Warning: This recap is not spoiler-free. Proceed at your personal threat!
EPISODE ONE RECAP // EPISODE TWO RECAP // EPISODE THREE RECAP // EPISODE FOUR RECAP // EPISODE FIVE RECAP// EPISODE SIX RECAP // EPISODE SEVEN RECAP // EPISODE EIGHT RECAP
This week, we end up the FANtastic Queendom spherical, made up of songs chosen by the followers. That is the final competitors earlier than the finale.
Disclaimer: I’m watching the total present, not simply clips on YouTube. So, the enhancing of every performances might inadvertently issue into my rankings. However, I’ll be embedding the total YouTube performances in these posts.
6. Kep1er – The Boys
Head to final week’s recap for the total overview!
5. LOONA – Butterfly
I’ll admit, I’m not as bought on Butterfly as most individuals appear to be. The track has grown on me over time, however I nonetheless discover the refrain a little bit underwhelming. And whereas I’m sporting my curmudgeon hat and admitting issues, I’ve gotta say this efficiency didn’t do a lot for me both. The dancing was slick and the staging was easy and efficient, however I believe they missed a possibility by not doing extra with the monitor.
As an off-the-cuff LOONA listener, this simply gave the impression of the unique mixture of Butterfly with a number of extra symphonic parts weaved in. Not each track must be reinvented for Queendom (and a few actually shouldn’t), however the pureness of this stage felt a bit underwhelming in comparison with its extra bombastic competitors.
With that mentioned, LOONA nonetheless have my favourite efficiency of the sequence with Shake It, and I don’t see that altering.
4. VIVIZ – Bop Bop
Head to final week’s recap for the total overview!
3. Courageous Ladies – Crimson Solar
At this level, I’m satisfied we’re by no means going to see a correct efficiency of After We Journey, regardless of it being a title monitor. That’s a rattling disgrace, and it ought to have been the selection this spherical. Inexplicably, the followers selected a crappy CF monitor. Are we simply attempting to sabotage Courageous Ladies at this level?
For the efficiency, they’ve focused viewers sympathy, retelling their unlikely rise to fame after years of toil and diminishing returns. The association introduced additional drama with a tried-and-true trick: lacing Crimson Solar with a widely known classical pattern. As the one stage to aim a fleshed-out narrative, I’ve to provide the efficiency additional factors. But when I’m trustworthy, Crimson Solar is such a nothingburger that the emotion type of collapsed in on itself, heartfelt and earnest as it could have been. Simply suppose how highly effective this stage may have been with a extra evocative track at its coronary heart!
2. WJSN – Pantomime
Head to final week’s recap for the total overview!
1. Hyolyn – See Sea – Bae
Okay, I love See Sea. Name me primary if you need, however I wouldn’t thoughts if Hyolyn gave us variations of this similar sound for the subsequent ten years. It’s so breezy and hypnotic and suits her voice to a tee. A mash-up of See Sea and Bae seems like heaven. Throw in a Sistar monitor or two and also you’ll discover me handed out from pop bliss.
I do know Queendom is meant to be in regards to the levels, however an amazing track goes a good distance. I imply, it’s essentially the most very important ingredient within the recipe. Hyolyn seemed like she was having a ball, which is such an undervalued aspect of dwell Okay-pop performances. I need to watch performers having fun with themselves and pulling us in with their magnetism. That’s the magic of a popstar. Hyolyn has *it*, extra so than anybody else on this competitors. And, that’s extra dynamic than a thousand visible methods or dance breakdowns.
(However talking of breakdowns, the dance break right here was killer. It was a sensible choice to herald Road Lady Fighter’s Hyerim as a visitor)
Going into the finale, it’s time to see how the voters felt about this spherical. After lots of hemming and hawing on the producer’s half, we have now our rating:
6. VIVIZ
5. Kep1er
4. Hyolyn
3. LOONA
2. WJSN
1. Courageous Ladies
Hmmm… I assume the sympathy factor labored. It usually does on reveals like this. It’s humorous as a result of I’ve been sympathetic to Courageous Ladies this entire season (I point out it just about each week), but I discovered the stage to be simply okay. Greater than something, I’m stunned at Hyolyn’s low displaying. I assume I’m simply biased towards her and her music. However hey, the spoiler of this weblog is true there in its title!
Clearly, I don’t agree with this rating. However, I’m glad to see Courageous Ladies get first place. I’m actually rooting for them.
I’ll be again tomorrow with a private rating of this 12 months’s unique finale songs, which had been additionally teased on the finish of this episode.
Spoiler alert: they ain’t nice…
