I-Land, Episode 6: Injuries and Ampersands

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(Written October 18, 2024)

Okay, time for this show to pick up the pace.  We are officially in Part 2 of this series.  Votes need to be counted.  Math needs to be done.  Trainees need to be cut.  Everyone left needs to be living in one place so I can track them better.  Let’s do this.

When this episode opens, global voting has been going on for a week.  The votes are for the twelve finalists who will be competing to be in the final group.  Here’s where they show the results of the voting from over the past week, and you’ll recognize the slide below from last episode’s recap.  The only update is that we now know Sunoo got the majority of the votes from Korea.

We’re told there will be six eliminations and six survivors, which still doesn’t math its way to a final twelve considering we have 23 trainees, but let’s just see how this works out.  Test 4 is about to begin. 

We open on the control room with our six coaches, including Wonderkid.  They are ready to get started.  The I-Landers head for the stage.  As they walk through the gate, they take one last look at the I-Land, because six of them won’t be coming back.  We already know that Seon will be saying goodbye for good.

The I-Landers get into formation.  It’s GO time.  Except it’s not.  We bring the momentum to a screeching halt once again as we learn that Heeseung has replaced Jungwon for the 5^th Part/Center position. 

In the control room, Zico explains to the other judges (and us) that the midpoint check showed that Jungwon wasn’t doing well in that part, so Heeseung replaced him.  I’m willing to take his word for it.  Seriously, that’s a simple enough explanation, and we really don’t need a flashback.  Please don’t give us a flashback. 

We’re getting a flashback aren’t we?  (sigh)  Of course we are.  A survival reality show without flashbacks is like pizza without corn. 

I just want to get to the performance, so I’m pretty much fast-forwarding here, and basically it’s just like Zico says.  There is one touching moment, though.  The team has a meeting after the midpoint check to discuss Heeseung replacing Jungwon, and as Jungwon is dealing with the blow, Jay reaches over and takes his hand.  Jay has been in this same situation.  I love that Jay, Jungwon, and Heeseung are going to be future bandmates.

We also get a few funny moments where are trainees think the place is haunted, but this flashback has already gone on for ten minutes.  PLEASE let’s go back to the performance. 

But no, this flashback will not end.  We now move to the Ground.  We’ve already seen their midpoint check, so why are we here?  Sunoo is worried that he’s so far back during the performance that the camera won’t show him.  Meanwhile, EJ’s legs are in so much pain from the constant practice, he can’t sleep.  He’s always being told he has potential, but he wants to be great.  So he goes back to the practice room in the middle of the night to keep dancing.  I don’t want to think about the damage he’s doing to his leg muscles.

We get clips of various trainees in confessionals, talking about how nervous they are.  The show seems to be dragging this out, but I think global voting is still going on, so this may be a last chance to appeal to voters.

Finally, the flashback ends.  We return to the stage, where the I-Landers stand in formation.  Showtime.

It’s a wonderful performance, and their expressions are fierce.  I even like the song, which may be a first for songs written specifically for a show.  It’s a near-perfect performance, and the coaches love it.

The I-Landers return to the giant egg timer, unable to celebrate because now they have to vote to send three of their own to the Ground.  The coaches are choosing their three as well.  K has other concerns.  He wasn’t feeling well before the test, and now he’s feeling worse.  From injuries to illness, this show is taking a real toll on our trainees.

Everyone packs their things to be ready to move to the Ground.  One by one, the announcer calls them to go to the voting room and choose three teammates to eliminate.  To help them choose, they are shown all the team members’ scores from the Test 4 performance.

Jay scored 76, which puts him in third place.  Sunghoon comes in second with 81, and Jungwon is first with 83.  Our three top scorers are future Enhypen members.  I love that Jungwon comes in first after having to give up the Center position.  The low scores are K at 61 and Geonu at 60.

Once the voting is done, it’s time to find out which six I-Landers are being sent to the Ground.  They are:

Youngbin, with 11 votes.  This is his second time being sent to the Ground on this series.  He’s struggled with learning choreo, having to do individual assessments, and getting low scores.  He does not look surprised at this turn of events.

Kyungmin, also with 11 votes.  Again, not a surprise, even if you don’t already know who’s going to win this thing.  He started at the Ground and managed to get into the I-Land, only to get the 12^th part in the final test.  He just hasn’t been able to stand out.

Jaebeom, with 10 votes.  Like Youngbin, this is his second trip to the Ground.  His performances have generally been weak.  Other than a solid performance in the Signal Song Test, he hasn’t been doing well.

So much for the trainees the I-Landers voted out.  Now let’s look at the coaches’ decisions.

EJ.  He’s actually been doing consistently well on the show, despite already being sent to the Ground once before.  The coaches just haven’t been feeling it with him on the recent tests.

Seon.  We already knew about this one.  He’s had a lackluster track record on this show, and the coaches even say they don’t think he’s cut out to be onstage.  That’s harsh, but I get it.  I barely have any notes on him because he’s just kind of been there all this time. 

And finally, Geonu.  He was doing so well there for a while, and then he blew the

final test and got the lowest score.  He is devastated.  Kyungmin takes his hand and tries to reassure him, saying they’ll make their way back up to the I-Land.  

The announcer tells the eliminated ones to remove their name tags from their chairs and go to the Ground, where it’s about to get very crowded.  Now we get all the crying and hugging scenes we saw in the previous episode’s previews.

If I may digress for a moment, I’m writing this during the RIIZE / SM Entertainment blowup involving toxic and abusive K-Pop fans, entertainment companies with a long history of failing to protect their idols, and a huge worldwide merch boycott that could end the careers of the members of RIIZE.  The rose-colored glasses I was seeing K-pop through a year ago have fallen off and shattered over the past several weeks. 

What this means is that these scenes of trainees crying over being eliminated don’t break my heart like they used to.  I feel like trainees who get cut from these shows are dodging a bullet.  When I think of sweet, innocent souls like Ta-Ki, I want him as far away from this industry as possible.  I’ll be relieved when he gets cut for good from this show, although if I Google his name right now, I’ll probably find that he’s joined a different group or just been signed to another label.  Let me check.

Okay, Ta-Ki is 19 years old now and a member of a group called &Team.  That’s not a typo.  The group is actually called &Team.  He made it into that group through another survival reality show he did after this one called &AUDITION – The Howling.  What is K-pop’s obsession with ampersands? 

Anyway, the group is signed to HYBE, which is the home of BTS.  I thought the name &Team sounded familiar, but then I checked my K-pop playlist and saw I had them confused with a group called Amper&One.  I just can’t with K-pop.

&Team includes three other eliminated I-Land trainees:  K, Nicholas, and EJ.  Kyungmin was also part of the group, but he quit four months after being signed due to what sounds like creative differences.  &Team is doing quite well.  Their first album was certified platinum.  I wish them continued success, but more importantly, I hope they stay safe and protected.  I hope they have good people looking out for them.

Okay.  Back to our show.

Our six eliminated trainees make their way to the Ground.  The dropouts are surprised to see eliminated I-Landers walk in because they haven’t done their own performance yet.  Everyone’s crying, hugging, confused, and happy to be reunited with old friends.

Now the practice room screen lights up, and the announcer tells the dropouts there will be a final test for the Ground called “The Final 6.”  For this test, everyone at the Ground must perform together, all seventeen of them.  After that, global voting will decide which six of them can go to the I-Land and be part of the final twelve.  And everyone will be staying in one location.  Hallelujah.

They have three days to prepare.  They will need to redistribute the parts and rehearse, as well as figure out how to add new parts to the existing choreo.  This will be exciting and chaotic.  Except wait – there are only sixteen people at the Ground.  Did someone leave?

