NCT Universe LASTART EP 6 Reaction
Added 2023-09-04 22:32:15 +0000 UTCGOING INTO THE FINALE!! Who do you think is READY based off what we've seen so far?? Biases aside! LOL
Comments
I honestly don’t see much of a difference in dancing or stage presence with Jungmin and Minjae so I’m always surprised there’s such a gap between them. And on top of that they keep putting Jungmin in 1st is crazy cuz they call him robotic and he’s always giving stares with his head downish and looking up through his bangs. Daeyoung seems to be the most comfortable overall but the moment he has to belt and pose is when he’s stiff. Honestly watching this so much later none of them really stand out too much in presence and the boys are really just blending together for me.
Shana
2024-10-07 08:44:56 +0000 UTCI understand when you said daeyong vocal sound exo like..i also feel like the technique of standing straight and singing high note feel like chen's a bit...but he has fuller sound like d.o also..he can be a great vocalist..and great addition to NCT..
Spandy
2023-11-12 12:17:01 +0000 UTCKyuhyun's Wild Flower is great!! you should check this out too <3 (https://youtu.be/9uUq_jMekro?si=ehrtOcUKTf2-aJ4A)
lily
2023-09-11 15:54:18 +0000 UTCoh that makes sense!! thank u!
seth james
2023-09-07 21:59:08 +0000 UTCactually, the 's' you're hearing in the Korean word 'jinjja?' is more of a CH not an S, the letter J and CH are used interchangeably because the Korean letter for 'it doesn't have a single sound, and usually when you say words like that - you have to pronounce the CH and J at the same time,\ - like mix it together, like 'JCheongmal?' it's hard but if you keep practicing it will get easier, you just have to practice pronouncing the 'ch' with the 'juh'. this is also why you'll hear, for example - people call Jaemin 'Chaemin' in Korean but you also hear 'Jaemin' at the same time right?, but they're actually mixing both the J and the CH, so it's more like a 'chjaemin' same with Jeno & Jaehyun, they're mixing the two constantans together - so its more like a 'cjheno' 'cjhaeyun'
lvna x
2023-09-06 16:06:47 +0000 UTCFinally jisung has some 02z friends inside the company (especially sion bcs hes gonna debut in nct) 🤣
Morklee
2023-09-06 04:35:07 +0000 UTCI'm so excited for tomorrow's final episode. I'm really looking forward to supporting and loving this final unit of NCT! It's been really enjoyable to watch your reactions and hear the expertise that you generously share with us, Jeff. Also, I personally feel Minjae would be more successful as a solo singer than an idol. What do you think? From what we’ve seen: he wouldn’t get much centre or screen time during performances, and his personality seems unlikely to get picked for variety contents. It would be such a waste for his AMAZING vocals to be weighed down and held back by other factors, like we see in this evaluation. Honestly, when I saw him focus so much on his singing and his dancing staying the same despite the mentors' comments, it felt strange. It made me want to ask him: why do you want to be an IDOL? Only singing well does not an idol make, and what makes him worth adding to the group over the others who can also sing similarly well?
Ivy Yang
2023-09-06 02:53:22 +0000 UTCI actually really like how this show is structured, being somewhere between a predebut reality and a survival show! No fake drama, it (seemingly) being based solely on talent, trainees are supportive, and constructive criticism is being given. Being able to see them improve right away after getting coached is one of my favourite things, instead of being yelled at for no reason other than to get an audience reaction. My only wish would be for the show to be longer, so we can see even more of the process. Or even just keep continuing the show past the selection process and up until the group actually debuts! I think a lot of people who are comparing this to BP are forgetting that boys planet NEEDS us to buy into the contestants right away, as the boys are only signed on for two and a half years (crossing all of my fingers and toes for a non-exclusive contract extension afterwards!). Yes, ZB1 as a result has become one of my ults — but I’ve also been rooting for Gunwook to debut since wild idol, and we all could’ve done without mnet trying to paint him out to be a villain character at the beginning of the show. 💀 My whole point being, the guys that will debut in the new unit have a 7+ year contract — we will have plenty of time to learn more about their personalities later, and I’m sure we’ll love them too. Now for my ideal debut lineup — like everyone else, Riku, Jungmin, and Anderson are probably already a lock for three of the spots. My fourth would probably be Daeyoung, but I also love Minjae 😫 (as a vocalist I would love if sm just made it a group of 8 and they both make it 😂) Maybe it’s my extremely untrained eye for dance but I think that if they both can blend, they’ll be fine — even as trainees, their vocals are already incomparable to the majority of their peers that’ve already debuted; I personally think that they’ll be able to stand their ground in a competitive market (and also as a musician I’m here to listen to them, there’s only so many times I can watch a fancam). I also really like Ryo for my fourth/fifth/sixth(?) spot as well, and