I Can See Your Voice (abbreviated as ICSYV) () is a South Korean television mystery music game show series that originally produced by CJ ENM, and then a joint collaboration by Signal Entertainment Group. Since its premiere on February 26, 2015, it has aired ten seasons on two different networks — Mnet and tvN.
Gameplay
Format
Presented with a group of "mystery singers" identified only by their occupation, a guest artist must attempt to eliminate bad singers from the group without ever hearing them sing, assisted by clues and a celebrity panel over the course of several rounds. At the end of the game, the last remaining mystery singer is revealed as either good or bad by means of a duet between them and one of the guest artists.
The original program has two different game formats:
Original format
Under the original format, the guest artists can eliminate one or two mystery singers in each round, and the last mystery singer standing will perform a duet.
Star Wars format (season 1 special only) Ten former mystery singers were separated into two teams. For each round, a mystery singer is chosen for a "showdown". Afterward, voting is done through audience majority, and the votes are accumulated for the winning team.
Rewards
The winning mystery singer is awarded on the following conditions: If the singer is good, he/she will have release a digital single. In Global Stars special (of the fifth season), the winning singer, regardless of being good or bad, receives a trophy. If the singer is bad, he/she wins .
Rounds
Notes:
Background
Creation
In 2012, producer and creator Lee Seon-young planned to develop a singing reality competition show. Besides with initial genre that entirely includes "good singers", she unusually added elements such as "bad singers", lip sync, and "guessing game" flairs (à la Identity), creating a unique format that would become the "mystery music game show" in the process. Also, she originally envisioned a program that will allow anyone to be the main character regardless of their appearances, inspired by Kim Bum-soo who struggled to gain recognition because of his look.
Development and production
After her invented game show format finished development in 2014, the program was formally announced in January 2015, as part of the projects for Mnet's 20th founding anniversary. CJ ENM has originally conducted to produce the show, which would subsequently join through collaborative duties from Signal Entertainment Group (since the third season). According to a presscon for its sixth season, the game show is also referring to the "second National Singing Contest" because of its sudden impact on their local music industry.
Filming
Tapings for the program took place at CJ ENM-owned studios at different locations such as Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang and then Mapo-gu, Seoul. Since from seventh to ninth season, the program was filmed under health and safety protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spectators are now reallowed on tapings for the tenth season.
Broadcast history
2015—2016: Yoo Se-yoon, Leeteuk, and Kim Bum-soo era
In a span of three seasons with 38 (37 regular and one special) episodes, the original hosting lineup consists of Yoo Se-yoon, Leeteuk (of Super Junior), and Kim Bum-soo.
I Can See Your Voice made its debut broadcast on February 26, 2015. Despite poor reception of its inaugural first season, the show forced to renew on its second season that premiered on October 22, 2015. As the third season followed on June 30, 2016, Kim Bum-soo would leave hosting the show after Davichi played in the finale on September 15, 2016.
2017—2023: Yoo Se-yoon, Leeteuk, and Kim Jong-kook era
In a span of seven seasons with 89 (85 regular and 4 special) episodes, Kim Jong-kook became the show's new host, while Lee Sang-min, Cha Tae-hyun, and Hyojung (of Oh My Girl) also appointed as interim hosts.
Regular episodes have started for the fifth season on February 2, 2018. It is followed by four consecutive seasons premiering on the same month — sixth season (with Hwang Chi-yeul and Lee Sun-bin) on January 18, 2019, seventh season (with Park Joong-hoon) on January 17, 2020, eighth season (with Rain) on January 29, 2021, and ninth season (with Eun Ji-won (of Sechs Kies), Kim Jong-min, Tiger JK, and Jang Su-won) on January 29, 2022. Breaking the pattern of "January seasons", the tenth season premiered on March 22, 2023.