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Is It More Than "Just A Survival Show"?



(Re)Watching the above clip of Brave Girls' ranking by the end of Round 2, hits on many levels. "The performance matters little" -commentary is harsh, but sits uncomfortably on the razor-bladed edge between both "truth" and "unfairness".

"UNFAIR" to the performers who put in the effort to put on the stages. Thus far nobody looks to be "cruising" though their stages, waiting for votes and streams to fall into their laps (but then again I've not necessarily watched all teams beyond their involvement in "Queendom 2" :p).

But the "TRUTH" is that ultimately this show is moved forward with "votes" too = from Viewers, specific Fandoms, to Global Audience, to Live Audience, and the all-dramatic "Peer Assessment" (Which they call "Self Evaluation", but it doesn't take for me LOL).

And while I do not disagree with the opinion/statement; "The bottom line is that the idol with the most number of fans wins," I would like to balance that out with "the performer who manages to secure enough votes to advance", regardless of their perceived (size of) fandom.

How assured are you of the fandom? Can anyone honestly "guarantee" loyalty? We essentially live in a wwworld where the "loudest" are heard and read, but can you really "know" what every one else is doing? Or "choosing"?

I consider myself a new fan (since watching Queendom 2) of Brave Girls, Kep1er, VIVIZ and Hyolyn - but I could only choose one of them to partner my first vote for LOONA ... so I truly wonder how Mnet could come up with this "2 Vote" structure! I wish someone could dissect and analyse how this formula is achieved, and if there's precedence for this in other similar shows?

Was this the same structure in the first season of Queendom? Kingdom? Road to Kingdom? Sorry, I've not put in the effort to find these out (:p) ... we learn from our "past", but are not beholden to them. Thus far we are all safe in the perceived knowledge that "Queendom 2" will proceed in the way "Queendom S1" had, and I certainly hope there'll be a "twist" gimmick tho! "Predictability" equals "boredom", in this day and FASTpacedage, innit?

Sorry, but I digressssssss :)


As I watched MinYoung of Brave Girls shred tears in the clip (from Ep4) I could feel the despair, even beyond the English translation. You can call it "editing" or "creating faux emotions", but you cannot discount what she/they feel/felt, even though you/we are literally not in their/her dancing shoes.

In all honesty, if you did not witness her shed tears, would BG being ranked lowest (if you are not from their fandopm) below your bias, would you have waivered? (Gosh I sound so heartless here, don't I???)

I can snowflake out and internally rage over the dismal reasons given for down-voting LOONA's stage, but that reality is different when compared to Brave Girls. On the game aspect of the show: One more "6th Place" means they will be eliminated. But on a personal front, as a performer? I can only imagine that "doubt" could be crippling. Or, it could be what spurs on the next challenge. Everybody loves a good victorious comeback, and I reckon by the time the VOCAL/DANCE-specific focus comes around, we'll have something more excitable to witness...!

As far as I am concerned, "ranking last" is by far a more acceptable result than being "eliminated".

The irony being, having been invested as a viewer and fan, I also have to wonder if my opinions have been colored, and I am manifesting the injustices I have received in my own life LOL

Can't deny if that's the case myself, but neither is watching QUEENDOM 2 a "life-and-death" situation, is it? Yes, it is "just a show", but that does not mean my investment in it is to be denied? LOL

"News/Reports" of the girls exchanging phone numbers with each other adorably (to me lah, anyways) also shows this is not as "serious" was I make it out to be, regardless if Yves' bread for Seola continues to decompose ... :p

Everybody talks about a "twist", which to me will only happen if the reigning queen forgoes her crown, and everyone else moves up the ranks. But that would be a cop out as far as I am concerned too, as this is after all a "survival show", which we can only but hope is played fair and clean, innit?

Check out the full video from DduNBob posted below, of the except we saw above.



I had written out the below text before watching the above video, and I agree to a larger extent (but not wholly) of the video.

In my eyes, LOONA has already "won", on multiple levels too = with the opportunities to perform on a wider viewed/watched stage domestically, even with the 2 stages ("PTT" and "Shake It") performed so far, showcasing what they are capable of, beyond their "usual" style & sound we recognise and love in their MVs and comeback show stages, so distinctively "them". Sure, we'll enjoy their DALPHYs, but THIS is different, this is an straight up legit opportunity rot showcase beyond their M.O., IMHO. (Not that what the've done before are "bootlegs", so don't get that twisted :p)

I want to go at lengths both their stages (beyond what I have done so far), but want to hold out to see what other stages they'll be giving us for "QUEENDOM 2" too :)

With their participation in Queendom2, so too have LOONA had the chance to spread the awareness domestically within their own country, which will only grow as the show continues, and that they stay within the rankings.