Sakuya is the cutest please protect this baby at all costs 😭 All of the trainees have a level of the “deer in the headlights” syndrome, which will disappear in no time once they stop performing in a room only in front of their seniors; plus they’ll loosen up and gain more confidence in their own abilities the more that they train and perform. All in all, I’m so excited for the future of this group! They’re all so talented and hardworking — I’m really glad that we’re getting a glimpse of the process, and I also am marginally more trusting in the judges who will vote in someone who is performance ready over someone being just a visual pick or a trainee that should probably still be in school (this is not a read btw, I just think that there’s a fine line between making someone’s dreams come true and subjecting a minor to the amount of public scrutiny that they’ll inevitably go through if they debut, ESPECIALLY as an sm trainee — I mean look at Riize predebut, I am ready to fight for seunghan, netizens are crazy 😒) . They’re all sm trainees anyways, so I would hope that they would pick people based on who is the most ready to debut. ANYWAYS, sorry for the whole essay 😅 LET’S GO BABY NCT, I’m rooting for all of you!!!! 💚💚💚
CC
2023-09-05 21:46:41 +0000 UTCAnd also, the TVXQ performance is also my favorite performance so far. They had the charisma and energy that I've been looking for since ep.1)
Star Galaxy
2023-09-05 21:15:06 +0000 UTCI think everyone agrees Jungmin and Riku are FOR SURE gonna make it, and maybe Anderson too if he does well with 90s love. From what I've seen they're the fan faves. For the last spot, I think either Minjae or Daeyoung (leaning more towards him because why would they even introduce him halfway through the show if they didn't want to debut him). Sakuya is also getting a lot of screen time (they seem to like him) but I kinda want him to debut together with Ryo😭 Maybe SM will reserve them for a later boy group which I am not against since they're still quite young. I am just happy that there seems to be some hype lately on Twitter regarding this show. It's not just us here on Patreon and 3 other SM stans who are watching and following it 😭 I think I've grown attached to them already lol And yeah, Wonbin and Sion are 02 besties! Someone said SM might've been planning on debuting them with SungTaro in NCT as they were always together predebut but I am just happy that they're both making it! (kinda random but imagine an SMTown dance perf with Wonbin, Sion, and Jisung. My 02 line😭)
Star Galaxy
2023-09-05 21:13:51 +0000 UTCHi Jeff, I know you already have a lot on your plate but if you want to see Jungmin and Sakuya's Tom&Jerry moments you should check out their Behind the Scene video from Ep3 or 4 (I think?). They are so funny lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNCKdLQnQl4
annsavreh26
2023-09-05 17:15:22 +0000 UTCI really admire sion, like he has to prepare two performances each week, and also leads both of them, I think he will be a great leader..and yushi is currently my favorite, he just got something idk lol and I loved his performance for 'why'... As for the top4, realistically I think its Riku, Jungmin, Anderson and for the 4th spot is interchangeable between Minjae and Daeyoung, depending on who will improved the best in stage present next episode. but I'm actually really rooting for Ryu (the guy with 2 weeks training) to be the 4th spot, I really like his voice
Irving
2023-09-05 16:37:28 +0000 UTCplus in boys planet we didn't see their full potential too , look at Gunwook and im not even talking about other people who we didn't see much too. i personally enjoy this format , because i believe in SM, based on their idols. they are all incredibly talented and timeless too, look at SHInee 15 years old group still going strong , super junior ,exo, boa etc ... i get what you wanted but it wasnt SM intention to have show like boys planet i think.
jinkichimchim
2023-09-05 13:03:41 +0000 UTCRealistically? Ok. This is my opinion and I hope no one would be offended, cause we know all trainees are good, moreover - all of them are capable to develop even more, I think this is really important. So my fav from them is Daeyong. I'm always leaning towards vocals and what I see in him is next big SM vocalist - I think in 5 years we'll speak for him as next Kyuhyun, who is extremely loved by general public in Korea. He has this big, powerful, wide voice and yet warm tone. I love it. With that being said I don't think SM will put him in the Japanese subunit of already established group. I personally think that move would be waste. And to clarify - I don't overlook on NCT of course, I love them. Just with him the Korean members would be the majority and this would be a problem for a group which is going to promote in Japan as a Japanese unit. Yes, we should consider this aspect too. I think members who will debut are: Sion, Yushi, Riku, Anderson, Jungmin, Sakuya or Ryo (I think Sakuya's deep voice could help to him to make it?). But somehow I don't think they will debut 6 members? I still think this unit will be 7 or even more? Well, we'll find out soon. And once again - nothing ends for the thrainees who won't debut. I'm sure they'll have their opportunities in future and everything will be okay. 👍 Thank you, Jeff!
