Labels
Posted by

The Story of QUEEN IS NA (QUEEN IS ME)





This is the story of the "QUEEN IS NA" ("Queen Is Me") Dance Unit in QUEENDOM 2, how they came to be, and how their performance led to their victory, seen in Episode 7.

And while I've done EPISODE RECAPS for Episode 7, Episode 6 and Episode 5, this post'll be dedicated to this performance, including reposts and more. Thank you for your indulgence :)

I will try to present the videos here as chronologically was I am able to, bearing in mind that said videos posted here might be (eventually) pulled from YT due to copyright claims (as have tons of videos in my recaps :p). I have as well included screengrabs (previously posted), to assist me in telling the story of QUEEN IS NA here in this post, cheers.



ORIGIN OF THE "DANCE UNIT" & FORMATION
"Round 3" of the survival show is split into TWO PARTS, the first of which was the "Unit Position Battle" (subject to English translation), whereby participating teams/groups were to compete in TWO Unit Rounds: "VOCAL" and "DANCE" - whose combined scores (points are allocated for the three rankings for each unit battle) will constitute the score for "Round 3 / Part 1".

For this particular part, all teams/groups/soloist were partnered up, as seen in the "Queendom Workshop" episodes (Ep5 & Ep6).

The DANCE Unit was formed slightly different from the VOCAL Unit, whereby teams first chose the song - based on what they witnessed of a short choreo-performance clip shown to everyone - then were paired up based on a round-robin-esque elimination-style.

This unit was formed from the Queendom Workshop (Episode 5 thru to Ep6), comprising of Eunji (of Brave Girls), HeeJin, Cheorry, Yves and Olivia Hye of LOONA.

"Brave Girls" are a 4-member team, which has consistently placed low on the show rankings. Only one girl - Eunji - volunteered for the Dance Unit. Minyoung (leader Brave Girls) is in the VOCAL Unit.

"LOONA" is a 12-member team, which missed the first Round of competition (due to the entire team contracting Covid-19 during the time), and have missed out on points allocated, and was placed last in rankings for the first round. A total of 4 Members volunteered for the Dance Unit - comprising of HeeJin, Cheorry, Yves and Olivia Hye.

4 other girls from LOONA are in the VOCAL Unit (HaSeul, Kim Lip, JinSoul and Chuu), whom formed up with girls from Kep1er and performed as the "SUN AND MOON" Vocal Unit (*Which I featured extensively HERE).





THE CHOREOGRAPHY
The choreography was by Monika of PROWDMON - one of three crews from Mnet's previous dance survival show "Street Woman Fighter" ("SWF", also referred to as "SUPA" sometimes by Koreans subtitling their reaction videos) - that are apart of the three choreo that the Dance Unit had chosen for (The other two being "LACHICA" and" HOLYBANG", for "KA-BOOM" and "PURR", respectively).

Seen above is the short clip of the choreo which the girls saw at the Wueendom Workshop (before choosing), while below is an UPDATED FULL Version of the choreo by Monika.



The girls first discussed the choreos, and their preferred choices (sequences not show here), before heading off to choose their song, without telling other teams about their choices.

Queendom2 Ep5 Loona Dance UNit on tunestalksg
Queendom2 Ep5 Dance UNit Together on tunestalksg
Queendom2 Ep5 Dance Unit Family Pic on tunestalksg


Brave Girls' Eunji was the only girl to head straight to "탐이 나" (There was no definitive English name given for the track as yet during this time), as she'd mentioned that she would less likely to be "kicked out" of the group.

The LOONA girls had first chosen "PURR", and partnered with Kep1er, before they were kicked out by VIVIZ. They next chose "KA-BOOM!" And was partnered with WJSN, but was subsequently ousted by Hyolyn, and they finally automatically arrived and partnered with Eunji.





MONIKA
Monika coached the girls in the limited time during the Queendom Workshop, as well after that during a visit to the BlockBerry Creative practice studio. As well attended the group's rehearsals on stage/set, prior to recording.

