Can you believe it? It’s only the second elimination round, and we are already down to 24 participants.
Last week, viewers had a blast watching ground-breaking stages like Christopher’s ‘Bad’, Eve’s ‘Tambourine’, and Stray Kids’ ‘LALALALA’. They were particularly impressed with contestants who showcased a level of versatile artistry that left them in awe. Trainees such as Park Dong Gyu, He Xin Long, Kim Geon Woo, Zhang Jia Hao, Yoon Min, and Jo Gye Hyeon commanded the stage and made a lasting impression. Beyond the already-popular faces like Sang Won, Anxin, Kang Min, and Leo, fresh talents stepped into the spotlight, connecting deeply with the audience.
Wouldn’t it be unfortunate if these performers were eliminated?
Controversy erupted over Mnet’s voting system, as people claimed that voting periods start based on trailers and previews rather than full performances. Fans argued that this approach doesn’t do justice to the real performers and expressed their frustration over the possibility of genuine talents being eliminated from the show.
So, let’s take a look at who made it through.
SUMBAKKOKJIL
‘SUMBAKKOKJIL’ is Mnet’s horror survival reality show that previously featured popular male idol groups like TXT, TREASURE, RIIZE, and ZEROBASEONE. Before we dive into the emotionally exhausting part, let’s discuss the haunted hospital segment. Essentially, it’s a horror version of hide-and-seek, featuring zombies, ghosts, or other scary characters as seekers. Players must find keys or items to win the game, and if they get caught, they are thrown into jail.
Out of all the episodes, I found this particular segment the funniest—perhaps the only part that would genuinely make you laugh. I think the fun started even before they entered the hospital, when Su Ren let out that scream as he stepped off the bus. It was also amusing how the ones you’d expect to be fearless turned out to be scaredy-cats. For example, Sang Won sat all alone in a corner, nervously peeking around him, while Leo ran through the hospital, screaming at the top of his lungs.
It was hilarious when, at one point, while trying to escape the shaman ghost, a trainee collided with him and ran away, screaming hysterically. I burst out laughing when Park Dong Gyu tried to hide in a locker—until the door broke and gave him away.
Next Mission
Last season, fans took a liking to original performances like ‘Say My Name’, ‘En Garde’, ‘Over Me’ and ‘Supercharger’. Some of these songs are still performed today by the group ZEROBASEONE. Similarly, this year’s mission features original songs, where trainees have to use their skills to create unique performances. This time there are four songs, namely, ‘Sugar High’, ‘Main Dish’, ‘Lucky Macho’ and ‘Chains’. Unlike other missions where trainees had to choose the song and team members, this time the choice was made by the audience. Fans voted for the song they wanted their favourites to perform.
While the voting system and trainee rankings have received some criticism, I think the audience did an excellent job choosing the songs for the contestants, as each one perfectly suited the song and concept. Honestly, contestants like Yun Seo and Seo Won fit the refreshing concept of ‘Sugar High’, while Park Dong Gyu, Harry June, and Xin Long fit the cool style of ‘Lucky Macho’. Needless to say, fans are very excited for the contestants who will perform ‘Chains’. However, I’m not sure if pairing Leo, Sang Won, Anxin, Geon Woo, Jun Seo, Jia Hao, and Kang Min together will lead to a successful outcome. The group has too many strong rivals, and it can get boring to see the same faces performing the same style together again.
Second Elimination Round
Let’s start with the top 8:
- Lee Sangwon
- Zhou Anxin
- Lee Leo
- He Xinlong
- Kim Junseo
- Chung Sanghyeon
- Kim Geonwoo
- Yoo Kangmin
Among the 48 trainees, only 24 survived, and the 24th survivor was none other than Park Dong Gyu. Personally, I was really happy, as I had previously mentioned how talented Dong Gyu is. Yet, hearing him cry and talk about how supportive Han Harry June was—and knowing how hard-working he is—it was hard to say goodbye to Harry June.
Furthermore, it was heartbreaking to see many talented participants like Fan Zhe Yi, Nian Bo Heng, Arctic, Jo Gye Hyeon, Kim Tae Jo, and Jo Gye Hyeon leave. Fan-favorites like Yi Chen, Seo Won, Dang Hong Hai, and Sun Jia Yang were also eliminated, further fueling fans’ anger and frustration.
Final Thoughts
The top eight rankings sparked diverse reactions among netizens. While some were thrilled that their favorites finally moved up, others were simply unhappy. Personally, I was surprised that Geon Woo secured a spot in the top eight. Despite his bullying scandal, I must admit that he is talented and gives the impression of an already-debuted idol. However, many questioned the fairness of the system, claiming that trainees like Geon Woo or Sanghyeon should never have been in the top eight, or that contestants like Woo Jin or Chue Li Yu should have been ranked higher.
I believe the focus should be more on the fact that the show lost many skilled and experienced trainees like Harry June, while some less impressive ones remained. This, my dear friends, bothered me a lot.
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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