Tag: Kep1er

It is time we crown the next Queen of KPOP through the second season of Queendom. Following the success of Queendom Season 1 (which crowned Mamamoo as the winner), Road to Kingdom (which gave The Boyz a one way ticket to the next competition) and Kingdom: Legendary War (which crowned Stray Kids as the winner), Queendom is officially back with six new female participants. This season sees WJSN (Cosmic Girls), LOONA, Brave Girls, Kep1er, VVIZ and Hyolyn battle it out for the Queendom title, while Taeyeon (from SNSD) takes the helm as MC this time around.

As I have reviewed part of Queendom, all of Road To Kingdom and Kingdom: Legendary War, I will also be reviewing the stages of Queendom 2, recapping the high caliber performances from each round and also putting forward my thoughts on what the ranking should have been for that round.

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Round 3 (Part 1) – Position Unit Battle

For the first part of Round 3, the six competitors split off into groups of two for a battle of vocals and then into different groups of two for a battle of dance. Not all members of each competitor has to compete, but each team must be represented in the battles.

Each group of two for the vocals and dance battles are awarded votes based on their performance. And based on the rankings from these votes (i.e. whichever order they rank in first, second and third), they will be awarded with points that will go to towards their final ranking. I can’t find information on whether the votes are coming from a judging panel or a set number of audience viewers are voting in this round.

For these battles, I will looking at each performance individually, and then have a separate personal ranking for the vocal and dance battles at the very end of the post (where I usually display my personal ranks for the round). These personal ranks, per usual, will be compared to the official rankings from the show. These personal rankings will also be going towards the final ranking to determine the winners of Queendom 2.

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Vocals Battle

Don’t Go – Sun and Moon
Members: Haseul, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Chuu (LOONA) & Kim Chaehyun, Seo Youngeun (Kep1er)
(Orig. Artist: EXO)

LOONA and Kep1er’s rendition of Don’t Go by EXO was extremely nice and pleasant. Just like the original, this version brought a smile to my face. What was really great about this performance was the fact they had harmonies. It was extremely brief and I wished there were longer harmonies. But it made the performance a bit more riveting in my opinion. I did also wish the vocalists were shown off a bit more in this performance. I am not exactly sure whether they had to stick to the original version to a tee (though a later performance specified otherwise), but a few more expressive moments should have been added to this version to better utilise the members, and allow the other members side from Chuu and Chaeyeon to show off their vocal powers.

The stage had a simple setup where the members sang whilst standing in one spot on some platforms. Flying about next to them (and later behind them) were some butterflies, which have consistently appeared throughout the competition. I wished the members donned some more colourful dresses, just to give the stage a bit of oomph. Nothing too loud, but white is a little too standard for my liking.

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Hold My Hand – Universe in Eunha
Members: Eunha (VIVIZ) & Yeonjung, Soobin (WJSN)
(Orig. Artist: IU)

You can’t go past a vocal battle without an IU song. We saw Eunkwang, Seungmin and Jongho tackle the likes of Love Poem in the Kingdom: Legendary War last year. This time, we see another trio cover another IU song, Hold My Hand. While the two version are quite similar, this Queendom 2 version seems to have amped the instrumentation to create a power-ballad like approach, which I thought was cool. It brought a a new breath of life to the song and made the performance captivating to listen to. Yeonjung handled the song extremely well and her soaring high note was impressive. Soobin pushed herself for this track, and I thought this was a great display of her vocal capabilities. As for Eunha, she handled her parts well just like the others. But I felt her higher pitch was at odds with the other members, simply because it sounded cutesy. I am not entirely sure if was the right way to go for her, given Yeonjung and Soobin’s more ‘standard’ approach with their vocals.

As for the performance, I liked that they moved about. It gave the performance a bit of a dynamic touch. I also liked the green scenery and the sets that Yeonjung and Eunha performed on stage with. They also looked pretty on stage.

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To My Youth – 33
Members: Hyolyn & Minyoung (Brave Girls)
(Orig. Artist: Bolbbalgan4)

This version of To My Youth was emotionally charged, and I loved every second of it. I liked how they slightly revamped this version by starting out with just piano and guitar, before kicking the song up a notch with the band instrumentation. I note the original version had strings at the start and brought in the kick a lot sooner. Hyolyn kicks off the performance and did a great job throughout to deliver some emotional vocals. Minyoung followed through with her powerful vocals, though I did have the thought that she needed a bit of work to match the emotional level that Hyolyn brought to this stage. I loved their version of the high notes at the end, and their harmonies during this sequence. So captivating and breathtaking.

I liked how the pair started of separated and finished together. The above performance did the exact same, but there is something with Hyolyn sitting on the stage and Minyoung standing elsewhere that really felt bold. I like how the lights shown over the member who was singing at the time, and dimmed when they weren’t singing, allowing the focus to be place squarely on the leading singer. And I liked how the lights were used to form a pattern at the end. The lyrics on the screen and the sketch a character on the screen was also a nice touch to the performance.