Monika is prominently featured in all times alongside BG X LOONA practice, with the edits showing her to be a harsh taskmaster, and the girls' reception to her had been of somewhat fear and awe. The narrative formed was of a uphill-climb by BG X LOONA, as they learnt the choreo, understood the choreo, and finally delivered the assignment on stage. The narrative of "triumphing over adversity" was very nicely presented here.

EPISODE 6 Monika Trains Loona at Workshop:





Queendom2 Ep6 Monika Workshop 01
Queendom2 Ep6 Monika Workshop 02


When Eunji revealed her major was "Modern Dance", it was as if it was a perfectly written script to this narrative, where the girls of LOONA are shown struggling with the choreo, with the spotlight first on Olivia Hye, and subsequently shift to HeeJin during the on-stage rehearsal.



Queendom2 Ep6 Monika Workshop 03
Queendom2 Ep6 Monika Workshop 04




INTERIM CHECK STAGE
There was a "Dance Unit Interim check" during the queendom Workshop, where all participants saw the units performed their routine (after rehearsing earlier in the day), and subsequently voted for their favourites ("Peer Assessment"). QUEEN IS NA won this cycle, and was awarded the ability to CHOOSE the Cue Sheet for the Dance Stages.





DANCE PRACTICE @ BBC
Eunji visits BBC to practice with LOONA (And tours the girls' individual vocal rooms), and Monika arrives, and provides the direction with which the girls would further understand the choreo and the assignment they had to submit. This segment turned out to be more profound and embraced by "discovery", rather than the sole reason to "practice hard" a choreo they did not feel specifically in tuned with, IMHO.





Queendom2 Ep7 Monika Trains LOONA in BBC 01


There is a slight "disconnect" between the above video clips and the screengrabs posted directly below, only because the latter was from earlier previewed trailers, but no doubt were apart of the entire segment, just not edited and show in the above-featured stream/broadcast of the program proper. It is obvious there are possibly tons more footage, but I thanks Mnet and the producers for giving us more than just repeats of same footages, IMHO.

ENVIOUS QUEEN BRAVE GIRLS LOONA Queendom2 01
ENVIOUS QUEEN BRAVE GIRLS LOONA Queendom2 01
ENVIOUS QUEEN BRAVE GIRLS LOONA Queendom2 02


Through tweets (and translations from FAB), it was revealed that Olivia Hye tore her hamstring during their rehearsals, and powered thru her pain for the stage performance.









STUDIO REHEARSALS & STAGE PERFORMANCE
All three dance units featured on-set rehearsals, each with their own issues and problems. The narrative for QUEEN IS NA had changed focus to Olivia Hye's initial resistance to the choreo, to this time a focus on HeeJin instead, and of a mistake she let happen during rehearsals. By now, viewers would realize Mnet's static of "piling up the problems", which'll lead to eventually "triumphant", so I am all good here!

ENVIOUS QUEEN BRAVE GIRLS LOONA Queendom2 03



From here on in are multiple videos featuring the performance with REACTIONS from other teams (as seen in the initial stream/boradcast), followed by the full broadcast version, than the full unedited fancam of the main stage, and individual fancam footage. Scroll forth, and ENJOY!



BROADCAST Version (live edit with steadicam footage):



FULL FANCAM version AKA locked-full shot of the stage and line-up:













Kudos to the black-n-white-red filter effect (last seen in "Sin City" of me), which truly led to the noir and tension mood setting for the piece, giving it more intensity within it's short song duration, which by the end will find yourself "exhuasted" somehow, IMHO.

I am by no means a "dancer", or have been before, but even then I could see the control they had to have had over their moves, constantly slowed down with grace, at the same time maintaining their stories - a haughty and proud cat was Olivia Hye - who'll bite you as soon as she will allow you to pet her, with Queen Cat Eunji, fauned over by HeeJin, with the trio's opening sequence setting and cementing their intended identities.

Olivia Hye's opening solo intro and her bit with everyone dancing around her, was such a triumphant evolution to her "hesitation and apprehension" edited into earlier behind-the-scenes segment, and we witness not just her triumphant over herself, but feel it too, remembering perhaps a vague but faint preconception. Beyond her drop-dead powerful moves, was her intense fiacla exporessions and those eyes' that'll judge you for all eternity LOL ~ Well done indeed.