According to the show’s Wikipedia page, yes.  Yoonwon left after the 5^th episode due to a worsening ankle injury.  I looked him up, and he’s gone back to his street dancing team with over 700,000 YouTube subscribers.  Netizens think he may have gone back into training to be an idol, since he hasn’t appeared in the dance team’s more recent videos.

So our sixteen dropouts have to revamp the routine in three days.  This is Seon’s first time at the Ground, so he’s still getting used to the fresh air and greenery.  He looks like I do after I’ve spent several hours working on these recaps and then step outside to get the mail. 

Auditions start again for the different parts.  Everything’s going smoothly until Geonu auditions, and suddenly he collapses.  My heart almost stops.  I know nobody died on this show, but still, he does not look okay.  The others rush over to him.  It looks like he’s injured his leg.

We don’t get to see what happens next because suddenly we cut to D-Day.  We’re about to see our dropouts perform.  But then we get screen text telling us the six participants of I-Land are also practicing.  Wait, for what?  They’ve already performed.  I’m starting to think this show isn’t being translated very well. 

Never mind that – here come the dropouts!  Their approach is filled with all the slow-motion drama and intense music of a Game of Thrones battle.

And now, It’s showtime. 

 

Seeing this large group move with perfectly synchronized precision is pretty amazing.  Despite the injuries and exhaustion and everything else they’ve been through, they give a mesmerizing performance.  Now all they can do is wait for the vote.  The global fans have 36 hours to decide the fates of these remaining dropouts.

In a jarring transition, we close out with confessionals in which the trainees talk about how much they love BTS, how BTS inspired them, and how much they want to be like BTS.  Call it a hunch, but I think we may finally see BTS in the next episode.  

Oh – we get one more clip.  We actually get an interview with Yoonwon, talking about why he left the show.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen this happen on a K-pop survival show, except that one time on Wild Idol when we saw an injured trainee remove his number badge and leave.  Usually they just vanish with no explanation. 

Yoonwon’s injury was more serious than Wikipedia described.  He says his leg and foot were hurting from the very beginning of the show, but he wanted to keep going, and now he can barely walk.  He decided to leave and wait for the next opportunity.

This episode has been a lot, and the drama is about to get even more intense with the results of the global voting.  See you next episode.

Episode 7:  Our First Houseguests

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I-Land, Episode 3: Fire

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(Written October 8, 2024)

It’s voting time again on the I-Land!  It pretty much always is!  Seriously though, this is a big deal.  Half the I-Landers are going to the Ground, and I’m really interested to see what happens with Ni-Ki and Ta-Ki’s one-sided friendship.  Let’s do this.

I’m just going to skip Namgoong Min’s intros and other appearances.  He’s basically just recapping the show, which is my job.  So we’ll open on the I-Landers, bummed out by their group score and trying to get their heads around the fact that they have to vote six of their own out.  Always eager to put the giant egg timer to use, the announcer says voting will begin in twelve hours, and the countdown starts. 

During this time, the I-Landers can find out their individual scores.  The highest score is 75, and everyone’s wondering who got that one.  I’m kind of hoping it’s Heeseung.  The I-Landers think it’s Ni-Ki.

Back at the Ground, which the show always films in dim light to make it look like a Legion of Doom hangout, our dropouts learn that six of them will get promoted.  They are overjoyed.  After the vote in twelve hours, they will learn which of them will be going to the I-Land.

Back to the I-Land.  Geonu says, “I think everybody realizes what reality is now.”  There are a lot of ways to interpret that line, and I think he means all of them.

Everyone has split up in small groups around the facility, still dealing with what they have to do.  Also, we learn that everyone has found out their individual scores, but no one is sharing that information.  Each trainee went separately into the voting room to see their own score on the touch screen.  

First, we see future Enhypen Leader Jungwon checking his.  It’s 75.  Jungwon got the highest score.  I don’t know why he’s not telling the others, unless he thinks they won’t believe him.  Or that he’s bragging. 

Meanwhile, Jake is still kicking himself for dropping his headset mic during the performance.  I don’t think he knows the judges didn’t hold it against him.  Then we get a flashback of Jake seeing his score.  He got the lowest score of 40.  Oof.  Imagine what it would have been if the judges HAD counted the dropped mic against him.

Back in the discussion groups, Jungwon says he wouldn’t vote someone out based on their score.  Daniel announces he’s not going to tell anyone his score.  We get a flashback of Daniel checking his score.  It’s 70.  Wow.  That score could save him, but he’s making a point of not telling anyone.

We learn a few of the other scores.  Youngbin, who freaked out over individual assessments and helped kick Heeseung out of the Leader/Center position, got a 47.  Nicholas, whom I have almost no notes about except that he’s a street dancer from Taiwan, got a 46.

Ni-Ki is sitting by himself, just staring at the living room wall.  He tells us he blames himself for the group’s low score because he was the Leader/Center.  He says if Heeseung had kept that position, the group probably would have gotten a higher score. 

Now we get a flashback of Ni-Ki checking his score.  It’s a 65.  Not the best, but not the worst.  It’s the fifth highest score.  He isn’t quite sure how to react when he sees it.

The countdown finishes.  I’m guessing the twelve hours was overnight, so I doubt anyone got any sleep.  Our I-Landers go back to the touch screen, one by one, and cast their votes.  Then they gather in their chairs around the giant egg timer.  Let’s see who’s getting kicked out.

The first one received eleven votes.  Every single one of this person’s teammates voted him out.  That has to suck.  It’s Youngbin.  You know what?  I’m fine with that.  He doesn’t seem cut out for this.  None of the others can meet his eyes.  With a unanimous vote, no one can pretend to be innocent.

The second one got eleven votes.  It’s Daniel, the one who got the second highest score of 70.  Did he really not tell anyone?  If so, that was a mistake.  I hope EJ isn’t the one who will replace him.

The third one to get eliminated got ten votes.  It’s Jake.  I know we’ll see him fight his way back.  He’s an Aussie.  He’s tough.

Now for the fourth one, with nine votes.  It’s Jay, which crushes me.  First of all, that’s the second future Enhypen member in a row to get voted out.  Secondly, Jay has been trying so damn hard.  We never got to see his individual score.  I know he’ll also fight his way back, but for now, this sucks.

Two more to go.  Please no more Enhypen members.

The fifth one received eight votes.  It’s Nicholas, our Taiwanese trainee with the low score of 46.  He was in Ni-Ki’s unit coming in.  The third member of that unit, Hanbin from Vietnam, is already at the Ground.

Now for the last one, who also got eight votes.  It’s Ni-Ki.  Oof.  Again, he might have saved himself if he had shared his score, but if he’s going to get a redemption arc for the way he treated Ta-Ki, he needs to be sent to the Ground.

So once these six go down to the Ground, we’ll have a total of four Enhypen members there.  Only one of those four, Sunoo, currently has the potential to come up to the I-Land. Our band members are split up.

The announcer tells the eliminated six to turn in their nameplates from their chairs and leave the I-Land.  They hug their friends goodbye.  Jay and Nicholas promise each other they’re going to make it back.  We know Jay will.  There’s a dramatic moment when the banners of the eliminated fall from the rafters.

Down at the ground, the dropouts get the announcement that the eliminated ones are on their way.  I feel vindicated when these former I-Landers step outside, and the first thing Nicholas says (in English) is, “Fresh air!”  Have the I-Landers really spent the past week inside without going outdoors ONCE?  That is just so not healthy.

I get an answer when Jay responds by asking, “When was the last time we were outside?”  ARE YOU KIDDING ME.  The I-Land really is a prison.  Still, they all want to get back to that prison as soon as possible.  It’s the only chance they have of winning. 

