PREVIOUS RECAPS: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five
I’m back… a few days late again! We’re continuing with the first round battles this episode but before that I must reiterate that the best thing about this season so far is the cute little dog that comes into the dorms to comfort and cheer up the guys. Dogs should always be part of this show.
Plot Twist (TWS) Team 2
At one point during practice, one of the guys actually said: “but, I can’t sing live!” Um… seriously? That’s gonna be an issue. This group is the underdog of the Plot Twist battle despite having a very clear-eyed (and somewhat domineering) leader. I’ve already forgotten how last episode’s group sounded but I remember them being better than this. At least these guys looked like they were having fun, I guess? The singing was pretty rough.
My Choice: Team 1
Voting Results: Team 2 (the only 1-star team to pull an upset)
Rising Sun (TVXQ) Team 2
DRIPPIN’s Dongyun is in this team, so of course I already have a soft spot for them. I’m glad he got a bit of spotlight in the behind-the-scenes clips, too. It’s interesting to see him as a leader since that isn’t his role in DRIPPIN at all. He came across very well here. This performance was pretty solid, but the power notes from Yusen (who was pointed out over and over again) were big bummers. This just isn’t the type of song you should attempt unless you’re 100% sure you can do it. Confidence is key and his parts made me nervous. The judges seemed to think his final note was okay. I thought it was absolutely awful. Other than that, this was better than I’d expected.
Rising Sun (TVXQ) Team 1
And this team has VERIVERY’s Dongheon! I keep forgetting these established idols are part of this season. His leadership style is much more strict than Dongyun’s and I remember this being the case in VERIVERY as well. The big story here is the that the main vocal is having issues with his voice. Will he pull it off for the real stage? The answer is… no. Gosh, it’s just cruel to make these guys perform this song and also illustrates just how heavily vocal prowess has become undervalued in K-pop over time. There are so many second/third gen boys who could slay these notes with ease. Overall, the vocals were better here than in Team 1’s performance, which gives them the edge. Neither stage was perfect, though, and the vocal limitations are driving me crazy. The judges seem to accept “just getting the notes out” even if those notes sound like a dying cat.
My Choice: Team 1
Voting Results: Team 1 (with a huge gap)
Kill The Romeo (ZEROBASEONE) Team 2
This team seemed to have a hard go of it, comprised of one and two star guys without much confidence. There was also a lot of drama about whether or not to throw a rose during the performance. You know… the important things to consider! In the end, the rose didn’t matter much. This stage was serviceable but there were plenty of times the vocals just didn’t hit. I found some of the tones quite grating (Sho in particular) but overall the energy was decent enough. Nothing to write home about, but not terrible. They seemed to be running out of breath by the end!
Kill The Romeo (ZEROBASEONE) Team 1
This group also had a difficult time during rehearsals and even changed leaders partway through. The performance was probably better than Team 2’s just because it was more stable and polished. Neither stage did much for me, though. I like this song, but it doesn’t really offer many moments to showcase eye-catching skill. Of course, the guys were intent on doing something spectacular, so we got an impressive flip toward the song’s climax.
My Choice: Team 1
Voting Results: Team 1
Whiplash (aespa) Team 1
This is MNET’s beloved “Avengers” team they always pull out during this first round. They just adore this trope, especially when it means pairing them against a one-star team for a true “David vs. Goliath” match. This song is far more performance oriented than the others, which of course benefits Yumeki. This team certainly has the performance aspect down and did a good job showcasing their charisma. They look like a debuted boy group – albeit a very generic one. There’s nothing bad to point out here, but there’s nothing that totally slayed me either. It’s just… a boy group version of Whiplash. Exactly what you’d expect.
Whiplash (aespa) Team 2
And… here’s the one-star team competing against “the Avengers.” My love for the underdog instantly makes me want to root for them, but there’s a reason they were ranked one-star. There’s kind of no reality where this team would win, which makes the stakes pretty underwhelming from a pure production standpoint. The deeper vocal tones added some flavor to the performance and the guys did better than I would have thought, but it just didn’t have as much oomph as Team 1’s stage. If nothing else, I guess this insurmountable challenge was a good way to inspire this team to push themselves harder. The judges really liked Daniel’s voice. He was probably the standout.
My Choice: Team 1
Voting Results: Team 1 (though it was MUCH closer than expected)
This goes to the highest ranked team of this battle and they get a couple MNET-sponsored promo activities like Studio Choom and MCountdown. Unsurprisingly, the benefit goes to… the All-Star Whiplash Team. Shocking, I tell you. Absolutely shocking.
