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Recapping Episode 10 & My Overall Impressions of QUEENDOM2



The 10th and final episode of QUEENDOM 2 aired Thursday night from 9:20PM KST, lasting a whopping three hours' worth. WJSN was crowned the winner for Queendom 2. THIS was what I wrote not long after Episode 10 was aired:
If QUEENDOM 2 was meant to showcase KPOP GIRL GROUPS vying for the top spot from a equal level, then neither Hyolyn nor Kep1er should have been invited. The story imbalance outweighed logic. Kepler would have been too "new" a rookie group to throw into the lion's den, and at the same time Hyolyn would've been playing in a wholly different league. VIVIZ would have dominated, while Brave Girls were the default "name" for under-dog subccess story in KPOP (with their re-success of "Rollin'"), and WJSN and LOONA would've duked it out - which Ironically they did, in the finale.

The above self-quoted notion remains largely the same, but the "anger" (oiling inside of me as I typoed these :p) has since subsided quite a bit actually. It has taken me over a week sitting on what I wrote, to re-evaluate my impressions and opinions, to be able to share ghe following blogpost today. But before that, here are my RECAPS for previous episodes:

Episode 9 Recapped
Episode 8 Recapped
Episode 7 Recapped
Episode 6 Recapped
Episode 5 Recapped
Episode 4 Recapped
Episode 3 Recapped
Episode 2 Recapped
Episode 1 Rewatched
Episode 1 Recapped
ALL QUEENDOM2 Features on TUNESTALKSG


All recaps above exclude my dedicated-LOONA features, which is nestled under THIS TAG, and if you don't know by now, TUNESTALKSG is a "LOONA-fan blog" as well, so do understand the focus on them in Queendom2, cheers. Moving on...!

DISCLAIMER: THis blogpost might not have Up-to-Date information about other artists/contestants (at time of this blogpost publocation). Do check in with your fav groups' socials for further information and updates, thanks!





Following a recap and grandiose entrance-cum-presentation of all 6 teams&soloist, we delved straight into the performers according to the cue sheet decided on by Brave Girls in Episode 9. The cue sheet was revealed one by one during the airing of Ep10. But first, the RULES for VOTING.



We also see all the contestants sat next to the main performance stage (not directly facing the main stage tho), and this is the first time they are able to literally see and feel the stages, when before they had watched on the monitor placed inside their respective green rooms.

Coincidentally, I have as well embedded fancam-videos for each of the stages in this post (after the "officially" released Full Cams), so we could at least have a gauge and experience of the live audience during filming, and quite frankly it has given me a renewed POV of the stages we have been presented with from Mnet. Here's hopping the copyright is not disrupted for the fancams, cheers.



HYOLYN's journey was introduced first, whereby her hidden card included the addition of South Korean rapper Lee Yong Ji (이영지) to perform in her stage for "WAKA BOOM (MY WAY)".



The performance reminded me of the majesty of (G)IDLE's LION (in Queendom) in the way the QUEEN is presented, which is in no way a slight, but for the sheer chutzpah and scope of the stage, which by now has become a hallmark of the seasoned performer!

Hyolyn has embodied the "Go Big Or Go Home"-mantra, since her eye-dropping Round 1 stage, to her "So What" song switch stage for Round 2, proving her metal with the nigh emotional Vocal Unit Stage (with MinYoung of Brave Girls), then back to the groovegrind with the girls of WJSN for the Dance Unit Round, then her FANtastic "See Sea, Bae", and now "Waka Boom"? No one who had watched Queendom2 can not not recognise her skills now!



Besides the multiple visual personas Hyolyn has treated us to throughout Queendom2, her color remained as clear as her concise understanding of what she wants to do, and what needs to be done to get it done. She is not out for just herself, but chooses to uplift those who have worked with her. I had somewhat imagined a "Grand Master" to be what Hyolyn has done in Queendom2. To aspire, to guide, and she performed, walking the talk, respect earned, eyeballs now wide opened. Perhaps if she returns in "Queendom 3"?

And from online sentiment, she's no doubt already been crowned the Queen, regardless of show results. And thanks to Queendom2, I have had the chance to see her in a new and refreshed light - whom my memories are still somewhat fixed on "My Boy" (even though I'd only just featured Laying Low), with eager respect for her as a person, and her craft.

The immortal (English translated) words of Brave Girls' Yuna remained vivid (paraphrasing): "Hyolyn is the main course, while others are the appetiser" LOL

All eyes'll be on her for her July Comeback with a brand-new album (Info Source: Soompi.com)






For their final stage, WJSN performed the track "AURA" - written by team leader Exy (which would've made a apt WJSN BLACK song).



WJSN's color has been the most consistent for Queendom2, in that their girlie/your-dream-girlfriend uniformed vibe had been visually evident throughout their stages, with the sole exception of Round 3 Part 1's Dance Unit with Hyolyn, and the final stage, where they veered toward a "girl crush" aesthetic (but still with a "uniformed"-vibe) that would fit right well with the pleather-clad warrior-women LOONA in their "PTT" MV. They gave their fans what they expected and recognized, stayed "on brand", and ultimately - SPOILER - were crowned the Queens of Queendom2.



ABOVE: Full Cam release by MNET.
BELOW: Independent FanCam Footage.



It has been announced that WJSN will have a Comeback scheduled for July 5 (Info source: soompi.com).... I wonder if it's the comeback show with Mnet, that was promised as the benefit prize of winning Queendom2? If not, it'll be a busy month ahead!



Kep1er was next on the cue sheet, and they performed a brand new track "THE GIRLS" (liking the wordplay follow up to "THE BOYS" for their FANtastic Queendom-stage).



Kep1er has presented a somewhat similar showcase of grit without much variety, IMHO, with the exception of Round 2 Song Switch, and their SUN AND MOON vocal unit showcased a different color of Kep1er. Even their Dance Unit performance in PURR felt apart of their wheelhouse (to this untrained eye of mine, cheers), which continued to evoke their Girl Crush persona, and well, simply crushed the stages. They delivered what they showed and represented.

For me, THIS was the color of Kep1er, here and now, that will remain with me whenever "Kep1er in Queendom 2" is evoked. I might not be a fan enough to exclaim this, but I felt hella proud to see them perform in this round.



ABOVE: Full Cam official release by Mnet.
BELOW: Independant FanCam



From their very first appearance in Queendom2, and their energizer spirit burning bright, to the flickering of the confidence flame, to the narrative of them failing and coming up short, is somewhat baffling and quite frankly unfair to the girls. Sometimes it does feel like these "confident girls needing to be taken a peg or two down", by the powers that be, or the stroy being sold/told.

For all their inexperience versus every other team in Queendom2, I'd expect a certain amount of guidance and learning experience - but it feels they'd been thrown off into the deep end, with the only "similarity" being debuting in the same year as VIVIZ - which technically is correct, but woefully bullshit. "It's a competition" people say = which only matches up of they are all on a levelled playing field, IMHO.

And while they might not be "seasoned performers" ("rookie" is the word constantly bandied about, technically "true" but I feel dimishes their talent), which somehow might be unfair to former CLC-member Youjin, but ... they are skilled and talented performers, and it would be just a matter of (literal) "time" for them to clock-up their experience.



I am wholly unfamiliar with Kep1er, with a vague knowledge of their existence borne of the Girls Planet 999 talent survival show, but at the same time felt Queendom2 was a sweet vehicle for them to learn and be exposed. Alternatively - as are most KPOP groups (I suspect), they dwell within their own bubble of performance, or shared stages for music shows, for wins.

And seeing them interact during the Queendom Workshop, and with their respective Vocal and Dance Units, felt so "rewarding" and fruitful (and no doubt visa verse for everyone else). When the finale called them "Baby Queens", I felt torn - on one hand it was "aaawwww", but on the other: "Waitaminute! They might be a Rookie Group but they're not here for fun and giggles, you now"? .... then I realized, I had started to care about them.