The dropouts wait, not knowing which former I-Landers will be joining them, or what they’ll even say to them.  It is a little awkward when they arrive, but the reunited friends are happy to see each other.  Everyone is surprised to see Ni-Ki here, especially Ta-Ki.  “Why?” he keeps asking his hero.  “Why did you come here? What happened?”  Ni-Ki just hugs him and says, “It’s okay.  We can go back.”  Oh, now it’s “we.”  I really really REALLY hope Ta-Ki gets promoted.

Back at the I-Land, the remaining six are devastated.  Most of them are sobbing.  They’re wondering who will be joining them from the Ground, and we’re about to find out, as the screen lights up again.  Back at the Ground, all eleven dropouts stand anxiously around their screen.  I’ve got my fingers crossed for Ta-Ki and Sunoo.  The six choices have been made by Rain, Zico, and our three choreographers, one of whom will be fired after this show for being a bad choreographer.  When exactly is BTS supposed to get here?

No matter.  The names are being announced.  Here we go.

The first new I-Lander is Taeyong.  We haven’t seen much of him since his initial performance.  He’s seventeen years old and was a child actor for eight years.  He bursts into happy tears while the former I-Landers, sitting on a bench, try to look happy for him.

Our second new I-Lander is songwriter Jaebeom.  I’m happy for him, especially after he flubbed his first daily rehearsal video for the coaches.  He must have recovered well for his other videos. 

Next up is … oh, goodie.  EJ.  After trying to screw Daniel over, and now that Daniel’s been sent to the Ground, EJ gets promoted.  Faaaaaantastic.  Three spots left.

Number Four is Yoonwon.  I’m getting nervous for my two picks.  Yoonwon is getting a second chance after blowing his initial performance by singing off-key.  He’s overjoyed to be back in the game.

Okay.  Two more to go.  Number Five is … SUNOO!  YEAH, BABY!  After the devastation of being kicked out by ten of his fellow I-Landers, our future Enhypen member is going back.  I love how happy he is.  Get back up there and find your bandmates, Sunoo!

One left.  Come on, Ta-Ki.  Come on…

Our final new I-Lander is … TA-KI!!!!  I’m so excited, I almost knock my monitor off the table.  Our boy looks stunned.  Bewildered.  The others are trying to shake him back to reality so they can congratulate him.  Oh no.  Is he letting his joy be clouded by the fact that he and Ni-Ki will be separated for another week?  Please don’t let that be it.

That might actually be it.  He goes straight to Ni-Ki and hugs him like he’s afraid to let go.  Ni-Ki looks happy for him, but Ta-Ki looks like his dog just died.

There’s a mix of tears and laughter as everyone says goodbye, and I understand the anxiety on the faces of the newly-promoted who haven’t seen the I-Land before.  Now they will learn firsthand how tough and demanding it is.  They’re also leaving friends behind at the Ground.  And most importantly, this is the last breath of fresh air they’ll get for at least a week.

Our boys leave the Ground, excited and scared and overwhelmed.  Sunoo is still crying.  Ta-Ki seems to have gained some resolve.  He says, “I will never go back to the Ground.”  I have mixed feelings about that since I know he will get eliminated eventually, but I’m happy that he gets to enjoy some time in the I-Land.  And another week away from Ni-Ki.

The gate opens, and the current I-Landers jump up to greet the new arrivals.  One of them joyfully calls Ta-Ki’s name.  It’s a heartwarming scene as everyone hugs each other.  Jungwoon is reunited with his original unit, Taeyong and Yoonwon.  The new banners unfurl in the rafters. 

Okay.  So let’s assess.  Enhypen members are highlighted in yellow.

The newbies looks around in amazement, the glow from regular healthy exposure to the sun already fading from their faces.  They put their nameplates on their chairs.

The giant egg timer lights up, and the announcer tells them it’s time for the second test.  The dropouts are getting the same announcement on the big screen in the Ground facility.  This test is about teamwork.

We cut back to the control room, where thankfully our choreographers are gone, and Bang Si Hyuk is back with Rain and Zico.  They are upgrading the difficulty of the performance.  The dance will require a lot of cooperation.  The I-Land is now a 50% new team, so this will be especially difficult.

As the I-Landers are processing this, the song for the second test suddenly bursts out of the speaker system.  My heart starts pounding.  I know this song.  I freaking love this song.  It’s “Fire,” one of my favorite BTS songs.  Will they be doing this song?  THEY WILL BE DOING THIS SONG.

The screen shows the choreo, and they’ve added a dance break to the song with some challenging moves.  There will be lifts, jumps, and coordinated falls where the dancers will have to trust and catch each other.  This is gonna be REALLY good. 

And massively difficult.  Right away, the trainees notice that with the tight formation, the whole effect will be ruined if just one person is off balance.  And in more good news, the I-Landers are expected to perform this song in six days.  Once again, the average of the individual scores will make up the team score.  The lower the team score, the more I-Landers will be sent to the Ground.

Now comes a new, interesting part.  The residents of the Ground actually have a chance to compete.  They will also be learning this song and rehearsing the performance, just like their counterparts in the I-Land.  If the I-Landers give a perfect performance with a score high enough to keep any of them from getting kicked out, then the dropouts will not get to do their performance.  But if the I-Landers’ score isn’t high enough, the dropouts get to show their performance to the coaches as well.  

And we get a twist.  The I-Lander with the highest individual score will receive an elimination exemption card.  The recipient can use it for himself or to save another I-Lander.  If the card is used, then the person who got the next highest number of votes for elimination will be kicked out instead.

Now both teams must divide up the parts.  The giant egg timer starts counting down the six days.  The new I-Landers are freaking out.  The veteran I-Landers are used to this kind of pressure by now.

At the Ground, most of the dropouts are lost because they’ve never chosen parts before.  Then Jay, who went through so much last time, speaks up.  “This is what I think,” he says.  “I experienced this in the I-Land as well.  It won’t work if we all try to do it together.  We need to choose someone who will lead everything.”  His voice of experience reassures the others, and they ask him to be the Leader.

Jay sets up auditions.  Everyone dances to the Signal Song.  When it’s Jay’s turn to perform, his pent-up resentment and frustration fuels his performance.  His moves are sharp, highly energetic, and focused.  He tells us he wants to make the I-Landers sorry for voting him out.  He gets the First Part/Central/Leader position.  I don’t just want Jay to succeed.  I want him to blow everyone’s minds.

Ni-Ki gets the Second Part.  In a confessional, Jimin tells us how impressed he is by Jay’s ability to keep this process running smoothly. 

Back at the I-Land, Heeseung is nominated for the First Part/Center/Leader again.  I can tell he’s got mixed feelings after what happened last time.  But when no one else wants the part, he decides to give it another shot.

K gets the Second Part.  As for the Third Part, it involves a flying move that seems intimidating, but everyone believes future Enhypen Leader Jungwon can do it.  New I-Lander Sunoo considers throwing his hat into the ring, but he’s not confident enough in his dancing skills just yet.  Jungwon gets the part.

Something interesting and unfortunate is happening here.  The new I-Landers lack confidence in volunteering for parts, and the veterans are grabbing all the top parts.  Newbie Jaebeom is frustrated with himself for not being bolder, calling himself a “country mouse from the Ground.” 

Sunoo flat-out tells the group he’s giving up and not going to try to get any of the parts.  This is disheartening.  It looks like at least five of the Top 7 parts are going to the veterans.  The new arrivals are too intimidated to raise their hands.  They all get assigned the smaller parts.  They’re grateful to be here and glad to get a chance to compete, but they’re feeling very down on themselves right now.

With the parts assigned, the veterans show the newcomers around the I-Land.  They’re amazed at everything they see.  Here’s where I learn that they do have full windows with sunlight in at least one room.  I’m not sure what room this is, but I see chairs on that outside patio, so they must be able to sit outside every now and then.

They choose their new sleeping arrangements.  Ta-Ki is asked to show off some locking moves, so that helps form a bond with his new roommates.  But Taeyong tells his fellow former dropouts he’s having a hard time adjusting after living at the Ground.  Sunoo agrees, saying he feels attached to the Ground.  After all the trash-talking they’ve been doing about it, it’s kind of nice to hear this.  Although I am a bit concerned when Sunoo, a future Enhypen member, says he feels like he has to go back to the Ground.

Everyone gathers in the dining area to have dinner and talk about the upcoming test.  New arrivals Sunoo and Jaebeom sit apart from the others.  They don’t feel like part of the group yet.  When Sunoo looks over at the veterans, he says it’s like he’s looking at celebrities.  They don’t feel worthy of being here, even though their skills in the daily progress videos earned them their spots here.  And the “celebrities” they’re intimidated by got a low score on their first test and lost half their teammates as a result.

Sunoo and Jaebeom wonder if the dropouts are eating pizza right now, and Sunoo says, “To be honest, I think the Ground  is more comfortable.”  Jaebeom agrees, saying he felt more at ease down there.  As must as I dislike the facilities at the I-Land, I seriously wasn’t expecting this from the new arrivals.  I think what they’re really feeling is the sense of being outclassed by the veterans.  

Suddenly, we cut to morning.  Ta-Ki is following fellow Japanese trainee K around like an adoring puppy.  This sweet kid always needs someone to cling to.  K is kind to him and watches out for him, which is nice, I guess.  For now.  I can’t help wondering if he’s going to be the next one to betray him. 

I learn something interesting while they make breakfast.  The word for bread in Korean is “ppang,” which sounds like the Spanish word for bread, which is “pan.”I actually thought they were saying “pan” at first and had to look it up.  Then I kind of went on a linguistic tangent for a few minutes.  The French word for bread is “pain,” which also sounds like “pan.”  It’s also “pan” in Japanese and “pane” (pronounced PAN-eh) in Italian.  We don’t even get close to the English word until we hit German, which is “brot.”  Languages are so cool.  Anyway, back to our show.

K and Ta-Ki are now joined at the hip.  They eat together, practice together, and hang out together.  Ta-Ki talks to us about K the way he used to talk about Ni-Ki.  “K is kind,” he says.  “K dances really well.  I like K.” 

Now we cut to the living room, where four of the I-Landers are sprawled out on the couches.  Seon asks, “Do you think five days until the test is enough time?”  Um, not if you’re going to lay around like this.  You have like, fifty state of the art practice rooms in this place.  Maybe go practice.

The dropouts know what I mean.  We cut to them, and they’re busy learning the choreo.  Jay’s leading, and everyone looks focused and determined.  They practice almost nonstop until night falls.  They’re exhausted.  Jay says he knows they’re tired, but they’re under a time crunch. 

As the dropouts grab dinner, Daniel suggests they get some rest.  He knows they have to limit their sleep because of the deadline, but he sees how beat everyone is.  Sungchul agrees, worrying about everyone’s physical condition and thinking that maybe they’re overdoing it.

Jay and Ni-Ki push back.  Jay is obsessed with how hard the I-Landers must be working and how the dropouts need to keep up.  Jake counters that even though the I-Landers worked so hard last time, six of them still got kicked out.  It’s a good point, but it doesn’t quell the conflict.  They finally go back to practicing after dinner.

Ni-Ki leads the practice while Jay steps out for a few minutes.  Kyungmin is having trouble learning the steps.  He’s also not feeling well, which is worrying.  Sungchel suggests they let Kyungmin rest and try again tomorrow.  Ni-Ki shuts that down, saying, “That won’t work.”

The others protest, saying they will work better after they rest.  Ni-Ki reminds them that they all need to focus.  Desperately trying to keep the peace, and probably a little embarrassed that he’s the reason for this conflict, Kyungmin tries to do the steps again, and Ni-Ki snaps that he’s doing them wrong.  Pretty soon the two are having a full-on argument.  The others actually have to step in and try to get them to cool down.

Just based on the translation, I think this argument stems from exhaustion.  Ni-Ki says Kyungmin should do the steps the right way.  Kyungmin tells Ni-Ki to demonstrate what he’s doing wrong.  Ni-Ki says he doesn’t have to because he already did when they started all this.  These trainees need to call it a day, get some sleep, and start fresh in the morning.  And where the hell is Jay?

Everyone, including Jay, finally gathers in the dining area to hash this out.  Jay is doing that extreme thinking people tend to do when they’re too tired to be rational.  “If we don’t learn the whole routine by today, there are no answers,” he says.

In other words, even though they have four or five days left (it’s hard to keep track of this timeline), and it’s in the middle of the night, and they’re all useless from exhaustion, if they don’t learn the entire choreography RIGHT NOW, all is lost.  We humans are a dramatic lot when we don’t get enough sleep.

We suddenly cut to the next morning at the I-Land.  The veterans are learning their parts quickly, but the newcomers are struggling.  What makes it worse is that the veterans seem to be ignoring the newbies.  They’re all rehearsing in the same big practice room, so they can clearly see that their fellow teammates need help.  If the newbies don’t do well, the whole team gets a low score.

In a confessional, newbie Sunoo says, “At the Ground, we went over parts we didn’t know and helped each other a lot.  But here, it feels like you’re on your own.”

Heeseung goes into a private practice room to work alone, which is odd, because he’s the Leader, and his team clearly needs help.  He tells us, “We can’t go at it as a team.  We’re not getting judged on our teamwork.  We’re being evaluated individually.  So I think it will be okay if we’re not in sync.” 

So … he has decided to practice on his own instead of with the team, when the upcoming test is all about teamwork.  Forget lack of sleep.  I’m wondering if Heeseung has taken a blow to the head.

I’m relieved when we now cut to the Midpoint Check D-Day.  Two people are heading over to the Ground facility, where I imagine they’ll find nine trainees collapsed on the floor and Jay and Ni-Ki losing their minds.  It looks like our two approaching visitors are Rain (oh thank God) and Doobu (oh … goodie).

Inside the Ground, the trainees are thankfully still alive and practicing.  They are surprised to see the coaches, and I’m remembering that for some of them, this is their first time meeting Rain.  Imagine being an American musician trying to break into the business, and suddenly Jay Z strolls into your studio to critique your work.  It’s like that.

All the trainees are nervous, but Rain tells them he’s there to help them and they should see him as a “hyung,” an informal title for Korean males to address older men.  This seems to put the trainees as ease.  Rain asks who the Leader is and remembers Jay and Ni-Ki as former I-Landers.  He wants to see how their teamwork has been going and wants to see the performance.

The run-through is really cool to watch because I love this song so much.  I mean, several of them forget the steps, and they don’t do the flying move, and their formation falls apart a couple of times, and their singing is unsteady, but still … it’s a great song!

Rain does not look happy.  He waits one long minute and then simply says, “This is embarrassing.”  It’s worse that he’s not yelling.  Not yelling means that he’s not mad, just disappointed.  He then quietly reads them the riot act.  He’s especially miffed that Jay didn’t do the flying move.  Jay says he didn’t feel confident enough to practice that part yet.

Rain calls their performance “disrespectful.”  Jay apologizes.  He is not having a good couple of episodes.  I will say I’m impressed with how he’s handling the criticism.  When he was losing one audition after another in the first test, he got frustrated and gave up.  Here, he’s taking accountability and is determined to do better.

We get an aerial view of the Ground facility, and okay, from up here, it does look like a prison.  I still like it way better than the I-Land.  We cut to back inside, and the dropouts are practicing the flying move.  I have the same anxiety watching this as I did watching the No Mercy trainees practice the slingshot move.  I have a bad feeling that someone’s going to die.

