “Barefooted Friends'” time slot after it was cancelled. As for the judging panel, Yoo Hee Yeol has taken BoA’s place in this new season. JYP‘s Park Jin Young and YG‘s Yang Hyun Suk have remained as judges. “K-Pop Star 3” airs every Sunday on SBS at 4:55 PM KST. 

See also: [Exclusive] Former American Idol Contestant HeeJun Talks About Upcoming Debut