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Hello, my dear readers!

As promised on my twitter, I’ve come to share my in-depth thoughts regarding the Mnet Global Auditions. Strap in, you guys, because this is gonna be a long and heavy one. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Without further ado, let’s begin dissecting the MGA’s Season 4, Episode 3!

So, as expected, Team A got the most screen time, but what else do you expect when Kim Junmyeon is in the group? I guess most participants must pray every night for the opportunity to be grouped with him because that means more screen time (or less, depending on how you look at it, because the rest of “Little Star” were definitely overshadowed). Honestly though, this team was pretty crowded with charismatic members; Junmyeon aside, they also had Kim Jonghyun who played the harmonica and did that awkward introduction in episode two. They also had Guanlin, the kid who sang the TMNT theme song. I’ve heard a lot of people are keeping up with him for that.

Kim Jonghyun seemed very leader-like. He took care of his team well and lead them to the best of his abilities, so I have to wonder why Junmyeon got more screen time than him? I’ll be honest here. I don’t see the hype over Kim Junmyeon. Yes, he can sing, but Lee Juyeon has arguably a better tone, so I’m glad he got more lines in the performance. The rare times Juyeon went out of tune were forgotten with the way he was easily able to follow the choreography, compared to the majority of the group (Kim Jonghyun was working it too! I really like this leader-rap-dance position thing he’s got going on). But really… Vocal ability is all Junmyeon has besides being a pretty face. I wish they’d show a little less of him and more of the other participants—like, we get it, he’s good looking. And that young kid, Lai Guanlin, I was really impressed with how well he kept up. Though it may be too soon for him to break into the industry (he needs to hone his skills more, and perhaps learn the language too), he’s got potential. However, I personally don’t think he should have made it this far.

The other rapper, Kim Taehyung, I gotta say… I was blown away. He really has that stage presence that comes with being a rapper, complete with the whole tongue thing and everything. It’s wild how he can go from a high-heel donning prince to a monster on the stage. Versatility within groups is really important, with the amount of different concepts you might be forced to try. Kim Taehyung could easily pull off any.

To be honest, I was a little… Flabbergasted? At Team B’s name. Surely, they could have been more creative than just “Milkshake” so that kind of put me off for their performance before it even started. One thing I have to get off my chest is how fucking gorgeous Kim Doyeon is. I think her looks only fortify her stage presence, and despite her tall height, she’s still an absolute goddess when it comes to dancing. Just like Kim Taehyung, she did a 180 with her attitude as soon as the performance started. She’ll get far, mark my words.

I was intrigued, to say the least, while wondering how they would masquerade Yongsun’s poor dance skills. She’s not as bad as Lai Guanlin, but still. In a team full of dancers, she was expected to drag them down, but she surprisingly kept up with the rest of the group and had an error-free performance! Props to you, Yongsun, and her high note seriously gave me goosebumps.

As the only boy in the group, Joo Haknyeon was bound to turn some heads, right? But it’s not only the fact that his masculinity stuck out like a sore thumb alongside such pretty girls. He’s quite the charismatic character and I was awestruck at how perfectly he delivered a GIRL GROUP song. His dancing was smooth and powerful, and I hate to say this, but he recited that rap better than the original artist.

Now, let’s talk about that moment between Minatozaki Sana and Bae Joohyun. Did anyone else notice Sana sulking after not being awarded the title “Leader?” I don’t know why, but it seriously bugged me. If she really wanted the position that badly, she should have fought for it instead of throwing a silent tantrum. Don’t get me wrong, she seems like a sweet girl (her comforting Yongsun had me tearing up a little) but even afterwards, she was always acting as a co-leader, of some sorts. Overall, Joohyun was a better dancer and was able to lead the team well. I think Sana should be glad that they completed the stage well and next time, if she wants something, she has to speak up and fight for it. That, or get over it. Acting passive aggressively is just a big no-no from me.

If you’ve been keeping up with my tweets, you’ll know that Team C had two of my favourites: Jin Longguo and Kang Daniel. I was super excited for this team and their sexy concept; I’m upset Mnet didn’t air more of their preparations. Kim Chungha caught my eye when she comforted Jungkook. Now that’s how a good leader acts! The girl had confidence as well while performing, never afraid of getting close with the boys. In a way, she reminded me a lot of myself, but I should stop being so biased, huh?

Speaking of Kang Daniel and Kim Chungha, notice their chemistry? If I didn’t want a piece of that man myself, I would 1000% ship those two together! They both have this certain aura, and did you see the way he just… Whew, I really wish I was Chungha. That’s one lucky girl.

Enough of me simply screaming over how hot Mr. Kang is. Let’s get to the good stuff.

Jeon Jungkook was, by far, the best dancer in this group (surpassing the leader Chungha as well). However, it was hard to really watch him during the performance itself due to how… Underwhelming his stage presence is. Now, if you recall from episode 2, a dancer by the name of Park Minhyuk was eliminated. Baek Jiyoung said that lack of charisma and stage presence is the biggest flaw of all for a dancer to have, so I’m wondering if they’ll comment on that for Jungkook as well? I mean, he’s got talent and he can hold a tune, but I can’t see him as an idol just yet if he continues to perform like this. I hope he works on this.

Jin Longguo and Choi Youngjae are both spectacular vocalists; the latter’s adlibs sent a chill down my spine that made me completely forget about the minor error he made during the dance break. Longguo is much more well rounded, for he could hit those high notes as well as follow choreography and make it look so easy (spoiler alert: it’s not). He looked good while standing next to Chungha, the second most skilled dancer in this group. I’ll be honest, though. I was a little underwhelmed by Chungha’s singing. She’s not bad, but for some reason, after seeing her vocal mimicry, I expected her to be… better than she was. I thought this girl would have pipes for days, especially since she was an ex SM trainee, but I guess she focuses more on dance.

So, let’s look at Daniel now. I’m seriously shocked that, with a body like his, he’s not a dancer. In fact, he was just as lacking as Youngjae in regards to dancing, without having that extra vocal ability to draw your eyes away from the apparent weakness. Although, he’s certainly got stage presence. Daniel’s transition from shy boy and fleeting touches to seductive eyes and manly grips was heart fluttering. He’s got to improve skill wise though if he wants a chance at winning this season of the MGA’s (but he’s already won my heart so Kang Daniel-ssi, if you see this, you’re already a winner to me).

Next up, Team D! At first, I thought this team would be a definite winner. They have a nice distribution of skills: Lee Luda is arguably one of the best vocalists in this competition, Jang Moonbok’s rap is pretty high up on the small list of talented rappers, Lee Jeno and Hwang Hyunjin are eye catching dancers, and Park Kyungri is the whole package (uh, hello, I may have a big fat crush on this woman). But then, when I saw their song choice, I knew they were doomed. As a leader, Kyungri should have kept in mind that they have one of the weakest dancers in their teams, yet they decided on the song “Before the Dawn.” Everyone knows Myname are legends when it comes to dancing, so what did they really expect out of Moonbok? His mistakes were obvious.

Absence of common sense aside, I gotta give it to Hwang Hyunjin. His dedication to perfecting his parts was impeccable. How many people can say they attend school and practice as hard as him to achieve their idol dreams? All the while, he never showed any signs of weakness. I love kids like this, who give their all wholeheartedly no matter what they do, and I seriously hope he gets far in the competition. He even assumed a leader-like role with Moonbok! His encouragement was mature and heart wrenching, and I may have shed a tear or two. That’s a true testament to his thoughts on teamwork.

I’ve talked a lot about dancers in this post, so excuse me for commenting once again on how AMAZING Jeno and Hyunjin were. Flawless movements and, though somewhat lacking in stage presence, I was still in awe at what these kids could do. When I was their age, I could barely walk from my house to my school. And Lee Luda, despite being vocal-focused, was able to keep up with the tough choreography. It’s no wonder she teared up (I’m assuming it’s from pride and happiness at her accomplishments, or maybe it’s because she knows that Moonbok’s mistakes would bring the team down, I don’t know).

Don’t worry, readers! We’re almost at the halfway mark on these performances. I’d suggest you take a break before continuing to read. Stretch out your muscles, go drink a glass of water, maybe eat a small snack or cuddle your pets, and then return for more.

