calamariexpert

Does anyone know when they'll release the show songs, like they did with the Queendom albums?

The stagecraft on the show was amazing. With the full cam and fan cam videos on mnet's youtube channel, I could see how they set up so many different little mini stages during each song and the complex arrangements involved. Even how the videographer (and the person standing behind each videographer guiding them) had to walk around and catch the right dance movement at the right time while holding the camera steady looked really complex.

I liked Seven Tan from Under the Power, but now I'm a Wallace fan too (especially Wallace on a horse, Wallace holding a weapon, etc.).

I'm an Ateez fan too, now ;) My biggest problem with Ateez is that when I ask my Alexa to play Ateez, it keeps playing '80's music....

Yes, they were excellent, especially the pink-haired member with the impressively high notes, the leader arranging the music mashup with Dvorak, and all of their hardworking singing and dancing.

But separate from each groups' performance and ranking - mnet (with their particular history) could have made things look more equitable by having comparable stagecraft/budgets/rules that applied to all the groups.

Similarly, each group should have comparable accommodations - Ateez should have had comfy sofas to sit on like the other groups, instead of the rolling little chairs they had in their waiting room - especially considering how everyone was waiting in their waiting rooms for so long during the filming.

Thanks for the very detailed information. I agree with almost everything you wrote. It was clear that SF9 Jaeyoon wholeheartedly, voluntarily, insisted on doing the move, but there must be people behind the scenes/in every company who can veto potential actions/ideas/words by the group members. Maybe in that short period of time between rehearsal and performance, they couldn't find a better, safer compromise. Anyway, I hope he's okay. I was surprised to see how physical their performances were - so much of it was like interpretive dance/competitive dance/acting/gymnastics-like.

Excuse me, I'm just curious, what language is the above comment in?

Is this based on a novel?

Random thoughts on the first 3 episodes:
- Ateez's Seonghwa was super cute holding his cellphone up over his face, with a scrolling fan slogan, all during BTOB's performance - seeing the starstruck expression on his face made me appreciate how much BTOB meant to the younger groups.
- I really liked Ateez's blonde member (forgot his name) choosing Dvorak's New World to do the mashup.
- I didn't realize BTOB's Minhyuk was a swordsman in the film The Swordsman - no wonder he can swing that sword so well
- Then I looked up the BTOB members and realized that one of their members still in the military, Sungjae, was the young God in k-drama Goblin: The Great and Lonely God.
- Where did Ateez's company get that Kraken? It was awesome.
- So apparently many of SF9's members are actors and that's why their acting was so good?
- I really liked the falling LED screen in the BOYZ's side stage, it made a great illusion that the member hanging by a rope was falling into a pit of zombies
- It was pretty funny in episode 1 when the younger groups were all in ripped black leather and chains, the older groups were in casual white outfits, and then the bespoke suit-ed model-like SF9 walked in and everyone was like - they're all so tall and handsome and look at that "suit fit!"...
- BTOB's Changsub is so funny.
- Stray Kids' Felix has such a deep, unusual voice. I thought his vocal line was computer generated, but it seems like he's actually capable of such a crazy-deep amazing voice.
- I was impressed that BTOB's leader, Eunkwang, is also now a Director at their entertainment company. As part of the Board of Directors, he can better advocate for his group. It's nice to hear of an artist who can move into management/top level of the company.
- The cultural custom where they address seniors as Sunbae and juniors as Hyung (?) is interesting - it was funny when one group actually got down on their knees in the middle and pretended to give huge full-body bows to BTOB, who were frantically bent over and trying to avoid the big courtesy - I had no idea BTOB were so senior to the others.
- If the blonde member from SF9 could get/was hurt from that big jump (he was already limping during rehearsals), they should have altered the choreography so that they wouldn't run that risk. Maybe it's part of the competitive nature of the industry, but impressive stagecraft shouldn't require someone jumping from such a great height onto their feet on a hard stage. Their stage manager/choreographer/whoever was responsible for choosing that stunt shouldn't be trusted with the groups' on-stage safety.
- before performances, most of the groups were hoping that they could perform well and not get injured. Makes me wonder what the injury rate is like for their high-intensity performances.

Finished watching the available 3 episodes - I didn't know any of these k-pop groups before, but now I really like and respect them all for their hard work and positive attitude (or maybe it's their excellent "image training"). I started listening to BTOB's other songs and checked out others' music videos. Hope this raises their profile globally, especially since Kingdom is being broadcast on Viki. (I even downloaded that whosfan app just so I could vote - and I've never bothered to vote on these online things before.)

Overall, the performances were amazing. Some members talked about the competition as a rare opportunity to perform on a stage (outside of paid concerts and end of year music shows), be challenged to rise to another level of stagecraft/music creativity, and connect with fans (when the pandemic cancels overseas shows). Seeing someone in a 2-4 minute music video is nothing compared to watching these groups in 1 hour 38 min episodes learning and practicing and performing.

I usually avoid k-pop shows, but I'm liking this one because 1) Each group is already established/experienced; 2) Everyone stays until the end/no eliminations; and 3) There isn't the emotional devastation/career desperation/inexperienced immaturity that may be on other trainee-elimination shows. I'm glad that it's not mean-spirited and there's no bullying shown. The groups are all shown in a hard-working, positive light. I also liked that during these pandemic times, it's a way for these established groups to be on a stage for their fans. One of my favourite parts (apart from the performances of course) is watching them "fanboy" (fangirling/stanning/starstruck?) over each other.

I just noticed Heaven Official's Blessing animated series on Netflix!

I just finished reading the Who Moved My Mountain, Don't Discriminate Against Species, and Ascending Do Not Disturb fluffy, supernatural, novels (see Novel Updates site), where the MC's have heaven and earth bags to carry all their supernatural treasures, so it was on my mind.

I just assume they have an inter dimensional qiankun (heaven and earth) bag like in asian fantasy novels - because, yeah, how do they wander all over the place and hang out in the forest without a change of clothes, kitchen utensils, hairbrush, etc?

Thanks! I found the videos - Here's a short clip of the intro - I also like seeing the Ju Jingyi, the FL from Legend of Yunxi/Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion, and Amber Liu; and Simon Gong's makeup is astoundingly good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRUD8zPh36U

GJ as lead in Unique Lady 2 pops up on Viki.

What's Chuang? I'm guessing that ratings explode when he appears, social media explodes when he sings, and hilarity ensues. When he was singing on Happy Camp, I noticed that he had such a big happy smile, and he was a very good sport about it all.

My goodness. Simon Gong's singing leaves me speechless. As mentioned below, see Happy Camp subbed episode at 17:22:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHpk18A9DN8

Took a break from WoH to wait for subs, and now random thoughts on episode 22:
- Ha, finally someone notices that ZZH keeps on stumbling on corpses everywhere - WKX thinks ZZH is a death jinx - I've been wondering how they come across so many fresh corpses but are never framed for being the murderers
- During fight scene in the teahouse/restaurant - I like that the assassins are killed with a simple swipe to the throat, there's no gore or spurting blood
- Seems like everyone is trying to kill Chengling - he's totally the right person to learn those evasive Cloud Passing Steps
- I really like Gun Xiang's character - she's brusque and doesn't fit any of the female stereotypes in dramas. She's fierce, but neither naive, coquettish nor patriotic.
- I like that everyone's makeup is so neutral/natural (other than the female ghosts) - their lips seem to have no added colour at all
- When the assassins are chasing them - it's the same wooden bridge where ZZH and WKX met!
- I like that teen Chengling is actually a skinny teen actor who looks like a kid - usually teen characters are played by grown adults in dramas - having the teen Chengling is a nice physical contrast to the older, taller, stronger, male actors in the story
- Scorpion King is very charismatic. Found this little subbed clip of him answering questions about WoH, he has a great voice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNoMPRkr-Bs
- ZZH and Gu Xiang chatting is priceless. "If you weren't a girl, I would beat you up 8 times a day."
- Awww, ZZH being fierce and protective of WKX when Master Shen wants to confront unconscious WKX

Watched episode 1 - my little kids and I enjoyed it. Convinced them to watch it with me because there are animals. Light and cute and so far we've seen a cat, horses, tortoises, a bunny, a little lizard and a dog.
(Almost every other drama I want to watch with them has torture/zombies (Word of Honor), family members dying on screen (Moon Brightens for You, Vincenzo), or something else that would scare them, so this was good.)