YordankaVo
2023-09-05 11:17:49 +0000 UTCYeah I saw that too. They are always in a group together with Eunseok :)
annsavreh26
2023-09-05 09:59:56 +0000 UTCI mean for the next mission is more new song so that's why I CAN'T WAIT FOR TOMOROW!! 😆
YDReact
2023-09-05 07:35:30 +0000 UTCI'll be there jeff and seeing RIIZE too 😆😆 can't wait.
YDReact
2023-09-05 07:32:59 +0000 UTCJust a little fun fact: So apparently, SION and WONBIN (Riize) are actually besties in real life. I saw these clips on my feed where they showed how both of them have something like friendship necklace and other stuff. They also attended some events before and even went to SM artists concerts together when they're both trainees along with Yushi. They probably expected to debut together in the same group 🥲. But I'm just glad that they're both still able to debut in a group. And they're still in the same company so I think that's good! 💗 Looking forward to see their interactions in the future ☺
eve_ss
2023-09-05 06:24:01 +0000 UTCAlso iam affraid theyre gonna make some plottwist by end up debut 5 trainees alongside with smrookies, so its gonna be 7 members 🤣
Morklee
2023-09-05 04:32:15 +0000 UTCAnd also I want to point out that jungmin has the longest training periode (3yrs) after yushi and sion, so I think he more deserved to debut if they just choose 1 main vocal
Morklee
2023-09-05 04:28:50 +0000 UTCMy top 4 is the same as you, jungmin, riku, and anderson (if he can show his best next mission, bcs hes kinda not consistent) and the 4th place is whatever in the end, but I kinda want ryo or sakuya. Why daeyoung or minjae isnt this line up? From my analysis of many sm group that have debuted, I think they don't necessary need many main vocalist (who can hit highnote) for 6/7 members of group (not including nct 127 and exo bcs they have 9 members). Like in wayv they have enough vocalist with different colour style like xiaojun, ten, kun. But whos in charge on the high note? Its just xiaojun. And for dreamies they have haechan, renjun, chenle who also 3 main vocal in dream (bcs all 7dream can sing too) but theyre have different colour in term of vocal and they complete each other. And in this case, I think they just need 1 main vocal to accompany sion and yushi as lead vocal, and the other 2 maybe position for rapper (maybe riku and anderson) and the last spot I think its gonna be maknae who can sing, or who can rap which is ryo or sakuya.
Morklee
2023-09-05 04:25:21 +0000 UTCSion really is hitting me hard as a bias alrdy as a i’m alrdy Valentine. i cant get over it
Atikah
2023-09-05 04:21:33 +0000 UTCI honestly really like the line up of riku anderson jungmin daeyong to go with sion and Yushi The finale is making so nervous 😟 im scared of being disappointed
Atikah
2023-09-05 04:19:10 +0000 UTCyup!!
seth james
2023-09-05 04:18:18 +0000 UTCBased off my observation and instinct, Jungmin, Riku, Sakuya, and Daeyoung will be the final additional members.
miri
2023-09-05 03:56:35 +0000 UTCI can understand you, but first of all this isn't kind of survival show, theyre claimed themshelves as just predebut reality show in the trailer
Morklee
2023-09-05 03:54:10 +0000 UTCSo far for this mission my fav is jungmin,riku,anderson sama minjae tbh. Like I really don't get it his in rank is ten like WT
YDReact
2023-09-05 03:27:54 +0000 UTCI agree that the TVXQ Why performance was the best of the show so far. It was mesmerizing. I think the debut group will be Sion, Yushi, Riku, Jungmin, and Daeyoung. I’m not sure about the last spot and I also think there is a high probability that they will surprise us and add a seventh member as well.