Now we return to the I-Land, where Zico is checking on that team, which is also struggling with the flying move.  The trainees are thrilled to see Zico, who is accompanied by Son Sung Deuk, my favorite choreographer on this panel.  Thankfully, Wonderkid is not here.  Instead, we have Pdogg.  He is a songwriter and producer for Big Hit Music (of course) and has a very impressive resume.   I like to think he was supposed to be here last episode, but his flight was delayed, so Big Hit representatives grabbed an intern, told him his name was Wonderkid, and just threw him onto the set, hoping the viewers would buy it.  We did not.

Zico asks the newbie I-Landers if they’re adjusting well.  As a group, they say yes.  Then Zico singles Sunoo out and asks him how things are going.  Awk…ward.  Sunoo says there was some friction at first.  Zico is surprised.  The veterans shoot Sunoo a LOOK.  Sunoo quickly says they just had a hard time getting used to each other.

The coaches are ready to see the performance.  I’m curious to see how the flying move is going for them.

The I-Landers performance is definitely more focused and high-energy.  They also do the flying move.  But there’s another tricky move they don’t even attempt.  It also looks a little dangerous.  This is one demanding routine.  Someone could get seriously hurt.  The coaches look pissed that they didn’t even try it.

When they finish, the coaches are silent for a minute.  Then Son Sung Deuk gives a sigh and says, “I think it was the worst, seriously.”  Really?  It was way better than the Gound performance, and they just need to work on the scary parts.

Son Sung Deuk proceeds to rip their performance to shreds, and I’m just bewildered.  Yes, they still need work, but it wasn’t the affront to God he’s making it out to be.  He wants to know why they haven’t worked on the challenging group moves yet, and Heeseung explains his theory about how the individual scores are more important even though this is a test on teamwork, and here’s where I totally understand Son Sung Deuk’s reaction.

We cut back to the Ground facility.  Rain tells Jay to step up and sing his part.  Everyone is still a bit rattled from the bad review they just got.  But Jay does his best.  Rain corrects his pitch, but otherwise he’s impressed.  “You should have sung like this when you were dancing,” he says.  “You did well.”

The mood in the room instantly changes.  The tension dissipates.  The others sing their parts.  Rain has some corrections here and there, but overall, he’s pleased.  He tells the dropouts they have to bring more fire to this performance than the I-Landers.  “Just pour gasoline on it,” he says.  This is why this man is a legend.

Back at the I-Land, the coaches have left in a huff, and the trainees are upset.  Feeling ashamed, Heeseung reassembles his team, and they get back to work.  He also pep-talks his team about coming together as one, not just veterans and newbies.  They end the day with a big meal of corn pizza.

It’s been a stressful episode so far, but of course you know what we are leading up to.  Test Two Day has finally arrived!  I am very excited.  I want the I-Landers to do well, but not TOO well, because we have some future Enhypen members at the Ground who need to come back up.  If the I-Landers give a perfect performance, the dropouts won’t get to perform at all, and all that rehearsal will have been for nothing.

Our coaches are gathered in the control room.  Our I-Landers are doing a final rehearsal in the main practice room.  At the Ground, our dropouts are throwing all their energy into a final rehearsal for a song they hope they’ll be able to perform.  The tension is way high.  I am so ready for this.

The I-Landers report to the stage while the dropouts watch anxiously on the big screen in their practice room. I live for these live performances on these survival shows.  Let’s do this.

It’s straight fire.  It’s so high-energy, I’m almost lifted out of my seat. 

It has a few flaws.  When Ta-Ki comes forward for his part, the judges can’t help laughing because he’s too cute and adorable for this song.  Also, I think the team makes a mistake on the first lift, because Rain doesn’t look too happy when he sees that.  Will these mistakes be enough to give the dropouts at the Ground a fighting chance?

The I-Landers go back to their chairs in front of the giant egg timer and wait for their scores.  They know they have done their best. 

First, we get the random individual scores with no names attached to them.  They are significantly higher than last time.  Most of them are in the 80s.  Everyone in the I-Land and the Ground waits for the overall team score.

And then, a message appears on the screen:  “Someone will be eliminated from the I-Land.”

We don’t know how many will be eliminated just yet.  But that doesn’t matter right now.  What’s important is that the dropouts will get to perform.  The announcer tells them to report to the I-Land stage.  I have goosebumps the size of golf balls.

Our final scene of the episode shows our dropouts walking out of the Ground facility and making their way to the stage.  They look confident and determined. 

What a cliffhanger.  I can’t wait to see our scrappy dropouts pour gasoline on the fire.  See you then!

Episode 4:  Tears

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I-Land, Episode 2: Bring the Rain.

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(Written October 5, 2024)

Before we get started, a happy announcement.  Minhyuk of Monsta X completed his military service while I was watching this episode, and the whole rest of the group was there to welcome him home.  The members who are still enlisted used a day off to be there when he left the base.  (There was a wonderful moment when I.M jumped up to hug him and wrapped his arms and legs around him.)

Hyungwon, Joohoney (Jooheon), Kihyun, Shownu, Minhyuk, and I.M

It’s great to see pictures of all six of them back together.  I don’t know when they will all be performing together again, since maknae I.M hasn’t had to enlist yet, but for now, this just warms my heart.  Welcome back, Minhyuk, you manic dolphin boy!  It’s good to see you back in civilian life.

Now, back to I-Land. 

When we left, our sixteen I-Land residents were about to decide which four of them had to leave and go to the Ground, with its greenery and fresh air, and complain about how terrible it is.

The two-hour countdown clock begins.  Everyone decides to leave their things at the giant egg timer and explore the facility.  They find the group practice room, the voting room, the big Starship Enterprise living room, the kitchen, and the gym.  

I remember thinking back in Episode 1 that an accent wall might cheer this décor up.  Well, the gym has two accent walls, and I still feel like hurling myself down the stairwell.

I did say before that the bedrooms look nicer than the rest of the place.  I still don’t see any windows, unless that dark square recessed into the wall too high up to see through is a window.

It is telling that when they see the bedrooms, the first thing the trainees exclaim is, “It has every color!”  Yep, this is where they keep the colors.  Enjoy them while you’re sleeping.  The bedrooms also have the I-Land rules posted on the walls, such as “All tests have time limits,” which must make for relaxing bedtime reading.

In fact, the trainee comments do start to change in tone as they tour the I-Land.  “This makes me scared,” says Geonu.  The trainees also use the word “creepy” when they see their profile photos on the living room wall.  They finally decide they need to sit down and talk about the upcoming vote.

I already know four who shouldn’t be here.

Sungchul.  He’s the only one from the weak Monsta X “Shoot Out” performance who got in.

K.  He already knows he shouldn’t be here.

Seon.  He blew his performance, but he was the first one and got voted in unanimously before the trainees understood the stakes.

Ta-Ki.  His second performance was really good, but he’s too young and needs more training.  His first performance proved that.  And we already know from the last episode that his bestie Ni-Ki is going to betray him and vote him out.

We get voiceovers and confessionals from all the trainees, and right away they agree that All-Rounder (and future Enhypen member) Heeseung deserves to stay.  He’s the one they all want to be in the final group with.

In the kitchen area, Heeseung and Seon find a quiet corner where they can talk, but they’re very aware of the cameras.  “Is it okay to share secrets in front of the cameras?” Seon asks.

They agree they want to be on the same team together. Having established this alliance, they re-join the others.  Seon immediately starts working the crowd and finds others having separate conversations in corners and hallways.  In a voiceover, he tells us he’s very aware that he’s not as good as the others and risks getting eliminated, which is why he’s campaigning so hard.

