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Singer Gets Chance to Hit Big Time on Reality Show

Jeok-woo has spent years as a professional recording artist but she hopes a new slot on the MBC reality TV show "I Am a Singer" finally catapults her to the kind of fame that has so long eluded her.

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She has released five albums -- three of them full-length -- and sung several background songs for TV dramas since she debuted in 2004. However, she has rarely appeared on TV and remains an unfamiliar name in most households.

The 34-year-old singer, who boasts a husky voice, was recommended to the hot TV show by Prof. Jang Ki-ho, who is one of its panelists. Jang described her as "a hidden gem who has excellent skills" in an interview in July.

The humble singer told fans via an online fan forum that she was grateful for being selected to compete on the show despite her relative obscurity.

"I would like to show my respect and gratitude to the production crew of 'I Am a Singer' for choosing me, even though few people know who I am, and showing there are no barriers in music", she said. "I'm nervous, but I hope I can do it well".

At hearing the news, some netizens took issue with her background by referring to rumors about her past that she herself had helped fuel.

"In an interview with a sports daily she gave upon her debut, she said she used to be a bar hostess", one netizen posted. But the singer's agency denied the rumor by saying, "She sang at cafes and bars, but she hasn't worked as a bar hostess.

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