Team E—or should I say Dream.e—was a group filled with dancers. Honestly. Even their weakest link, Kim Mingyu, was miles better than people like Moonbok and Youngjae. He carried himself well and with confidence. You could see that he was having fun; he liked the song, his part, and the people he was with. That smile was so contagious!

Choi Yoojung. I don’t know what to say about this girl! She’s small, and yet she’s such a firecracker! Her movements are so powerful and explosive, and her expressions match it all. It’s also refreshing to see a female rapper with so much potential. Girls these days aspire to be those dainty singers or dancers, which I’m not saying is a bad thing, but this industry seriously needs more fierce female rappers. In a few years, I can see her slaying Music Bank.

I wonder why the show didn’t show more of Wonshik and Minho, especially the former since he’s so well rounded in singing, dancing, and rapping. He’s a jack of all trades, but I guess Mnet really isn’t too interested with the master of none? As for Minho, he’s got mad stage presence, solid rapping skills, and big surprise, he’s a fantastic dancer as well. I wish we’d seen more of them. As for the leader, Hyunjung, her vocal prowess is amazing considering she dances as well. How many kpop stars can be classified as main dancers and main vocalists? Her singing is stable despite strong movements, and she really took charge of leading the team. I love when contestants tell each other that they’re proud of everything they’ve accomplished so far no matter what.

Team F’s song choice was… surprising, to say the least. If you’re on a survival show, why would you pick a song that doesn’t showcase vocal nor dance ability? I find it a little unfair to Dong Sicheng and Choi Yerim who are both dancers. Sure, they can carry themselves vocally too, but it’s not like “Hot Summer” has a lot of range.

While we’re on the topic of Choi Yerim, did you guys notice her attitude? I’ve always had a bit of an attitude as well, trust me, but wasn’t she being just a little too rude? I mean, you could clearly see Moon Bin was working hard so as to not drag the team down, so I don’t know why she kept dismissing him. Sicheng, her friend, said she’s bratty, but there’s a fine line between bratty and bitchy, right? I don’t know if she has some personal problem with Moon Bin himself, or if it’s just Mnet’s evil editing. I guess her talent makes up for her personality, though I hope we can see her in a different light in the next episode.

Kim Hyuna is a contestant everyone’s had their eyes on. In my honest opinion, I find it a little unfair that she’s participating in yet another season of the MGA’s. She was a finalist in season 3, and in Royal Survival. As an ex-trainee for one of the most popular entertainment companies in South Korea, why is she trying to steal the spotlight from a new, aspiring artist? That’s just my thought. But it’s an undeniable fact that she’s got talent (obviously, since she trained with Royal for so long, I’d be disappointed if she couldn’t do anything well). She’s another one of those powerhouse female rappers to look out for.

Also, I just have to say that Dong Sicheng’s attempt at a wink was so cute. It’s official. I’m adopting him.

Team G started off misleading with their introduction (I was excited for a ChiChi song but they went a whole different direction—what was the point of adding that “gee gee gee gee” part then?) Anyways, I was expecting more out of this team. Composed of mostly dancers, you’d expect them to choose a dance heavy song. Even their weakest dancer Jinsoul isn’t all that weak, yet they choose a simple song like “Danger.” Honestly, it’s like some of these teams want to be eliminated.

Kim Bora’s leadership skills are no joke. I like the fact that she had the kids do warm ups because I can only imagine at that age, how much pressure and anxiety they must have been feeling. Props to you, Bora! I didn’t understand the whole candy scenario though, but I guess Jeon Somi uses Pixie Stix for the sugar high? Again, good on Bora for confiscating some; that stuff isn’t good for a growing child, and definitely should not be used as a power source. She’s already talented enough without it.

Wonwoo calling his mom brought me to tears. These kids are really insecure, wondering if they’re good enough, if people believe in them. Wonwoo’s one of the stronger dancers on the team but even he struggles with his confidence. It’s totally relatable, and I feel for him.

Overall, their performance was good enough. But on a survival show, you can’t settle for that. You have to go above and beyond. They should have utilized Bora’s rapping ability more, should have had a vocally challenging section for Jung Jinsoul and Jeon Wonwoo to shine. It was all a little disappointing for me.