Tia
2023-09-05 03:19:49 +0000 UTCThank you for reacting. It's funny how you & Caitlin Benson reacted the same way about Minjae's critiques & ranking but same tough I was shocked because he is a pretty stable performer especially considering he was always top 5. Who I think is definitely ready for debut in terms of both perfomance/charisma & technical talent is Riku, Minjae, & Sakkuya. These three always stand out to me in each performance. The others I see it sometimes but not always. I feel like I'm the only that's not on the Jungmin, Anderson hype train that everyone is on. Alot of people love them & I get the appeal theirs been comparisons to Haechan & Johhny/Mark. I'm hoping this isn't a spoiler for you but yeah theirs been other fans who say Jungmin is similar to Haechan not only by voice but the personality too. That's who Boa was referring to when they told Haechan theirs someone who is similar to him which is Jungmin. When I think of NCT I think of variety & different vocal/charisma colors between all the members so I'm like why would I want another Haechan. With Anderson I have mixed emotions because he can perform & has charisma but in terms of technical talent I think he can still grow & be better. In another team/group they might stand out but not in NCT at least not for me. I'm going to just stop there or others might get offended. My top three has always been Riku, Minjae, Sakkuya, & the 4th can't decide between Ryo & Ryu but now I love Daeyoung as a 4th choice too. I just love Riku alot already he's rapping is soo good & different. I can see him being talked about alot in the future as main rapper like Mark & TY. I also love the way Riku helps Sion when he's busy with the other team & I've noticed they seem close. I think their the same age & most of the members call Sion hyung so they might be the oldest but I can't remember. With Minjae I guess it's a preference in vocal tone, texture since most people prefer Jungmin. I'm more of a Minjae & Daeyoung enthusist. Sakkuya always stands out to me & I love his expressions & rap. I love both him & Ryo's cute extroverted maknae on top enery they just really remind of the Dreamies when they debuted. Jisung is now bulking up & acting grown so I want to keep some youthfulness in NCT so we can keep getting concepts like Kangaroo for a while longer because I can see that being gone soon. Unfortunately I've grown attached to more trainees like Ryo, Ryu, & even Heitsusu I just adore them & wish them the best. In a perfect world I would love for Riku, Minjae, Sakkuya, Daeyoung, Ryo, Ryu, Anderson, & Jungmin to debut along with Sion & Yushi. I'm still hoping for a last minute change up of adding more then 4 lol that's too little for me especially now that NCT won't grow anymore. I can predict Riku & Jungmin debuting for sure in terms of ranking, comments like from the judges, & screen-time. They really love these two & have been top 4 in ranking every time. For the others I feel like it's a toss up between Sakkuya, Anderson, Minjae, Ryo, & Daeyoung. They go back & forth between Sakkuya in Anderson in terms of ranking & screen-time like some episodes they get alot of screen time & others I forget their in that team until they show them. Ryo & Minjae are really highlighted when it's their time to shine & when they don't shine how their expected too I feel an energy change almost like their telling them we expect better from you. With the addition of Daeyoung they've made him a center of attention their even seems to be a like a duet think going to between Minjae & Daeyoung like their a package deal where one is the other is too. So it's hard to predict the 3rd & 4th place.
Ana Aguilera
2023-09-05 03:16:16 +0000 UTCi think that realistically, putting my faves aside, 3 finalists who are basically secured at this point are riku, jungmin, and anderson. the 4th position could honestly go either way, i think that if they wanted to add another strong vocal it would be daeyoung or minjae, but otherwise it could potentially be ryo or sakuya depending on how they do. however, as someone mentioned before, since it's nct 'tokyo' i would personally like there to be more than 2 japanese members (yushi & riku), so i'm a bit torn between loving daeyoung and minjae's vocals during the why performance and also wanting some more balance, since it's clear that most if not all of the korean trainees are still quite lacking in japanese (though i'm sure korean members would at least be conversational by debut). trainees i'm personally rooting for are riku, minjae/daeyoung, ryu, and ryo!
Chloe Chu
2023-09-05 03:14:03 +0000 UTCI agree with you and one thing to add is that most of BP contestants have experience performing outside the usual company trainings. Like Hanbin used to be a back up dancer, and Hao studied music and is also a teacher. Because they have experience, you could see they are comfortable when performing. Unlike these guys, most of them only learned how to dance when they came to the company but despite that, they still did a great job performing all the missions.
annsavreh26
2023-09-05 03:07:37 +0000 UTCMy top 4 is jungmin, riku, anderson, and maybe sakuya
Morklee
2023-09-05 02:14:57 +0000 UTCComparing this show to BP is actually kind of not fair because that show has a lot of trainees (90+) and most of them were basically like the top trainees of their agencies ( and they focused more on the performance aspect tho). These trainees in lastart were mostly just trained for less than a year but their skills are solid they just lack some stage presence but this will come with experience so I'm sure they'll overcome that after some time. With the main dancer well yes I do agree that they don't have someone who particularly stood out BUT they're performing incredibly well as a group and it shows on their performance they blend well with each other and I think that's what more important. Like what XIUMIN said last time, Singing should still be the one more important because that's what you're gonna hear in the recording and I think these boys are doing SO WELL in that area tho.
eve_ss
2023-09-05 02:08:40 +0000 UTCAlso, just want to add, I don't know with others but for me I think this is the BEST survival show that I've watched and especially among the shows currently airing. The judges and mentors were giving such great advices, constructive criticisms, but also they're very nice in the way they tell the trainees. The trainees are very humble and supportive of each other. No unnecessary drama. No evil editing. The show really focuses more on the trainees growth (and sometimes it actually feels more like a reality/documentary show but I like it tho). It might not be as entertaining for others compared to other shows like Boys Planet (which I loved too) but this show feels more real and raw for me. So happy to see that this show is gaining more praises. These boys were killing it EVERY MISSION and mind y'all these were all such hard songs to perform! Almost no one ever dared to cover these songs only these trainees. 👏🏻 Like every week it keeps on getting better. But also, the thing I liked the most here was the no-voting system. Like let's be honest, some fans really just don't know how to pick well and they just vote whoever they want not really caring whether they fit into the group or if they're talented enough. But these mentors and directors they surely knows their trainees so I have more faith in them when it comes to choosing the members. Looking forward to their debut!! I'm sure it would be incredible 🙌🏻🙏🏻💚
eve_ss
2023-09-05 01:46:53 +0000 UTCI understand what you mean about vocals, like Minjae, Jungmin, and Daeyoung are really good, but they lack showmanship compared to the trainees on Boys Planet. I mean just look at what Hao did during Kill This Love and his expressions and how comfortable he was dancing. That was the first round asdlfjlkd. Singing does not stop at just vocal techniques and Jeff showing us the other Wildflower cover from I Can See Your Voice sort of shows that. That's what I meant from vocals; vocalists who have presence and feel comfortable on stage. In that regard, Hao alone feels more well-rounded than the vocalists on this show so I'd argue Boy's Planet had vocalists who showcased better stages, that is what I referred to in my original comment. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying Boys Planet was perfect or anything (it was full of useless drama and evil editing (I still feel bad for Krystian)), but at least they showcased better, cohesive performances on top of letting us know more about the contestants, something this show is struggling with. Agree with you about this show being meant to showcase us why the lineup is the way it is, but disagree with you about us not supposed to be picking a 'fav'. We are totally supposed to grow more attached to the boys, or 'pick a fav'. Most people have complained about the lack of variety since the second episode, and variety's whole purpose is to showcase the trainees' personalities so we know them better and pick a fav. The whole point of an idol group is that they have fans. How do they gain fans? Talent or personality. The talent so far hasn't been as well-rounded compared to other survival shows (what I said with the Boy's Planet comparisons) so that leaves us with the need to know their personalities. Picking favs makes us invested in a group, and this show is already pushing the already decided line-ups to be our faves (hence why Jungmin is getting so much screen time and his personality is being shown a lot more than other contestants, he's likely going to debut. I just want more of that for the other contestants since we really don't know much about them. They haven't been highlighting their personalities outside of Sion, Yushi, and Jungmin really besides maybe Sakuya and that's just the fact he's an extrovert. Like push the other 3 decided trainees too aklsfdjlkad). This show wouldn't be airing if it wasn't meant to gain fans. Being an idol is completely reliant on creating a loyal fanbase. And creating a fanbase requires gaining fans, which most idols get through their personalities or talents or a mix of both. I mean, just look at ZB1's Gyuvin (who I love btw). Most people were indifferent towards him during Boy's Planet but now most people love him because of how amazing his personality is. I just think most people expected more from SM.