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Dance Battles

Purr – KeVIZ
Members: Sin.B, Umji (VIVIZ) & Xiaoting, Kim Daeyeon, Hikaru (Kep1er)

For this collaborative stage, I quite enjoyed the cat concept they went for. The green cat eyes on the big screen was very epic and sets the tone for the performance. The green on black is a very cool combination and I feel this video really honed into this (via the cat eyes and the green light that illuminated the gas on the edge of the stage). What was also cool was the image transformation that both the members of VIVIZ and Kep1er underwent for this stage. Both groups have been known for their brighter and cuter concepts, so this dark edgy change in image was definitely memorable and stands out.

As for the choreography, it was a good one. Nothing really stood out for me on an individual basis (both move or member-wise), but I quite liked the entirety of the performance as a whole piece. The dark concept and edgy vibes were portrayed extremely well in the routine. I also like the emphasis on wavy motions throughout the choreography. It was a movement type that I saw was recurring throughout the routine, and I really liked the slow wave that ended off the performance.

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Ka-Boom! – Ex-it
Members: Hyolyn & Eunseo, Yeoreum (WJSN)

For Hyolyn and WJSN’s dance stage, I quite like how they started off aggressive and powerful. This really set the ball in motion for the rest of the routine, which built on these vibes as the performance progressed. In terms of style, it felt like they went with a hip-hop centric routine with a hint of sexiness mixed into the routine. I quite like it, however, I was wanting from the routine by the time the performance ended.

As for the stage, I liked how boldness was the at forefront of the stage. The glitchy and lightning backgrounds made it feel edgy and electrifying. The fluoro outfits were a very bold choice and I liked how they were used at the start (and throughout the performance) for a bit of a wow factor. The ski masks also added to that. Another bold factor to the stage was the use of the body contortionists. Freaky, but definitely another wow factor to the performance.

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Tell Me Now – Queen in Me
Members: Eunji (Brave Girls) & Heejin, Choerry, Yves, Oliva Hye (LOONA)

The last performance for the night was by Brave Girls and LOONA. This performance, while it went with an edgy look just like the other two dance battles, separated itself by really focusing on the sensual side, as well. The slow motions and the sleekness of the choreography really highlighted this, and brought a different dynamic in which the members could play with that isn’t just powerful or edgy (and it isn’t like the other performances). The moves resemble a image of a cat, which makes this the second performance of the night that had a cat theme going on. Very interesting, indeed.

I really like how alluring and hypnotic the members looked throughout this performance, especially in the black and white scenes. This alone was very memorable and definitely was one of my favourite parts of this stage. The red highlights during the black and white shot was super bold, as well.

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And This Round’s Winner Is…

These unit battles were intense in their own right. It was a bit of a shake up to the playing field based on the official results. Hyolyn has held first place for the previous two rounds, but she placed second in both in the vocal and dance battle sections of this first part. Brave Girls and WJSN both emerged as winners placing first overall across the board for this first part of Round 3.

Interestingly, Brave Girls also emerged as overall winners of unit battle stages based on my own picks, which matches up (partly) with the official results released by Queendom 2.

Note that this is only the first part of Round 3, which also consist of the fan-choice round. And so, these are not the final winners of Round 3. For my personal rankings, I will be separating these units from the next lots of stages when I use these personal rankings to determine my personal pick for the final winner of Queendom 2.

But for now, here are my picks for the best stage in both the vocal and dance unit battles.

Vocal Battle Rankings

Position	Official Queendom 2 Ranking	KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1	Universe in Eunha VIVIZ & WJSN (Eunha, Yeonjung, Soobin)	33 Hyolyn & Brave Girls (Hyolyn, Minyoung)
2	33 Hyolyn & Brave Girls (Hyolyn, Minyoung)	Universe in Eunha VIVIZ & WJSN (Eunha, Yeonjung, Soobin)
3	Sun & Moon LOONA & Kep1er (Haseul, Kim Lip. Jinsoul, Chuu, Kim Chaeyeon, Seo Youngeun)	Sun & Moon LOONA & Kep1er (Haseul, Kim Lip. Jinsoul, Chuu, Kim Chaeyeon, Seo Youngeun)

Dance Battle Rankings

Position	Official Queendom 2 Ranking	KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1	Queen Is Me Brave Girls & LOONA (Eunji, Heejin, Choerry, Yves, Oliva Hye)	Queen Is Me Brave Girls & LOONA (Eunji, Heejin, Choerry, Yves, Oliva Hye)
2	Ex-It Hyolyn & WJSN (Hyolyn & Eunseo, Yeoreum)	KeVIZ VIVIZ & Kepler (Sin.B, Umji, Xiaoting, Kim Daeyeon, Hikaru)
3	KeVIZ VIVIZ & Kepler (Sin.B, Umji, Xiaoting, Kim Daeyeon, Hikaru)	Ex-It Hyolyn & WJSN (Hyolyn & Eunseo, Yeoreum)