Ah. Team H. Finally, a group that’s mostly vocal focused. It gets mundane watching so many dance-centered performances in a row, that I was all too excited for them. Until they chose the song “Fiction.” My head was spinning because they have no rappers, but I really liked this group and didn’t want them to humiliate themselves.

The leader, Kim Jinhee, does a brilliant job at leading the ones with two left feet. She, herself, works to the bone to perfect their routine, which makes me too nervous. Are they really going to dance so hard? It’s a little unfair to everyone in the group sans Jinhee to focus on a dance heavy song when none of them can actually dance. My initial thought? Jinhee is selfish.

You could imagine my shock when their dance was completely different from the original! Excuse my language but holy fuck! Their creativity didn’t fail to impress me. It’s rare that you see a whole story play out on stage, but they pulled it off and made it look easy and natural. They even made sure to add in the iconic dance of the song, and they got rid of the rap parts! This immediately made me change my opinion on Jinhee. To me, she felt like the best leader out of all the groups to perform. Trying to highlight your talents along with others’ is a hard feat, but she did it.

Koo Junhoe’s vocals amazed me. He has this rough appearance that makes him look like a scary rapper, but his voice is so smooth. Although, I have to say I prefer Ha Sungwoon’s tone. The “Little Giant” delivered his lines perfectly. The only thing off putting about their performance was Kim Donghyun’s dance. He’s a vocalist, I know, but at least Sungwoon and Junhoe could kind of pull off the dance. To me, Donghyun looked a little awkward and stiff.

Finally, we’ve reached the final team. Are you guys tired of me yet? Bear with me for just a little while longer.

Team I… Their flexibility is really no joke. Those two kids Minhyung and Daehwi went into the splits as easily as I lay down in bed. I liked their song choice, though, since it reflected their youthfulness. Well, the majority of the team was youthful, but Lee Sungyeol is the oldest contestant… I think he’s around my age, maybe older? So it leaves me wondering why he’s still pursuing the life of an idol. Maybe it’s just me, but seeing all these young faces, I’d be doing some introspection. It’s not like he excels at any one thing either. He can sing and kind of rap, and that’s it. Even I’ve given up trying to be an idol, but I guess you gotta give the guy some credit for his resilience and perseverance. He treated the kids well though, so he seems to be a good guy.

I need a second to talk about Min Yoongi’s original rap. The fact that, in only a week, he came up with the lyrics, perfected his flow, and was able to deliver it almost flawlessly is just… wow. And on top of all that, he can do the splits? In fact, all four boys doing the splits wowed me. Doesn’t it hurt for guys? And when they made the sticks appear out of thin air, it felt like I was watching a magic show. It was cool at first, but then I realized there was just a lot going on, on the stage that took away from the actual performance itself. Really, only Yoongi got to shine through this performance—and if I’m being generous, Soojin as well with that flip.

As for the top teams and eliminations… I won’t say much, as I believe my opinions above reflect my thoughts enough for you to understand why I’m not surprised. I will say, though, that I think Team H was more deserving of the first place title; their creativity won it for me. But of course, Junmyeon’s team places first instead (they were good, but I thought H was better). Also, I thought Team F’s performance was a little too basic to receive third place but I guess that’s just me.

I was appalled at Wonshik’s elimination since he’s so proficient in everything. I also hate how the judges used the excuse as being “too young” for Lee Daehwi when there are others around the same age as him; just tell him that he’s not what you’re looking for instead of hiding behind the age factor. Moonbok’s elimination was bound to happen from the minute he stepped into Hyunjin’s space in their stage. It sucks, but he just made too many obvious mistakes for the judges to let it slide. Ji Changmin’s elimination is justified. He really wasn’t memorable.

So here we are! To all the readers who made it this far into the post, I’m both proud of and grateful for you. I know this was quite extensive, but as I was catching up with episodes one and two as well, I realized I had a lot to say about each contestant and their skillset. Nonetheless, I hope I evoked some sort of emotion within you with this analysis, whether you agree or disagree, and for episode four, I’ll do my best to shorten it!

Thanks for reading, fellow netizens! See you next week!

♕ Naomi Wang ♕

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