Ni-Ki and Ta-Ki meet up in the kitchen alone, and this is the conversation I really want to hear.  They agree that the I-Land is amazing.  They start practicing some dance moves together.  Ta-Ki tells us, “Ni-Ki’s the one I can rely on.”  Oh, you sweet summer child.  Ni-Ki’s telling us he’s not sure if Ta-Ki will get eliminated or not.

The giant egg timer in front of the LED screens of floating rocks announces that the voting will begin in ten minutes.  I swear, this place looks like it was decorated by a bunch of ten year-old boys during a comic book binge.  

As the minutes tick down, it becomes clear that no one has decided on their votes, or at least they’re not admitting to it.  As the timer gets to one minute, Sunoo says, “I should make up my mind now.” 

Ta-Ki leaves a room where he’s been talking with Ni-Ki, and we get some foreshadowing of Ni-Ki watching him leave and looking very conflicted.  We still haven’t seen anything that would justify the decision he’s about to make.

Time for the vote.  The announcer says, “Ni-Ki, please head to the voting room,” and he freezes.  He pulls himself together and goes downstairs to the voting room we saw last episode.  Each trainee will vote for four dropouts. 

Our trainees approach the screen one by one.  Even though it’s a private vote, they know the cameras are on them, so they apologize out loud as they cast their votes.

Suddenly, our host Namgoong Min appears onscreen, telling us we’re about to find out who’s going to the Ground.  He appears so rarely, I keep forgetting he’s on this show.

Our trainees gather in front of the giant egg timer, which announces that the twelve survivors of the I-Land have been determined.  The four dropouts are about to be announced, and everyone looks like they’re about to have anxiety attacks.  Geonu tells us, “I’ve been thinking I might choose to be eliminated.”  Dude, it’s a bit late for that.  Besides, you’re not one of the trainees who shouldn’t be here.

The first dropout received ten votes.  It’s future Enhypen member Sunoo.  Wow.  That hurts, especially since so many people voted him out.  This vote sends a message that they don’t want to be in the final group with him.

The second dropout received nine votes.  It’s Sungchul.  I called that one.  He doesn’t seem too distressed.  I think he saw it coming. 

Before the third dropout is announced, we get a flashback to Ni-Ki and Ta-Ki talking during the two-hour countdown.  Ni-Ki tells his friend he’s been doing well enough to be his rival and he’s improved a lot, which sounds a bit condescending.  Ni-Ki then says, “You’ll improve a lot when you’re here, but if you went to the Ground and tried hard to come back here, then you’ll grow so much more.”

Whaaaat?

We then see the footage of him voting to eliminate Ta-Ki.  What a sanctimonious jerk.  And THIS guy makes it to Enhypen?

Now back to the giant egg timer.  The third dropout received nine votes.  Of course, it’s Ta-Ki.  Several of the other trainees look surprised, but more than half of them voted for him, so it could be an act.  Ta-Ki slumps forward, staring at the floor, crushed.  I hate this.  I know he needs a lot more training before he’s ready for this, but what an awful way to find out.

One last dropout.  We get another flashback.  Daniel and EJ are in the same unit and performed the Zico song together.  We see them hanging out together during the two-hour countdown.  Then EJ goes into the voting room.  In a voiceover, he says, “Things were so good with Daniel.  But I wanted to try practicing with other friends as well.”  SO HE VOTES HIS FRIEND OUT.

I’m sorry, but that reason is even meaner than Ni-Ki’s.  At least Ni-Ki was able to dress up his reason with gaslighting.  EJ is just basically saying he wants to see other people.

But there’s a twist.  Daniel does not get voted out.  EJ does.  He gets six votes.  This is incredibly satisfying to watch.  Now EJ can make all the new friends he wants at the Ground.

The four dropouts are ordered to move to the Ground.  Ni-Ki hugs Ta-Ki and says, “It’s okay.  You have to come back, okay?”  Sure, Ni-Ki.  After he removes the knife from his back.

As the four take the elevator to the Ground, Sunoo is a bit shaken that he got the biggest number of votes.  I look forward to seeing him fight his way back to the I-Land.

We cut to the Ground to see the other dropouts, and this place looks even better in the light.  They have a floor.  I originally thought they were actually standing on the ground, but no.  Other than not being able to participate in the missions, which      I agree one hundred percent really sucks, I still don’t know why they think this place is a dump.  Do they actually have to sleep on the floor?  I  hope we get to see more of this facility.

Our four newly dropped-out trainees join them.  Sungchul is sad that now his entire unit (he’s with Jaebeom and Jimin) is here.

We get a different view, and I see that it’s a big practice room.  This is actually great.  I thought they’d be practicing in the woods, swatting away flies and scavenging for nuts and berries for sustenance.

They start exploring, and there’s a little dining area decorated with plants!  As they walk around, the four new dropouts tell the others how much better everything is in the I-Land, but honestly, the Ground is nicer than I expected.

I’m starting to feel uncomfortable as I listen to the dropouts disparaging all the facilities at the Ground.  The place is nicer and more spacious than most people’s apartments.  I understand that the premise of the show is to build up how great the I-Land is, and that legally they can’t put the trainees in situations that are too uncomfortable, like just sticking them in tents outside and WAIT, THEY TOTALLY CAN.  That’s what they did to the trainees in Wild Idol.  Those guys slept outside in bad weather for WEEKS, and these kids are bitching about shelter from the elements and a practice room and nice furniture and more rooms we probably haven’t seen yet.  The show is making these dropouts act like entitled little brats.

AND YES, it bears repeating that these dropouts have been cut out completely from the competition, and that’s the part I’m fine with them complaining about.  That is the only terrible part of having to stay at the Ground facility.  Unless the bedrooms are infested with cockroaches, they have it pretty nice down here.

Moving on.

We don’t get to see the rest of the Ground just yet.  I’m really curious to see where they sleep.  For now, we cut back to the I-Land.  The announcer congratulates them on staying in the super-privileged I-Land and tells them to put their name tags on their chairs while their banners unfurl from the ceiling.  The trainees tell us how they are determined to work hard and keep their places here.

They choose their roommates, unpack their things, and show off their dance moves in the gym.  They wash up in the bathroom stocked with towels, beauty supplies, and what looks like a washing machine.

Now back to the Ground.  I think they’re trying to make the building look decrepit, but I like the climbing plants on the walls and the eye-level windows that you can actually see through.  

We see that the dropouts can only wear the dark uniform of the Ground.  The I-Land trainees are supposed to have colorful uniforms, but the ones I see in the I-Land wardrobe are mostly black, white, and gray.  I-Landers also get hats and jewelry, so the dropouts are literally pouting.

The Ground also has a rule that dropouts can only leave and return on a set schedule.  They leave now and get into SUVs.  Wait, where are they going?  They don’t sleep at the Ground facility?  We cut to the next morning, and I’m still confused.  Did the dropouts stay at a hotel?  How exactly does dropout life work?

For now, no idea.  Night passes, and as the sun comes up, we see the I-Landers sound asleep in their beds.  The overhead lights have to stay on so the people in the control room can watch them sleep.  We actually watch them sleeping on the monitors.  Not only is that creepy, but it can’t be easy to sleep with those lights on.

Now we cut back to the Ground.  The dropouts are back.  They’re returning from wherever they were, and I have to stop and Google this because it’s driving me nuts.

Okay, so apparently, lots of viewers had the same question.  According to posts and photos on Quora, they slept in their own homes if they lived nearby, and if not, they stayed in hotels.  Oh, the horror.  I swear, they should put the next dropout who complains about the accommodations in a sleeping bag on the roof.  Preferably during a monsoon.  I understand the inconvenience of having to commute, but Jesus Tapdancing Christ.

Dropout EJ tells us that there’s nothing to do in the Ground except practice their dancing and singing skills.  That’s one hundred percent correct.  And you’re lucky to have a practice room surrounded by natural light and trees.  Now get to work.

Back at the I-Land, the giant egg timer announces that the first test will be revealed in ten minutes.  The I-Landers scramble to get dressed and run downstairs.  They sit in their personalized chairs and wait for the egg to tell them what to do.  

The LED screens with the floating rock imagery light up with sound effects.  We get laser light designs, and the announcer tells the I-Landers they have a common destiny.  For the four tests to come, they will be collectively responsible for every result.  Then there’s math explaining the scores.  Here’s a chart.

They will also decide on their own eliminations, and I think I’m figuring this out.  They will perform these tests together and get scored as a group.  If they don’t get the top score of 96-100, then the number of trainees having to go to the Ground increases the lower the score is, and they will have to vote to decide who gets eliminated.   That is a huge motivation for teamwork.  You can be the best singer and dancer on your team, but if you don’t make sure everyone else is great as well, you might be the one kicked out.

Now for the first test.  It’s called the Signal Song Test, and we’ve seen this before.  It’s the show’s theme song.  The LED screens show videos of the lyrics and choreography.  We hear Bang Si Hyuk’s voice telling us he produced the song and choreo.  We cut to the control room, where I’m assuming our celebrity coaches have spent the night.  The song is called “Into the I-Land,” and the theme is “meeting.”

The I-Landers love the song and choreo.  The dropouts are watching the video from the Ground facility as well.  Everyone notices that Parts 1 through 7 get the most lines in the song.  Parts 8 and up only get one line each.  To stand out in this song, you have to get one of the Top 7 parts.  (Incidentally, there are seven members in Enhypen.)

The trainees will need to choose their parts and rehearse.  The test will begin in seven days.  A 7-day countdown lights up on the giant egg timer.  The dropouts are told that until trainees get eliminated from the I-Land, they won’t get to participate in the performances.  So they will need to practice the song at the Ground and send in rehearsal videos every day in hopes that they will get promoted when someone gets eliminated.  Our three celebrity coaches will review the videos and decide who gets promoted.

Everyone is extremely motivated.  I can’t wait to see Sunoo get promoted to the I-Land.  The current I-Landers want to hold singing auditions for the Center (and #1) position, especially since it has difficult high notes.  As much as every trainee wants the Center position, they have to choose what’s best for the group in order to keep the group score high.  They eventually decide to memorize the main choreo first and decide on parts later. 

We cut back to Namgoong Min, who basically recaps what we just saw.  “Everybody has to be good to survive,” he tells us.  He does give us one bit of new information – the song’s parts were deliberately divided up unfairly to see if the I-Landers would make the best decisions for themselves individually or the good of the team.

Everyone starts rehearsing.  They’re all obsessed with being the Center.  Ni-Ki is the first to have the choreo completely memorized.  The others are impressed and call him a genius.  Then they gather in a circle and start dividing up the parts by having everyone sing to audition. 

Everyone votes for Heeseung for the first part.  He’s not sure about his ability to pull it off, but the others remind him parts can be changed at any time.

Geenu auditions for the second part, and he has a wonderful voice.  He beats out future Enhypen member Jay, whose voice cracks when he tries to hit the high notes.

Jungwon (Enhypen’s future Leader) gets the third part.  Jay is getting frustrated because he wants one of the Top 7 parts.  He really does have a great voice.  He just keeps losing out when he auditions for each spot. 

K gets the fourth part.  Seon gets the fifth part.  I can see the growing frustration on Jay’s face.  But he keeps fighting, auditioning for each part.

Daniel gets the sixth part.  Jay seems to give up.  He doesn’t even raise his hand to audition for the seventh part.  But at the last minute, he changes his mind and wants to audition.  There’s still a spark in there that hasn’t been stomped out. 

But he doesn’t get that part.  Sunghoon does.  Jay finally says, “Whatever.  I’ll do whatever is left.  I’m done.”  He’s embarrassed.  He’s been a trainee for three years, and a couple of the people who just beat him for the Top 7 spots have been training for far less time.

After pausing to make sure he’s okay, the group moves on to audition for the other parts, and Jay tries yet again.  And this time, he wins the eighth part.  It’s not what he wanted, but it’s finally a win for our Seattle-born future Enhypen member.

Back to the dropouts.  They are only given one tablet for the group to study the choreo, which slows down their ability to memorize the parts.  Okay, they do get to complain about that.  Everyone in the I-Land gets their own tablet.  Everyone having to share one is a serious competitive handicap.

Since Hanbin learns choreo the fastest, he takes the tablet so he can quickly learn it and teach the others.  He’s the one who’s currently in a cover song dance team with over 630,000 subscribers.  It’s impressive how quickly he learns it.  Pretty soon he has all the dropouts following his lead.  

However, we see both the I-Land and the Ground have trainees struggling to learn the choreo.  I-Landers Jake and Youngbin, who have only been trainees for a few months, are having the hardest time keeping up.  I really feel it when I see the frustration on Youngbin’s face.  It’s the same way I felt in math classes growing up, when the rest of the class understood and I didn’t, and I would just shut down and give up. 

The dropouts seem to be having more fun, and I know I keep harping on this, but I think the connection to nature has to be a part of it.  They’re all laughing and dancing and encouraging those who are having a harder time learning the steps.

The I-Landers hit a snag when Heeseung adjusts the choreo, which throws everyone off.  He takes a break and leaves the room.  The others are concerned that he’s changing it because the original steps are too difficult.  That could cost them points.  

Heeseung finally comes back and starts up rehearsal again.  He has each trainee run through the routine on their own.  Jake is voted the best dancer by the group.  Youngbin has finally gotten the steps down but needs more confidence because he is really having a hard time of it.  He starts to cry in one of the lounge areas, worrying that he’s dragging the team down.  Oh, this poor kid.

K, Youngbin, and Seon decide to confront Heeseung about his leadership style.  Three non-members of Enhypen are going to talk to a future member of Enhypen about his leadership style.  Let’s see how this goes.

Before they talk to him, they decide they need reinforcements.  They get Ni-Ki and Geonu on their side.  We don’t get to hear those conversations.  But in the next group meeting, Youngbin brings up his frustrations.  He says he felt humiliated at having to do the individual assessments. 

Right away, I’m on Heeseung’s side, and it’s not because he’s in Enhypen.  Youngbin has only been training for four months.  Individual assessments and auditions and progress checks are a part of the training process.  We’ve also seen it in every K-pop survival reality show we’ve covered.  If you can’t handle being judged on a solo performance, you have no business being a trainee.

Heeseung asks the group to trust him.  He says they voted for him to get the first part for a reason.  However, Daniel does have a point when he says that Heeseung isn’t spending enough time with the trainees who need the most help.

Heeseung is frustrated, saying this is why he didn’t want the leadership position in the first place.  He decides to step down from the Center position.  The rest of the group immediately agrees, and K nominates Ni-Ki for the spot.  I wonder if this was a planned coup.  Since Ni-Ki does go on to be the main dancer for Enhypen, maybe he can pull this off, but this is the second time I’ve been side-eying him since this series began. 

So the first part goes from Heeseung to Ni-Ki, and Heeseung moves down to the tenth part.  He’s taking this hard.  He goes to sit by himself for a while.  He tells us he’s disappointed, but he made the decision to step down and needs to honor that decision.  I may not like the outcome either, but I respect the way he handled this.

Night is falling, and we return to the Ground.  The dropouts are up late practicing.  Suddenly, the screen on the wall lights up with a message.  It’s time to submit their daily rehearsal video.  Each one has to stand before the camera and perform the song solo.  (See, Youngbin?!)

Jaebeom blows his chance, forgetting the lyrics and steps and just freezing in place.  Midway through, he gives up and walks back to the bench, hangs his head, and cries. 