I have not heard Cheorry's singing for a long time - amidst 11 other girls of LOONA - and since her splendid "Love Cherry Motion" solo, and she shone brightly and sultry here. And while she dd not have her own killing part solo, she stood steadfast and anchored the line-up.

HeeJin. HeeJin. HeeJin. The center at the start of the iconic "Tell Me Now" that sent gasps to other teams and no doubt viewers of her in teasers, trailers and previews, and continued to perform her darned best, without subsequent killing parts after the opening, giving a decent spread to everyone in the line-up to shine. She shone so brightly without needing toi be constantly in the spotlight, as out eyes would've already fought to stay with the spotlight, instead of searching for her in the line-up.

Yves came and slayed. That is all.
Her stare at the end, burrowing into your inner deepest soul and guilt, judging you, left no crumbs at the day's end. THIS is a cat you don't want to mess with. But you have this feeling she'll love you to the deepest end of the Earth, but just don't betray her feelings.



AND THE WINNERS ARE...
Similar to the VOCAL Units episodes, the Live Audience (and only the Live Audience in the studio) voted for their Sole Favourite Unit (choosing ONE, instead of TWO, ala previous 2 Rounds), with the result made known to all the units on the same day. This was what happened to QUEEN IS NA...



ABOVE: The ass-grabbing and shoulder-biting hilarity was balanced out by HaSeul's crying. Classic "LOONA", which I am more than glad that everyone else gets to see them now.

BELOW: Brave Girls Eunji pretends to be sad to fool her other team members. Loved it that they called her bluff. I have to admit, it had only been thru "Queendom 2", that I had a chance to know a little bit more about Brave Girls (beyond their music videos and reactions MVs from youtubers), and have been liking them as "people" as opposed to just their discography. Eunji being chucked aside by her team who loves her was gold LOl



Victory is achieved, the points balanced out with the lowest ranking given to the SUN AND MOON Unit, for LOONA, while Minyoung and Eunji partnering with both Hyolyn and LOONA (respectively) helped them achieve a leg over their thus far lowest ranking amongst the participating teams, risking them being eliminated from the competition altogether (if any team is awarded Lowest Rank TWICE in a row). The trailer for Episode 8 is just out (as I am prepping to publish this blogpost), and they have shown Brave Girls to be "facing problems".... Oh dear...

And with that, "QUEEN IS NA" / "QUEEN IS ME" ends their tenure in 'QUEENDOM 2".



THE SONG
The track has been known via a few names, with the more recognisable and most used on socials being "Tell Me Now", while on Mnet's YT thumbnail, is known as "Tam-I-Na".



Composed by Oh Ro Ri and Kwon Ae Jin (also credited as "Arranger"), featuring lyrics by GDLO = all 3 credited are from music publishing house "MonoTree" - whom fans might recognise to have provided both pre-debut solos, B-sides and debut tracks for LOONA, synonymous with their earlier discography, including the following (listing on loonatheworld.fandom.com) - essentially before Jaden Jeong left BlockBerry Creative, where the musical connection ended thereafter. Understanding this situation, the reconnection between LOONA and MonoTree for this stage, is to me, one of the wonderful things to come out of "Queendom 2".

Composed & arranged by MT (which does not include "only lyrics"):
+ +
ADD
Around You
Butterfly
Curiosity
D-1
Girl's Talk
frozen
Hi High
Hi High (Remix)
Into the New Heart
I Like You More Now
Kiss Later
LOONATIC
LOONATIC (Eng. Ver.)
Love & Live
Love & Live (Remix)
Love Letter
My Melody
My Sunday
Perfect Love
rendezvous 18.6y
Starlight
Sweet Crazy Love
The Carol
The Carol 2.0
Uncover
Valentine Girl
ViViD
ViViD (Acoustic Mix)




Yes, "Tell Me Now" features voices of all five girls, who focused on the dance aspect of the stage performance instead. Here's a colour-coded video with line-distribution.



Thank you for stayng with this post so far, hope you'll continue to enjoy the videos and the show.

Cheers,
Andy TOYSREVIL




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts