Group 1 - The latest episode of "Singer 2025" featured singer San Yichun performing a new version of "Li Bai," securing second place, with the song humorously dubbed a new "forbidden song" for college entrance exams due to its catchy yet challenging lyrics [1] - Despite the popularity of "Singer 2025," it failed to outperform "Running Man" Season 9, which achieved a peak rating of 0.87 and an average rating of 0.74, indicating a competitive landscape in the variety show sector [3][60] - The current environment for music variety shows is marked by challenges such as frequent lip-syncing controversies, the dominance of TikTok songs, and a lack of quality music productions, leading to a decline in the genre's appeal [7][10] Group 2 - The success of "Singer 2024" was seen as a response to the perceived lack of professionalism among contestants, with live performances being viewed as a measure of a "professional singer's" worth [8] - The music variety show landscape has evolved, with a shift from focusing on music to prioritizing entertainment value, particularly after the introduction of reality show elements in 2018 [22][23] - The rise of music variety shows has been influenced by the need to cater to audience emotions and the increasing commercialization of the format, with brands finding value in product placements within these shows [52][60] Group 3 - The Chinese music market remains robust, with the overall revenue from the national performance market reaching 796.29 billion yuan in 2024, including ticket sales of 579.54 billion yuan [43] - The K-pop industry is increasingly targeting the Chinese market, with significant album exports and promotional events indicating a strategic push to capture a larger share of the audience [49][50] - The competitive nature of the music variety show market is underscored by the need for shows to innovate and differentiate themselves to maintain viewer interest and commercial viability [61]