Up next: Queendom 2 – Round 3 (Part 2) – FANtastic Queendom – Ep. 8 & 9

It is time we crown the next Queen of KPOP through the second season of Queendom. Following the success of Queendom Season 1 (which crowned Mamamoo as the winner), Road to Kingdom (which gave The Boyz a one way ticket to the next competition) and Kingdom: Legendary War (which crowned Stray Kids as the winner), Queendom is officially back with six new female participants. This season sees WJSN (Cosmic Girls), LOONA, Brave Girls, Kep1er, VVIZ and Hyolyn battle it out for the Queendom title, while Taeyeon (from SNSD) takes the helm as MC this time around.

As I have reviewed part of Queendom, all of Road To Kingdom and Kingdom: Legendary War, I will also be reviewing the stages of Queendom 2, recapping the high caliber performances from each round and also putting forward my thoughts on what the ranking should have been for that round.

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Round 2 – Cover Song Battle

In Round 2 of Queendom 2, the competitors had to select one (or two songs in some cases) from another competitor’s discography to reinvent on stage.

In Queendom 2, the rankings were decided by three main criteria: audience votes, global fan votes and assessment from other Queendom 2 acts (i.e. their fellow competitors). These votes and assessments were tallied, and the act with the most points emerged as the winner of this round. The official results of that will be shown at the end of this post, along with my personal ranking from this round.

I will be reviewing the performances based on who went first, and will be looking at song arrangement, concept and choreography for this round.

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NAVILLERA – WJSN
(Orig. Artist: GFriend)

WJSN chose NAVILLERA from GFriend’s repertoire and really hit the brief of reinventing the song to be their own, yet also maintaining enough of the original song (i.e. the melodies and chorus) to allow the audience to easily recognise the song. The addition of a dynamic post-chorus sequence following the first and final choruses was my highlight of the performance (with the shouty portion of this sequence really sticking in my head for some reason), but I also enjoyed the other new additions to the performance – that is Exy’s rap sequence and the instrumental break that honed into the dark concept (more on that in a second). These additions gave NAVILLERA a fresh vibe and adds a bit of unique/edgier zing. The vocals and rapping on this stage was amazing and so so strong, and Yeonjung’s high note blew me away. Definitely potential to be one of the best performances of the night.

NAVILLERA was known for its bright concept when it was first released, so it was interesting to see WJSN take a dark-ish route with this performance. I am all for the darker concept, though I did feel the arrangement could have really gone more down this direction, just so that everything is a bit more cohesive. But overall, a strong concept nonetheless. I did notice the presence of the hourglass at the end, so I am guessing their performances are all linked to one another. As for the choreography, WJSN changed it all up to be more of their style. The chorus was pretty meh in my opinion, but I liked everything else during the new sections of their version of NAVILLERA, the verses. In particular, I thought Yeorum’s dance break was very alluring and captivating. The only part I didn’t get was the piece of fabric that was pulled over Seola and Yeonjung’s heads during the bridge. We got no wide-shot of this, so I couldn’t see its effect.

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SHAKE IT – LOONA
(Orig. Artist: Sistar)

LOONA’s version of SISTAR’s SHAKE IT is one that I come back to regularly. While this version isn’t necessarily a departure from the original as both are summery and energetic, LOONA’s version was still a great one. I like how LOONA made their version slightly more intense in the choruses, and it is this that I continually come back for. Also, I just love the overall party feel that comes off from the choruses. I also enjoyed the jazzy bits that formed part of the bridge and allowed for an interlude, and the retro dance break which helps ties arrangement, choreography and concept together. Again, the vocal work is quite strong from all the members, though I think a bit of refinement would have helped make LOONA’s version of SHAKE IT even better.

This performance was cute! Not overly cute that has me cringing, but enough to make the performance vibrant and colourful, which I am sure the direction that LOONA was aiming for. But while it was a fairly strong summery retro concept of transformation from dull to attractive and having some fun, there were parts of the performance that needed some refinement. There was a scene at the start of the stage where the dancers picked up ‘imaginary’ glasses, while Yeojin was holding a physical champagne glass with a glass). It is small details like this that stick out and stays with me, and made the start a little cringy for my taste. Also, I wished the ‘male’ counterparts of the group has took part in the transformation, as well. Once the female counterparts had transformed into hip and colourful outfits, the suits and such looked really dated and felt misplaced. As for the choreography, I liked how energetic and vibrant their take on everything felt. It was fun and LOONA really showed off some cool moves. I also like how they brought back the original choreography at the end, just as a little homage for SISTAR.

