The race to secure a coveted spot in the semifinals of TV조선’s Miss Trot 4 reached fever pitch on the evening of February 12, 2026, as the show aired its highly anticipated ninth episode. The broadcast showcased the fourth main round—aptly dubbed the “Legend Mission”—where sixteen hopeful contestants clashed in a dramatic one-song duel, all vying for a place in the elite TOP10. With legendary figures from the Korean music scene joining as special judges, the stakes soared higher than ever.
For those unfamiliar, Miss Trot 4 is no ordinary singing competition. It’s a cultural phenomenon in South Korea, blending nostalgia for classic trot music with the thrill of modern reality TV. The format keeps both contestants and viewers on their toes, and this week’s episode proved no exception, delivering surprises, heartbreak, and a historic first for the series.
According to eToday, the fourth round’s first phase pitted contestants against each other in pairs, each duo tasked with performing a legendary trot song together. The twist? After their joint performance, judges—known as masters—and a panel of music legends assigned scores, while the 국민 대표단 (National Representative Panel) contributed their own points. The total possible score for each contestant was 250, but how those points were split between the pair depended on the judges’ evaluations.
When the dust settled, 길려원 emerged as the undisputed leader of the pack. She delivered a stirring rendition of “미련 때문에,” originally by legendary singer 최진희, facing off against 김혜진. 길려원 swept the board: 140 points from the masters, 60 from the legends, and 40 from the representative panel, for a total of 240 points—the highest in the round. As eToday reported, “길려원 achieved 1st place in the Legend mission, scoring a total of 240 points (140 from masters, 60 from legends, and 40 from 국민 대표단), surpassing all contestants.” Her opponent, 김혜진, managed only 10 points, landing at the bottom of the rankings.
The rest of the leaderboard was a showcase of fierce competition. 홍성윤 took second place with 225 points, thanks to a powerful performance of “화등,” while 허찬미 followed in third with 185 points. Other notable rankings included 정혜린 (170 points), 윤태화 (160 points), and 염유리 (136 points). The full list, as compiled by eToday, saw 이엘리야 (115 points), 유미 (90 points), 장혜리 (80 points), 채윤 (85 points), 김산하 (25 points), and 김혜진 (10 points) rounding out the lower end—putting them at serious risk of elimination.
But the night’s drama didn’t end with the usual leaderboard shuffle. In a first for the entire Miss Trot franchise, a tie occurred after all scores—including audience votes—were tallied. 유소년부 윤윤서 and 왕년부 적우 delivered a harmonious duet of “꼬마인형,” ending up deadlocked at 125 points each. As eToday noted, “A historic first tie occurred between 유소년부 윤윤서 and 왕년부 적우, both scoring 125 points after audience votes were included.” This unprecedented moment left even the judges momentarily speechless, highlighting just how unpredictable the competition has become.
For those hovering just below the cutoff, hope remained alive. The show’s format dictates that only the top ten scorers after two rounds advance to the semifinals. However, the first round’s scores are not the final word. As eToday explained, “The first round scores are preliminary; combined scores with the second round and 국민 대표단 votes can change rankings.” With the second round—a personal solo showdown—still to come, contestants who stumbled early had a shot at redemption.
Indeed, the second round kicked off immediately after the initial results were revealed. 김다나, who barely scraped into the top ten in the first round with 120 points, seized the opportunity for a comeback. She chose 김연자’s classic “영동 부르스,” and her passionate performance earned her a whopping 1361 points from the masters. This dramatic reversal signaled that no one’s fate was sealed just yet. As the show’s format makes clear, “combined scores from both rounds will determine the ten semifinalists.”
For fans and contestants alike, the tension is palpable. The difference between advancing and going home can be as slim as a handful of points. 이엘리야, for instance, found herself in 11th place after the first round, missing the cutoff by just five points. As eToday reported, “이엘리야 ranked 11th with 115 points, placing her 5 points below the cutoff for advancing (top 10).” Yet with the second round scores and 국민 대표단 votes still to be added, her chances—and those of others on the bubble—remain very much alive.
Adding to the night’s intensity, the panel of legendary judges included some of trot’s most revered names: 김수희, 최진희, 김연자, and 김용임. Their presence brought an extra layer of gravitas, and their critiques—at times encouraging, at others brutally honest—were a reminder of the high standards expected in this competition. Their influence on the scoring was significant, with 60 points allocated to their collective judgment in each duel.
For viewers at home, the show’s unpredictability is part of its enduring appeal. Every week brings new surprises, emotional highs and lows, and performances that can turn the tide in an instant. The inclusion of audience voting and the 국민 대표단 ensures that public sentiment plays a real role, preventing the contest from feeling too insular or predetermined. This week’s tie—never before seen in the series—was a testament to the depth of talent among this season’s contestants.
Looking ahead, all eyes are on the upcoming February 19, 2026, broadcast, when the final tally will be revealed and the ten semifinalists named. As eToday emphasized, “Only 10 contestants will advance to the semifinals based on combined scores from both rounds, with results to be aired on February 19, 2026.” For those who have followed these singers’ journeys from the very beginning, the stakes could not be higher.
In the end, Miss Trot 4 continues to deliver the kind of nail-biting, emotionally charged competition that has made it a fixture of South Korean television. With legends both on stage and behind the judges’ table, and with the fate of the contestants hanging on every note, viewers can expect even more drama as the semifinals approach. The journey to the TOP10 is far from over—and if this week’s episode is any indication, anything can happen.