Who is Dorado, the only foreign finalist on South Korea’s ‘Sing Again 4’?

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino talent knows no bounds. Singer-songwriter Gwyn Dorado remarkably placed among the Top 4 of the South Korean television program Sing Again — now in its 4th season — as the only foreigner among Korean finalists Lee O-uk, Kim Jae-min, and Slowly.

Dorado’s performance of “I Want You,” composed and produced by Kim Do-hun, left a striking impression on both the audience and the eight-panel judges consisting of Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation, Kyuhyun of Super Junior, Baek Ji-young, Kim Eana, Lee Hae-ri, Lim Jae-beom, Yoon Jong-shin, and Code Kunst.

“I Want You” is available for streaming on Melon and Genie.

In the 12th episode, which aired on December 31, 2025 on the JTBC Voyage YouTube channel, Dorado topped both vote categories by earning a total of 798 out of 800 points — “the highest score in the season’s history,” as commented by host and actor Lee Seung-gi. 

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Sing Again initially started out with 81 contestants. It’s a program for “forgotten” or “nameless” singers to reclaim their spotlight once again. Dorado’s unshaken presence in the vocal arena leaves no doubt that she continues to impress, despite years out of the spotlight since placing as a 10-year-old finalist in Asia’s Got Talent Season 1 in 2015.

A star is born

The now-21-year-old singer-songwriter is known by four names, each representing a period of her singing career: Gwyneth, the OST singer; Gwyn Dorado, the soloist; Gwyneth Dorado, the 10-year-old finalist in Asia’s Got Talent Season 1, and Dorado, the 21-year-old finalist in Sing Again Season 4. 

Her flair for music has always existed. She learned to play the keyboard at age 5 through YouTube, and the guitar at age 8. The eldest child of three graduated from senior high school with a scholarship to the University of Sto. Tomas under the Music Arts and Design strand and plans to pursue music or theater arts in college.

In March 2015, Dorado joined her first major competition: Asia’s Got Talent in Singapore. She performed a cover of Sia and David Guetta’s “Titanium,” earning a standing ovation from all four judges, Anggun, David Foster, Melanie C, and Vanness Wu. She reached the grand finale and finished as one of the top 5 finalists alongside fellow Filipino talents shadow playgroup El Gamma Penumbra and soprano Gerphil-Geraldine Flores.

The then-10-year old singer also sang “Lupang Hinirang” at President Benigno Aquino III’s 2015 State of the Nation Address.

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After AGT, she debuted in musical theater. Dorado played orphaned July in the musical Annie in 2016 and Luisa Von Trapp in the musical The Sound of Music the following year. She also expressed her desire to perform in other musicals like Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, and Hamilton in an Inquirer.net interview back in 2022, implying that acting may not be off her radar, especially after a ten-session acting workshop with facilitator-coach Law Rodriguez under her previous management, Virtual Playground.

Dorado then released multiple songs in the span of 2019 to 2021: “Laro-laro” as the OST of Pansamantagal, “Shooting Stars,” “For You,” and “Home” as part of the Filipino film Happy Times’ soundtrack, all under the stage name Gwyneth.

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She released her digital single “Tulala” in 2022 and made another comeback in 2023 with “Why Do We Love?” under the name Gwyn Dorado. The 18-year-old soloist continued her singing career through regular gigs in venues across the metro. 

In February 2024, Dorado posted that she had signed a 5-year contract with a South Korean agency named A.O Entertainment, cementing her solo debut under the social media username Dorado. Subsequently, she also released “What If,” the OST of the first Korean lesbian show ToGetHer, and digital single “Way,” both of which marked her official South Korean debut.

Dorado recently posted on Instagram a new side of herself to signify the end of the year and the beginning of something confident in her career. With the help of producer GroovyRoom, she shares “Lights Up,” a pop song that strays away from her usual ballad image.

There is no telling where Dorado’s future may lead. But the ongoing support from her family and fans across Asia, who hope she will win Sing Again 4, points to a bright and productive path ahead for the young artist.

The 13th and last episode, which will determine the 4th season’s grand finale, will air live on Tuesday, January 6 at 9:30 pm (Philippine time) on the Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company (JTBC) channel. 

The winner will receive a cash prize of 300 million Korean won, or approximately Php 12,200,624.91. – Claire Masbad/Rappler.com

Claire Masbad is a Rappler intern studying AB Communication Arts at De La Salle University.