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MVSK – Brave Girls
(Orig. Artist: Kep1er)

Brave Girls probably had the hardest pick of the night. To date, Kep1er has only one title track and a mini-album of three other songs, so Brave Girls had a pretty limited choice in terms of songs for this round. But they ended up going with MVSK. As per the brief for the second round, Brave Girls changed up the song considerably. They moved away from the electronic and synth based instrumental that dominated the original, and went with a more elegant and classy pop instrumental mix. It was very different and makes their version of MVSK clearer than the original. But while they did move away from the original’s electronic synths based instrumental, they did still incorporate some synths into the mix via the choruses and the dance break. For the chorus, it was present more as accents. The dance break, however, touched based with the original’s influence, brought on a fierce and powerful energy and infuses a bit of rock to the performance. It shook things up and while it doesn’t necessary match with the rest, it was cool to watch. I also liked the push for focus on the vocals throughout the performance and harmonies at the end, though the high note section could have been a lot tidier in my opinion.

The classy vibes of the performance made it through via the black and white filter that was applied to the start of the performance (reminding me of older black and white films), while the elegant vibes came through the golden glow of the lights. I quite like the suits in this performance, just because it made sense throughout the entirety of the performance. The dance break was a bit of an odd ball, simply because it goes against the classy and elegant vibes. But like what I mentioned before, it was fierce and powerful. The glow in the dark masks were cool, and it also served as a way for the members to take off their jackets (though over the top. in my opinion). Choreography wise, I think Brave Girls was probably the one of the weakest, just since there wasn’t much going on in the department. But they make it up in all other aspects.

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UNNATURAL – VIVIZ
(Orig. Artist: WJSN)

VIVIZ’s version of UNNATURAL was the one that seemed to push the boundaries the most. Not because it was daring or went for anything controversial. But instead, it was just because it felt the most different version when compared to the original. They brought a Latin influence to the performance, which is an overdone influence in KPOP in general. But for this stage, I thought was super cool and brought a lively dynamic to the performance. And mixed in alongside of the Latin influence is this Broadway show-like type of vibe during some parts, which also added a lot more flair to this version. Vocally, I felt VIVIZ dominated this round with their solid live vocal performances. Sure, they went with the same melodies for their version, but the instrumental really revamped UNNATURAL up. My only negative comment about the performance was the rapping. I wished there was more body to it in the instrumental, and the delivery was a bit more powerful.

Of course, with their version going down the Latin route instrumentally, it would make the most sense for this to be reflected on stage as well. And we got just that from the very start, thanks to their stunning red and black dresses. I also like how from the start and until the very end, the entire performance had this ‘on the edge of your seat’ type of feel thanks to the intensity. Definitely an impressive feeling to have exuded just from the performance. The grand ending with the flags and the stage pyrotechnics was also perfect. There was also two key moments that were really memorable. The first has to be the mirror shot with Eunha and SinB at the start of the performance, and the second has to be Sin.B’s slide into frame after Umji’s part in the second pre-chorus. With regards to the choreography, I loved that they made full use of their dresses and I love how they kept the Latin influence in throughout the entirety of the routine.

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Pool Party (Rollin’ Right Now) – Kep1er
(Orig. Artist: Brave Girls)

Kep1er brings summer vibes back to the stage with their mix of Pool Party and Rollin’. It is a very vibrant and colourful mix that definitely sets the scene for a great summery concept (more on that later). However, I felt the style was a bit one-dimensional and that unfortunately flowed onto the other aspects of the performances (i.e. vocals and instrumental). There wasn’t really much going on within the instrumental to comment on, and the vocals were not as showcased as they could have been. While I like the idea of incorporating Rollin’ into the performance, it did muddled things. I kind of understand why Rollin’ was needed (or else the Pool Party sections would have too boring). It should have been tidier and cleaner, in my opinion. However, points must be given for effort, as they are the only group to really go down the two song direction. The rapping faired much better and gave the performance a bit of a surprise factor. Like the other performances, there is a dance break where the bridge of the performance should have been, and I felt the strings and then rock style instrumental was a nice way of incorporating different dynamics (i.e. elegance to intensity) into the performance.

The performance started off with a Alice In Wonderland style introduction with Yeseo playing the titular character. However, this only lasted a short while, as Yeseo quickly underwent a costume change and we launched right into the undersea/ocean concept for this summery stage. I liked the energy that the members brought to the stage and the smiles instantly added brightness to the performance. The bubble was a cute touch to the performance, while the pink outfits brought a nice contrast to the predominately blue stage (as it was an under ocean concept). As for the choreography aspect of this stage, the group went with a completely new routine, though they did keep the iconic Rollin’ move for the first chorus. The dance break we got was super cool and was the highlight of the stage, especially when it was kicked up a notch via the rock influences.