A lot of times it felt as if they are "proving their skills", but I do not think that is what they need to prove, not even the slightest smidge, but rather to other performers, that the are worthy of their skills, to be able to stand on stage with other performers, and be looked upon as equals. Let's face it, in the culture were "seniority" factors heavily into their standing, they'll need to do their time, grit their teeth, and notch up those stages. And the next thing you know, we'll be witnessing the girls of Kep1er grow up in front of us, and when we'll reminiscent about the days when they were "Baby Queens". This is what I feel like, watching YeoJin the maknae of LOONA - from her debut, to graduating from school, to now reach womanhood, and me become that old prude who'll be thinking "WTF are you wearing now, young lady???!!!!"



Kep1er has announced their comeback, which'll feature their 2nd mini album "DOUBLAST", where we'll be treated to yet another color - similar to the playful pink vibe of Round 2's "Song Switch".

"DOUBLAST" is scheduled for a June 20th release (at 6pm KST), exactly the same day and time with LOONA's comeback just announced this morning! Which means they'll be doing promotions at the same time! Which means SUN AND MOON will meet again! Which means they will be competing with each other for music shows too! I don't know about the fans and each fandom, but I think they'll both be having a blast and cheering each other on :)



After the first 3 performances (Hyolyn, WJSN, Kep1er), the YouTube Video scores and Fan's Choice (Mnetworld voting for prior videos) was announced, with LOONA placed first for both.






VIVIZ performed "Red Sun" - a song originally belonging to Source Music (during their time as apart of the since disbanded "GFRIEND", but was never used), with permission eventually granted to perform on Queendom2, along with a musical-styled stage. The girls dressed in beautiful dressed inspired by "LA LA LAND", and is by far the cleanest they have been for the entirety of Queendom2.



From their nostalgia-fuelled Round 1 performance of GRIEND'S "Time for the Moon Night" with "Rough", WJSN's "UNNATURAL" for Round 2, Eunha's wailing-win for Vocal Unit round (with WJSN), SinB and Umji's Dance Unit team up with Kep1er, followed by Part 2 of Round 3 - FANtastic Round - where saw them do a juiced-up cheerlead-inspired BOP BOP! (Which they performed for in the Opening Show). And finally "Red Sun" has got to me favouritest of their stages, with comfortable and clear brightly-lit story and stage, that showcased their charms and fluidity in performance, as compared to their earlier stages.

Having watched Full Cam version (below), it is even more fabulous than I initially though, and it felt like a wonderful colour-blend of what I felt their initial GFRIEND-vibe, and their VIVIZ-color is, moving forward. It felt a perfect "middle"-group, without the need to go "extreme" either way, IMHO.



ABOVE: Full Cam release by Mnet.
BELOW: Independent FanCam



I am unfamiliar with both VIVIZ and GFRIEND, so cannot comment on their "color" and the consistency seen in Queendom2, but I feel we were able to glimpse at aspects of their versatility, and especially them being a "rookie-group" - not ignoring their "Gfriend"-past, but perhaps with Queendom2 - able to provide decent closure for the suddenly disbanded Kpop girl group, and at the same time the show was a perfect vehicle to test the waters, and try out styles that could or could not go into their future identity and repertoire.



LOONA performed POSE for their final stage. I have featured this at length HERE (including Individual fancams), and said what I'd needed to say about the track, cheers.



Honestly, I cannot thank Mnet enough for taking care of LOONA (Zero points for Round 1 notwithstanding). From a narrative view point, they were first painted in an underdog light, a gg struggling to keep their heads above water, with the narrative slowly evolving through the episodes to the girls actively participating in and engaging in their own stages, beyond practising the choreo. There might not be a robust line-up of talking heads, but they more than made up with multiple footage set-ups, and we saw a lot more of their bruises than we had for other teams (if at all)... we could see it for ourselves, from their practice videos to edited footage.



ABOVE: Full Cam released by Mnet.
BEOW: Independent FanCam.



There is a story-arc, and unfolded as we journey alongside them eqach episode they appeared in through to the finale, and that should not be taken for granted, so THANK YOU, Producers, for taking care of LOONA. You are not responsible for the finale award choice, but you certainly helped our girls achieve - for the public's eyes and heart to see and feel - what we as fans already know what they are capable of.

Of course I am wholly biased here, but "knowing" the girls (thru the narrow POV of online videos and LOONA TV Episodes), and how they are and how they actively engage with the camera, you'd know the effort they have taken.

For all intents and purposes, the same could be said of ALL contestants, whom their own fandom perhaps know more about than "others", and the difference is something no one else outsode of KPOP fandom might understand and care for, alas.




The above "trek to the mountain top to watch the sunrise" was such a unique POV (beyond the rooftop parties X 3), and a calming segway into their hyper-masculine "POSE" stage, and a reminder of who the girls are, whom we have been supporting thus far into Queendom2. And whatever heavy burdens of unhappiness and disgruntled feelings of LOONA not winning Queendom2, is by far suppressed by their upcoming June 20th "FL!P THAT" comeback...! MOVING ON!









The finale for the cue sheet performance featured BRAVE GIRLS, who performed "Whistle". From initial tears and disappointment of being placed last, to victory with being placed 1st, their narrative and redepmtion arc for the entirety of Queendom2 mirrored their surprise success for "Rollin'", and gave a decidedly positive narrative for the show. Mentioning this is not meant too invalidate their efforts, I insist! Because this is one group we can literally see with our own eyes, their development and difference in stages.



From the awkward Round 1, to (*my personal favourite stage for Brave Girl's) "MVSK" in Round 2, to MinYoung's emotional duet with Hyolyn for Round 1 Part 2 Vocal Unit, to Eunji's team up with LOONA for Dance Unit, to the inspiring "Red Sun" (for FANtastic Round), in a return to their "Summer Queens" form for "Whistle", is something to be remembered for Queendom2, IMHO.



ABOVE: Full Cam release by Mnet.
BELOW: Independent FanCam.



Brave Girls' agency Brave Entertainment had earlier officially announced their U.S. tour, where they'll travel to 9 different cities across the United States this July (Info Source: Soompi.com)!







With all 6 stages performed, viewers are next introduced to a "Special Song" segment, where representatives from 5 teams + Hyolyn recorded the "지나온(Epilogue)" song we often hear the tune for in Queendom2. Check out the MV below:



This is the first time Taeyeon was physically involved - beyond her hosting stint on Queendom2 Episodes - with her sharing with Eunha (from VIVIZ), Seola (WJSN), HeeJin (LOONA), Yuna (Brave Girls) and Hyolyn. Yeoseo from Kep1er recored at a seperate timing, alas. This segment was actually revealed online hours prior to the show stream.









FINAL SCORES:
WJSN 81020
LOONA 77988
VIVIZ 54419
Hyolyn 48761
Kep1er 46976
Brave Girls 45896















And with that, my coverage ends for Queendom2. The beginning of the week saw a number of fancams shared online - with my feeds predominantly of LOONA - and as well Members of LOONA sharing their behind stories, But perhaps I will end Queendom2 in my heart, as much as Mnet no longer posts video practices etc, and has moved on from whatever controversies surrounding the results and accusations of "rigged voting".

Regardless of the competition result, I certainly hope that participants'll have had a good rest, before starting up their promotions and grind in the KPOP industries!

ONE WEEK after Queendom2 ended, I had felt somewhat listless for the entire week ... sure I had my daily blogs to maintain, and my real-life tasks to execute, but there were no specific video clips to look forward to - although I WAS waiting for performance videos and practice videos, and even commentary videos, but no doubt Mnet has "abandoned" this show, but for fancams, and since moved on to other shows. When Thursday night/last night rolled around, there was a abject lack of stress and anticipation of my habit in searcing for mirrored live-streams to watch LOL

Thank you for Queendom2, Mnet. It has been somehat life-altering enjoyable experience, I'm not going to lie! Kudos to all staff involved in the production, behind and in front of the camera!

And to the girls who were injured: You've worked hard!
Kep1er’s Kim Chae Hyun was taken to a hospital for health concerns (Soompi.com) ahead of the finale ... LOONA's HeeJin was rushed to the hospital post-event for enteritis ( inflammation of the small intestine), and JinSoul "collapsed in the car on the way to the dorm", and Olivia Hye pulling her hamstring while rehearsing/practicing choreo for the stage. HWAITING, EVERYONE!
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