I feel terrible for him.  He’s heartbroken.  It looks like he just overpracticed and broke down under the pressure.  Jaeho tries to comfort him and winds up crying, too.  The dropouts have really bonded.

Back in the I-Land, the giant egg timer sounds an alarm.  Everyone is told to gather around, and then the countdown, which shows only two days left, suddenly stops.  The gate opens.  They go through the gate, back to the large stage area where they gave their first performances.  Someone standing at the far end of the room in silhouette is waiting for them.

Once the I-Landers are all waiting at the other end of the room, the light comes up on our shadowy figure.  It’s Rain.  Judging by their stunned reactions, I don’t think the trainees knew he was here.

Rain bows and introduces himself, telling them he’s in charge of the Signal Song Test.  He wants to see how they are progressing on the song.  He says that now is the time to work on any mistakes. 

The I-Landers get into formation and show him the choreo.  When they finish, Rain doesn’t give them time to catch their breath.  He orders them to line up and sing the song.  The trainees struggle to keep their voices steady as each one sings his part.  They’re doing well until about halfway through the song, when Ni-Ki is so nervous, he forgets the lyrics to one of his solo lines.  The look on Rain’s face.

When they finish singing, Rain does not comment.  Instead, he demands that they immediately get back into dance formation – NOW.  They scramble back into formation.  “Now you’re going to sing while dancing.  FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT!” he orders.  When they start singing he commands, “LOUDER!”

I’m impressed with Rain’s coaching style.  An idol has to think fast, be quick on his feet, and remember the words and steps no matter how stressed he is.  No time to get in your own head about it.  Just perform.

Again, Ni-Ki is struggling.  He’s off key.  The others are hanging on for dear life.  When they finish, they try to look confident, but their ragged, exhausted breathing gives them away.

Right off, Rain addresses Ni-Ki.  “You must practice your pitch.  You are in the Number One position.  You have to try harder.”

Rain acknowledges it’s not easy to sing in another language.  (A good bit of the song is in English.)  The other trainees tell us in confessionals that they are also concerned about Ni-Ki’s singing.  Well, guys, you’re the ones who put him in the top spot in the first place. 

Rain tells the group that dancing and singing well won’t help them pass this round.  He tells them that at the final test in two days, this physical stage they are standing on will “transform.”  Segments of the stage will move around.  They will have to do this performance perfectly on a moving stage.  This looks dangerous.  There’s no net under the moving stage parts, just the machinery doing the moving.  

The I-Landers are dismissed, and they gather in the living room.  They’re a bit shaken because the vibe has changed.  They are second-guessing the position assignments.  Seon has tried working with Ni-Ki, but Ni-Ki’s voice keeps cracking, and he finally breaks down.

The group decides they want to put Heeseung back in the Number One spot.  They have to make the best decision for the group.  The lower the group score, the greater the number of I-Landers who will be kicked out and sent to the Ground.

Heeseung, for his part, is loyal to his future bandmate.  He says that if Ni-Ki doesn’t want to step down, he won’t take the position back.  He’ll only do it if Ni-Ki is okay with it.

We go back to the dropouts in their dining area, which feels like an abrupt transition at first, but don’t worry, this is about to get interesting.  We’re still talking about Ni-Ki.  Ta-Ki is talking about how much he misses his bestie.

Sungchul says, “You said Ni-Ki voted you out.  You still miss him?”  Excellent question. 

Ta-Ki says he understands why Ni-Ki did it.  The others are still confused.  “Why, because you two are still rivals?” asks Sungchul, who should be awarded a law degree on the very spot.  Sunoo and Taeyong chime in, saying Ni-Ki was lying when he said it was for Ta-Ki’s own growth.

Ta-Ki says, “But Ni-Ki is a great dancer, so I really can’t say anything to him.” 

I don’t see what that has to do with anything. At first I thought maybe Ni-Ki is older, and Ta-Ki needs to show respect, but no, they’re both sixteen.  The others make that same point and add that Ta-Ki is also a great dancer, which is true. 

“Be more confident, Ta-Ki,” says Sungchul.  YES.  I hope at least some of this is getting through to Ta-Ki.

Back in the I-Land, the giant egg timer shows eight hours are left.  Ni-Ki is still debating if he wants to step down from the Number One spot.  He doesn’t have much time left.

The celebrity coaches are in the control room, getting ready for the Signal Song Test, and it looks like we have some new faces.  They are Wonderkid, Doobu, and Son Sung Deuk.

It’s interesting that the show gives us absolutely no background on any of these guys.  On every single one of these shows we’ve seen, when we get a new judge or coach, the show puts together a quick, flashy CV showing what they’re famous for and what qualifies them to be there.  This is the first time on all the shows I’ve recapped that we don’t get anything except their names.  I had to stop watching and do some online digging.

Son Sung Deuk is a choreographer who used to work with BTS and is now the performance director for Big Hit Music.  So, at least he has a resume.  I can’t find anything on Wonderkid.  Given how tied this show is to BTS, he probably does something for Big Hit Music. 

Speaking of questionable accomplishments, Doobu is someone who got fired from the HYBE Label three years ago, shortly after this show aired.  He was a choreographer who apparently wasn’t good at his job, but he did a great job of making a scene about it on Twitter after he got fired.  Well.  Other than Son Sung Deuk, this is a disappointing panel.  Was literally NO ONE ELSE available?

Rain and Zico join Son Sung Deuk and the two other coaches in the control room.  I don’t know where Bang Si Hyuk is.  Our I-Landers get in formation while the dropouts watch the performance on a screen in their Ground training room.  I’m excited to see how this choreography is going to work with the moving platforms.

We see that Ni-Ki ended up keeping the Number One spot.  Ta-Ki is losing his mind with excitement at seeing his friend in the Center position.

Here we go.

It’s a very impressive performance, and thanks to the LED screens, it’s the most color I’ve seen on this show so far.  Jake drops his headset mic at one point, but he keeps going, and the coaches say they won’t hold that against him because he handled it professionally. 

When the I-Landers finish, they stay in formation, out of breath and waiting for their evaluation.  

At the Ground, the dropouts applaud but look worried.  That was a great performance, and they wonder if any of them will get a chance to get to the I-Land.  Ta-Ki, however, can’t stop gushing over how great his bestie did.  “Did you see Ni-Ki?” he keeps asking excitedly over and over.  Oh, this poor sweet kid.

The other dropouts are envious that the I-Landers got to do that exciting performance.  Jaebeom tells us they did so well, there probably won’t be any disqualifications.  We shall see.

The coaches start talking.  They’re impressed by the hard work that went into the performance, especially with the added challenge of the moving stages.  But Rain has concerns and says he can’t give them full points on just potential alone.  Hoo boy.  Someone in the I-Land is going to the Ground.

The I-Landers gather in their chairs around the giant egg timer, and the announcer finally gives the test result.  The individual scores come up first, and they’re pretty low  Because the screen text isn’t translated, I can’t tell who gets which score.  But three are in the 40s, out of 100.  This is bad.  The overall score is 59.

According to the chart, a score of 59 means that six I-Landers will be sent to the Ground, and six dropouts are about to be promoted.

The worst part is that the I-Landers will have to decide who goes to the Ground.  I don’t think the individual scores were assigned to names, because otherwise it would be easy to choose.

The voting process begins, and the episode ends here.

I have a feeling we’re going to see Enhypen members move back and forth from the I-Land to the Ground and back a lot over this series.  I’m also curious to see if Ta-Ki’s hero worship of Ni-Ki changes over the series.  Ni-Ki will need some kind of redemption arc if he’s going to end up in Enhypen, because right now, I can’t imagine that he’s earned the goodwill of the fans.  He’s sort of being set up as the villain. 

It’s a LOT to process.  See you next episode.

Episode 3:  Fire

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