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So What – Hyolyn
(Orig. Artist: LOONA)

Hyolyn without a doubt has proved herself to be a front runner in this competition and this stage just confirms that once again. LOONA’s So What allows Hyolyn to show off her vocals in a spectacular fashion and gives her an opportunity to be punchy about it. Hyolyn really uses a lot of vocal styles that we have heard from the soloist in some form before, such as lower registers, powerful high notes, emphasising husky and raspy tones. On the instrumental side, Hyolyn’s version of So What felt more aggressive and sleek, which hits the brief of reinventing the original, but also really showcasing Hyolyn’s versatility. Though, it isn’t really much different to the original version by LOONA. The surprising element of Hyolyn’s arrangement of So What was the inclusion of PTT and its ‘Ra Ta Ta‘ hook. It was unexpected, but it fitted in so well with her version of the song.

What a bold start to the performance. To see Hyolyn floating in the circular frame up above the stage with a Catwoman outfit get-up on definitely added a wow factor to the performance. The green lighting and white gas cloud looked very cool and suspenseful. For the rest of the performance, Hyolyn is aggressive when it comes to her live vocals and her dance performance as well. This performance also shows off her charismatic side, as well. And damn, she looks sexy in her tight black outfit. Again, I like how she engages with the audience, showing her experience on the stage. For the choreography, I liked the attitude filled style that she and the dancers went for. It just really concentrated everything from the song arrangement and concept into a powerful and fiery package that she and the dancers execute so well.

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And This Round’s Winner Is…

With this round, I don’t think we can tell yet who the winner is. Based on the official rankings, it appears that Hyolyn is currently in that hot seat, racing towards the finale. And congratulations indeed to Hyolyn for holding onto the top spot for the second round in a row. But from how I see it, things aren’t clear cut.

My personal ranking for this round disagrees with the official ranking, with the entire board reshuffled. So without any further delays, here are my rankings for the second round of Queendom 2. Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments section below.

Position	Official Queendom 2 Ranking	KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1	Hyolyn	VIVIZ
2	LOONA	Hyolyn
3	WJSN	LOONA
4	VIVIZ	WJSN
5	Kep1er	Brave Girls
6	Brave Girls	Kep1er

Up next: Queendom 2 – Round 3 (Part 1) – Position Unit Battle – Ep. 6 & 7

It is time we crown the next Queen of KPOP through the second season of Queendom. Following the success of Queendom Season 1 (which crowned Mamamoo as the winner), Road to Kingdom (which gave The Boyz a one way ticket to the next competition) and Kingdom: Legendary War (which crowned Stray Kids as the winner), Queendom is officially back with six new female participants. This season sees WJSN (Cosmic Girls), LOONA, Brave Girls, Kep1er, VVIZ and Hyolyn battle it out for the Queendom title, while Taeyeon (from SNSD) takes the helm as MC this time around.

As I have reviewed part of Queendom, all of Road To Kingdom and Kingdom: Legendary War, I will also be reviewing the stages of Queendom 2, recapping the high caliber performances from each round and also putting forward my thoughts on what the ranking should have been for that round.

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Round 1 – Representative Song Battle

In this round, the groups are to perform a revamped version of one or two of their past hits. As part of these revamped versions of past hits, the groups also had the opportunity to bring them to life with never seen before stages.

In Queendom 2, the rankings were decided by three main criteria: audience votes, global fan votes and assessment from other Queendom 2 acts (i.e. their fellow competitors). These votes and assessments were tallied, and the act with the most points emerged as the winner of this round. The official results of that will be shown at the end of this post, along with my personal ranking from this round.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, LOONA was forced to rank sixth in this round as they could not perform with the other acts, and hence was not able to gain points from the audience or their fellow competitors. As a result, it was decided that the group would default to the last position for this round. However, as I am doing this review way after the airing date of this round, I will be including LOONA in my personal ranking for this round.

I will be reviewing the performances based on who went first, and will be looking at song arrangement, concept and choreography for this round.

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Time For The Moon Night + Rough – GFriend

It is sad to just see only three members of VIVIZ perform Time of the Moon Night and Rough on stage. But at the same time, I am happy to see that the GFriend lives on. Especially when Rough came on, that was great nostalgia. I love the additional strings in both Time For the Moon Night and Rough, which helps transitions between the two songs, but also bring together the two halves of the performance. The intensity that came about from the mentioned transition was suspenseful and exciting. The electrical guitar in the bridge of the Rough section of the performance was just perfect, building off what was already present in the original song. Vocally, they didn’t stray from the original vocals. I did wish they did a bit more, just to give a fresh VIVIZ vibe to the performance. But instead, they rearrange who sang what since they are down three members. But nonetheless, VIVIZ did a good job with stable vocals. I also liked the slowed ending, dragging out the performance just for a little longer to make it a little more satisfying and to fit in with the concept of the stage.