Each and every comment of "I only know Chuu" I'd read in their video stages, I feel a sense of triumph, that Chuu's hard-work proved its worth beyond mere "recognition". And also shows the abject and bewildering knowledge of LOONA's existence, or lack thereof - for which we've constantly read about and are told in video guides, but be able to witness for myself, during "Queendom 2?, is my own personal takeaway in this journey of loving LOONA.

As part of LOONA's "International Audience", I am so utterly and dumbfoundedly exhilarated to see LOONA being recognised in their own home country.

I may not be a practising musician in my own home country Singapore, and even then I can imagine our own homegrown artistes needing to "convince" the local market to accept them. To be honest, perhaps my notion of this stemmed from the 90s (Yes I am that old, shuddap :p) and of the indie scene struggling to gain acceptance and acknowledgement amidst the "Top Ten Western Charts" of the era...

The Crown. The Premium Comeback Show. The Bragging Rights. (Tell me, who dares say they "won over Hyolyn" tho? :p) The utter joy and victory of both the group and their fandom, is not a thing to be belittled. To folks outside of following this show, THIS could well be an extreme example pf "fandom to the extreme", and the quirk of KPOP (I certainly would think like this, before KPOP and KDRAMA became my everyday life LOL).
The Pressure to Continue to succeed after you've won (something Hyolyn mentioned after her first round win/ranking, and it is true, as you'd inevitably be compared to your past "win", or your "failures"), they are just some of the "treats" at the end of their Queendom-journey, not the "End Of LOONA".

Their achievements and ranking in the show, are based on votes for their stages, and that burden falls on us, and the voters (on-site and global), not for the lack of their efforts.

The responsibility is ours. Not for LOONA "to perform better" or "perform more". They are not our "dancing puppets" to perform for votes, IMHO, which arguably for "non-fans", might well be the rationale to consider adding to their "second vote", while remaining steadfast to their bias.

Is that fair? OF COURSE NOT.
We now live in an age where all of us are critics and (reality challenge show) judges, whose opinions matter, and those opinions are justified as they are rewarded for being a huge part of said reaiity / challenge show we are watching.
How the show moves forward is via the votes.
Everyone could be performing the best stages of their idol-lives, but if no one votes for them, it's just replaying MVs on music channels 24/7, innit? :p

You can argue this'll apply to everyone else, and I cannot deny that. But I'm here for LOONA, so... :)



In the end, WHO is the actual winner?
The one/team who walks away with the Crown and Comeback Show?

Or the broadcast company who continues to profit off ads paid off from gazillion streaming? LOL
But of course that is the trade-off for bringing us the show in the first place lor! LOL

WE are the rats running around the treadmill powering the juice!
And we will gladly do so to support our favourite artists, innit? :)

Cue breathy sunds of running ... :p



The pride of the girls.
The victory and vindication of their fans.
HyunJin represents my tears. Olivia Hye has my ... I don't know exactly what she feels, but I feel that.

They've WON.

BUT it doesn't mean "that's all they're gonna win", WE have to make sure they WIN QUEENDOM 2.
So Vote. So Stream. Go Tweet. Let everyone new to LOONA know who LOONA is, what they are capable of, what they have done, and why there are worthy of ours and your support. Worthy of your votes.

As far as I am concerned (I used this so often it shows my self-arrogance, doesn't it? LOL), LOONA need not do anything but continue to put on a show they can be proud of performing themselves, that they can enjoy for themselves, that fulfils the experience they are all looking for, and have been looking for, and my vote will already be theirs.

In essence, the abovementioned "The bottom line is that the idol with the most number of fans wins," is not untrue, because I am apart of (one of) the fandom. BIG or SMALL(er), I am apart of the system, and I should not yammer on so much, if the team I am supporting is not in dire straits, should I?

I support LOONA yes, but that does not mean my support for others are not valid, even though that might not be welcomed by some in the fandom extreme, perhaps. I might be a multi-stan, but my own favs are not exactly in this line-up, so....

Don't tell me you "Stan Loona", tell me with unbridled pride you "Voted Loona"! Well, at least for the duration of QUEENDOM 2 :)


ASIDE: I found this article on inc.com an interesting read, with positive affirmations to work on, in "7 Things Really Big Winners Do";

1. Winners get in the game.
2. Winners boldly ask for what they want.
3. Winners understand their sphere of influence.
4. Winners gratefully leverage the strengths of others.
5. Winners relentlessly self-promote.
6. Winners shake off the losses.
7. Winners pursue the awesome experience.

I personally wish for LOONA to have all of that. To experience all positivity that they can experience in their time in this industry.

No go vote ~ THANKS! :)

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