For the stage concept, I liked how elegant and beautiful the trio looked on stage. They look like princesses on stage. Back when they debuted in 2015, they were schoolgirls. Then, they climbed to the top of the industry (i.e. the crown that Eunha dons), before that is thrown to the side and the group remerging as a new group (i.e. VIVIZ – no crown). Further evidence of them acknowledging their past is via the 09021601 we see at the end of the performance is a combination of their debut dates under GFriend and VIVIZ. A detailed analysis of their stage is in the comments section of the YouTube video, so give that a read. The actual choreography also adopted the beautiful and elegant nature I mentioned. They changed parts of the choreography to highlight this and freshen it up to make it their own, but also managed to maintain the same atmosphere as the original routines. I also enjoyed the electric guitar sequence in the choreography.

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Touch My Body – Hyolyn

Hyolyn was the second act to perform in the round and I liked how she also went back in time to her Sistar’s day to pick one of group’s most successful tracks. But unlike VIVIZ’s performance, Hyolyn did change a lot of it. Her re-arrangement of Touch My Body is quite refreshing. She opens up the performance with waterfall and jungle sounds, before taking on a more tropical feel for the rest of the performance. Again, great nostalgia comes when Hyolyn begins sing Touch My Body, and I liked that she put her own twist on the lines and amps up at the end, showing her vocal prowess. I liked the dance break we got. The brass and the drum work fitted in with the vibrant colours that this version of Touch My Body was going for, and also helped build some momentum to the stage.

I like how she extends that jungle and tropical feel to the stage. From her green coloured outfit to the palm leaves held by the male dancers, the waterfall and tropical imagery on the screens, everything worked really well and cohesively with each other. My favourite bit of the stage has to be at the bridge of the song, where the flames come up, representing heat. In addition to the original Touch My Body routine, she definitely heated up the stage with the choreography for the dance break, which was energetic, sexy and extremely vibrant. I also have to commend Hyolyn on her charisma, which I think helped her stage dominate this round.

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WA DA DA – Kep1er

Part of me wants to exclaim that this is how you do a remix. But when I think about the performance objectively, I feel like more could have been done to make this alternative version of WA DA DA more robust and dynamic. Let’s start off with the positives. Kep1er’s WA DA DA version on Queendom 2 had a much more powerful punch to it, which makes it so appealing. The dance break had a bombastic feel to it. I also liked how they transformed the chorus in something so much stronger. Sure, it still have that cutesy element as in the original that I still wish they get rid. But they did soften my dislike for that section with what they did on stage at this part (more on that later). Unfortunately, I feel like more could have been done with vocals and rapping. For this department, it felt too much like the original and I feel like this holds back this version of the stage. Just my opinion though.

I kind of like the race car concept they went with, though I do think the physical stage could have been a bit more engaging. It looked incredibly plain. I guess the other teams had more people or used more interesting backgrounds to ‘fill up the space’, whereas Kep1er’s stage felt empty and lackluster. The camera work was also a weak point. Some of it was awesome, but other parts looked a bit rubbish. The most positive aspect of the performance, however, was the choreography. I really like the first chorus, with the sharp side by side motions and circle motion they make with their arms (see video image below). The dance break was super intense and definitely showed a different side of Kep1er. Two things though – I wish there was a bit of refinement as it looked a bit messy (especially as the group get into their positions). And again, I wished the cutesy vibes were less prevalent to match the performance’s more powerful manner.

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Chi Mat Ba Ram + Rollin’ – Brave Girls

Brave Girl’s stage started off powerful, going with a militaristic start. After all the members were introduced, they revamped Chi Mat Ba Ram with a sensual R&B vibe, before changing the chorus with a techno backing before back to the original version of Chi Mat Ba Ram. The militaristic start and then sensual R&B returns for the dance break, which I thought was dynamic and rather cool. And then the performance jumps into the tropical version of Rollin’. Personally, I wished they went with a different version of Rollin’, simply because this tropical version has been done so many times before. They should have delivered something a little more original during the Rollin’ part of this performance. Like Kep1er’s comment about vocals, I also wished the vocals were changed up a bit. This would have made the arrangement a little more robust and exciting.

As for the stage, I really liked the blue on black they had going on through their outfits and on the screens behind then. It looked stylish. When it came to Rollin’, the multicolour shards of light on the screen looked quite cool, as well. I do wish the props weren’t cheap looking (i.e. the pieces of fabric that transitioned the performance from Chi Mat Ba Ram to Rollin’, and those fluoro-rods.). It just cheapens the performance and doesn’t put them in a good light. The powdered drums were cool though. As for the choreography, I liked the mixture of new and old. There was a nice balance there. The dance break was my favourite part, though, especially when they kicked the male dancers to the side. The sensual parts were also really good to watch.

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As You Wish – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

Out of all the performances, I feel that WJSN’s was the most captivating to watch. And this is equally shared throughout the three departments – music, stage concept and choreography. The stage started off in a dramatic and intense fashion, which is very opposite to both the original and this version of As You Wish. Then, the members started their performance of As You Wish, which was both elegant and atmospheric. The ramp up to the chorus was really well done in the arrangement, and I liked how explosive the chorus was for this version of As You Wish. They replicated a similar set up for the second verse. The second chorus was substituted out for a very powerful instrumental break that enables the group to showcase a much more powerful side in their performance. We are then treated to a bridge, and the final chorus/outro, which started off slightly distorted. The vocals and rapping, while were similar to the original, gave off different appeals due to the different backings, and I thought this was amazingly fine.

I personally do not know what the concept specifically is. But I guess stopping time might be a possibility, given the recuring hour glasses that was emptied. However, I have no clue what the context is. I quite like the aesthetic that the dancers brought to the stage. The various formations we find them in looked very intriguing. I also like how they were used to occupy the stage, while WJSN moved upstairs. As for WJSN’s choreography, the verses looked graceful, while the choruses featured the original. The dance break we got at the instrumental break is exactly how I described it above – powerful. But also refined, which matches with their style.

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PTT (Paint The Town) – LOONA

It was a pity that LOONA was not counted for this round. Though, I am glad that LOONA still ended up performing their PTT stage though. For the most part, the song remains the same as the original. What I did like was the introduction and addition of Korean folk vocals and instruments. They definitely worked well with the original instrumentation, but also introduce a slightly different dynamic to the original version of PTT. I did like the instrumental break we got in the performance (i.e the dance break). The combination between the folk and synths created a very cool atmosphere. Like WJSN’s performance, the vocals work was pretty standard and like the original. But I think the music did enough to make it a different performance.

LOONA performed this version of PTT a week after Round 1 wrapped up. That is why the stage for this performance is different to the other contenders. I did think they made good use of what they had, though I wished we got to see a version on the Round 1 stage. I really liked their outfits (so bold) and the Korean folk elements they brought to the stage via the screen and props. For me the most riveting part has to be Olivia Hye pulled out the hair sticks to allow her hair to fall down. That looked really cool, and left a super strong impression on me that was memorable. The camera transition between Yeojin and Yves was really cool. Again, the choreography was very like the original. And once again, Olivia Hye’s solo part in the dance break was the best part of the stage.

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And This Round’s Winner Is…

One round in and I can’t want to see the rest of what these groups/acts have in store for us! Each act bought a lot to the stage and their own charm, and so it was difficult to choose a winning performance. This is going to be one tough competition.

As mentioned twice already, I will be including LOONA in my personal rankings, which will ultimately help decide my pick for the winner of Queendom 2. I have also compared my personal ranking to the official Queendom 2 ranking below.

Position	Official Queendom 2 Ranking	KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1	Hyolyn	WJSN
2	WJSN	Hyolyn
3	VIVIZ	LOONA
4	Kep1er	VIVIZ
5	Brave Girls	Brave Girls
6	LOONA	Kep1er

Up next: Queendom 2 – Round 2 – Cover Song Battle – Ep. 3 & 4

It is time we crown the next Queen of KPOP through the second season of Queendom. Following the success of Queendom Season 1 (which crowned Mamamoo as the winner), Road to Kingdom (which gave The Boyz a one way ticket to the next competition) and Kingdom: Legendary War (which crowned Stray Kids as the winner), Queendom is officially back with six new female participants. This season sees WJSN (Cosmic Girls), LOONA, Brave Girls, Kep1er, VVIZ and Hyolyn battle it out for the Queendom title, while Taeyeon (from SNSD) takes the helm as MC this time around.

As I have reviewed part of Queendom, all of Road To Kingdom and Kingdom: Legendary War, I will also be reviewing the stages of Queendom 2, recapping the high caliber performances from each round and also putting forward my thoughts on what the ranking should have been for that round.

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Opening Show Performances

Starting off the show this time around are short introductory performances, referred to by the show as Opening Show Performances. Unlike the 100 second performances that opened up Kingdom: Legendary War, Queendom 2 does not consider this as an official round and these performances are not a determinant in determining the final winners of the show.

However, for the purposes of my recap and ‘my thoughts on what the ranking should be’, I will be determining a rank for these Opening Show Performances (based on my personal thoughts) and will use this ranking in determining my personal pick of a final winner.

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WJSN’s Opening Show Performance

WJSN starts off their Queendom campaign with a short version of Save Me Save You that focuses on both the elegant and dramatic sides of the song and group. I quite like this performance for the showcasing of these styles, and overall stage presence. It begins with a brief instrumental sample of their hit Secret and Seola opening a music box. The design on the music box ends up being displayed on the floor of the stage, and the other members performing on the design, before all eight members (sans Bona who was preoccupied with acting schedules, and Dawon who is currently sitting out of schedules due to health issues) come together to showcase elegance and dramatic sides through their dance routine over some classical piano. Vocals come into play, and the members do a quick outfit swap (from dark blue to light blue). I wished the cloud that shoots up from the front of the stage did a better job of hiding the members during the outfit change, just to give that performance more of a wow factor. But overall, a satisfying beginning to the show for the group.

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LOONA’s Opening Show Performance

Everything in terms of stage, instrumental and outfits was extremely simple for LOONA’s Opening Show Performance, so the focus was placed on the group’s performance. It is a silky routine that showcases the group’s performance potential. I quite like this direction, as it definitely feels like the group hit the brief for Queendom. There was a range of emotions portrayed throughout this performance (which includes a bit of their Satellite single), such as gracefulness, fierceness, sensual, powerfulness and probably a few more. None of them overpowered or became dominant, and so there was a level of sophistication and aesthetic to the performance. Overall, a strong showing from the group, as expected by fans such as myself. On a more critical note about the performance, the group could have been a bit more synchronised. I think the intention to be synchronised was there, but it just wasn’t perfectly executed. Had it been perfectly executed, LOONA would easily been miles ahead with this opening performance.

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VIVIZ’s Opening Show Performance

VIVIZ continues the retro theme of their debut track, BOP BOP!, on their Opening Show Performance stage. You can also hear snippets of BOP BOP! in the background of this performance! Personally, I felt VIVIZ’s performance was the most vibrant and pop-aligned start to the show, which is appealing to my personal taste. I like the brief start with the shot from above. It is creative and the hand choreography was fun. We then switch to small solo stages for each of the members. Given that the group only has three members, this was a unique move and one I think pays off in terms of impact. However, I believe a bit of refinement was needed from each member to make their solo routines stand out a bit more. I also wished their expressions were less serious, which would help add life to the performance. The three members then reunite, and this is when the performance is at its peak. The moves here felt more polished and there was a level of sexiness that I quite liked. I also liked the speaker towards the end of the performance, pumping powder up into the air. It just adds a bit more flair to the performance.

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Brave Girls’ Opening Show Performance

For Brave Girls performance, consistency was the big that popped out at me. All the moves definitely fitted in with one another and the flow was great. The music was just right and I really like that the group capitalised on their Rollin’ hook in this song without pulling out any of the Rollin’ dance moves. They easily could have gone down that route, and that would have resulted in a ‘safe’ performance (or potentially ill-fitting routine, if the music remained the same). But this stage was not safe, but was somewhat more adventurous for the group instead. Overall, it was a fun stage to watch, which showed off the group’s showmanship and skills. The use of hats and jackets throughout the performance was definitely cool. The jacket flick back at the end was definitely very sexy. And I really enjoyed the sequence where two members were facing forward and the other two members were walking backwards whilst walking towards the camera, followed by that switcheroo move. If anything, I wished the dance moves were a bit sharper in terms of execution.

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Hyolyn’s Opening Show Performance

Hyolyn’s is this season’s one person act. Through this performance, Hyolyn establishes that she is one versatile performer. She has the performance skills, the experience, the amazing vocals that once (and still) swoons the audience. She kind of has it all. In this brief version of Dally, Hyolyn commands the stage alone. I expected dancers to appear on the stage, but this expectation did not become fruitful. Instead, she pulls off the performance by herself with no problems. This speaks towards her stage presence and skills no doubt. The stage hosted one sexy act that is bound of drive fans crazy. Her opening was striking and made an impression, both in a visual and in vocal sense. Hyolyn definitely made an impression, and a strong one at that!

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Kep1er’s Opening Show Performance

Kep1er is the relative newcomer and is expected to bring a youthful charm to the show. I don’t have much to say about this performance, other than ‘wow’! I like how fierce the performance was. It just shows us that they are not a group to mess around with or underestimate, given their lesser experience. I also really like the military influence to the performance. I also enjoyed the bolder and abrasive remix of See The Light that the group performs to. They got the synchronisation down pat and definitely had strong stage presence, something remarkable for a group that has only been around for a couple of months. Once again, I have nothing else to say about the performance other than a wow!

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And the winner is…

As mentioned before, there is no official winner for the Opening Show performances round. But as per my past posts for Road to Kingdom and Kingdom, I have decided to also rank the Opening Show performances in order from preference. I just want to note that all the performances were amazing in their own right, so it was extremely difficult to actually rank these. But I have managed to settle on a list on where I think these Opening Show performance should rank had there been an official rank:

Ranking	Opening Show Performance
1	Hyolyn
2	Kep1er
3	LOONA
4	WJSN
5	VIVIZ
6	Brave Girls

Do you agree me? Let me know in the comments below!

Next up: Queendom 2 – Preliminary Round 1 – Representative Song Battle