nins
2023-09-05 01:36:05 +0000 UTCRealistically... i think itll be jungmin riku anderson as well. And as for the 4th one still debatable
kimjoycotton
2023-09-05 01:30:09 +0000 UTCRIKU definitely is the most ready to debut trainee among all of them. JUNGMIN has a high chance of debuting as well. Both Riku and Jungmin I think are the sure ones to debut. 💯🙌🏻 I feel like at this point the debut line-up would be: Riku, Jungmin, Daeyoung or Minjae, and Sakuya. I was thinking of Anderson as well but since this is the JPN unit I think they would choose more Japanese trainee for this unit and based from judges evaluation I think Sakuya has high chance at that. Personally, I would really want RYO to debut (he's my son y'all! 😭) he really fits NCT but Idk honestly it would depend on their performance. I hope he does well! 🙏🏻 My personal Top 4: Riku, Jungmin, Ryo, Minjae 💚 Also regarding their base, from what Ive heard, this JPN unit will be active in both Japan and Korea. So probably like WayV. I think their main dorm would still be in Korea. I'm so excited for the next mission!! 🥰 Seems like the trainees really enjoyed this too. They're more comfortable and able to express well probably because it's an NCT song so they're more familiar with it. I love it!! Can't wait! Waaah I'm so nervous. I'm already attached with these boys I would definitely cry during the finale. 😭
eve_ss
2023-09-05 01:29:09 +0000 UTCHi Jeff, there will be smtown live in jakarta on 23 sept (beyond live), will you react to that?
aerizennies
2023-09-05 01:22:02 +0000 UTCWhile I agree on the dancer part (there barely seem to be any being HIGHLIGHTED), to use bp as a comparison for VOCALS when this show is FILLED with talented vocalists (bp was wayyyy more dance focused) is really 😭 Are we watching the same show??? BP was an mnet show filled with 90 contestants, evil editing and drama to garner viewers votes and support. (way longer too, n with fancams to share individuality) This show is strictly based on performances (thus why its way shorter) and is a survival show within the company (much like skzs) and merely showcasing us what they would have done regardless of whether there were cameras or not, its goal isn't meant for us to pick favs when the debut lineup was decided ages ago (this was pre filmed), so it would be veryyy bad if we liked any of them specifically for their personality when in the end, they wouldn't make it. Its meant to showcase why the debut lineup is the way it is. You're right the the song choices they have chosen haven't exactly helped with individuality when it seems at this stage SM is not looking for who stands out on their own, but who looks more GROUP ready. BP you were given parts to HELP you stand out, SM unfortunately don't seem to be going that route.
NamiCb
2023-09-05 00:47:33 +0000 UTCConsidering this is supposed to be a Japanese group, I hope there will be more than 2 jpn members yk. So while 2 of my spots are locked in on RIKU and JUNGMIN (like everyone else tbh), I hope at least one spot is held by either RYU (his vocal tone TRULY is unique) or Sakuya (he has a very cool rap style) to add to it. MINJAE coming in at 10th felt extremely illegal tho esp considering just the vocals of his performance.
NamiCb
2023-09-05 00:15:29 +0000 UTCThis episode pissed me off lmao so sorry for the long comment but whew do I got a lot to say. This is all my opinion so it's totally okay if anyone disagrees. First things first, I feel like this show should've been structured in a super different way. It's very apparent which contestants won’t debut, and the show doesn’t really emphasize the survival aspect or any rivalry between the contestants. The rehearsals, special training by already debuted SM Idols, and the fact the contestants are graded just by SM staff/Debuted Idols and not the public just further cements the feeling that we're not really watching a competition show, something like Boy's Planet, but just a show centered on growth of the select few trainees likely to debut. In a way it feels useless to watch this considering our input doesn’t matter whatsoever since we can't vote for them and you already sort of know who’s going to make it and who won’t. I really think they should've made this whole thing a reality show with only the confirmed members of NCT Tokyo (Yushi, Sion, likely Riku, Jungmin, etc.) rather than a ‘survival’ show with a few clearly unprepared trainees. It could've just been a documentary showcasing them gearing up for their debut and gradually learning what it means to be a member of a well-established, already famous group like NCT alongside learning the technicalities of performing, like the microphone volume thing, rather than a played out survival show with little to no tension. The fact that most people watching it are more worried about the performances being bad rather than excited to see them says a lot. I think from the get-go this format wasn't that great. I also don't like how the performances are shot, and honestly, I sort of expected harsher criticisms from the judges too. Like NCT are such great performers, I expect anyone joining under that name to be phenomenal. The only contestant I somewhat fully see as a package is Sion and Riku. Yushi is almost there but his expressions are still a little weak and I really expected the judges to call him out on that more often. He’s always teetering between being amazing and being blank. Jungmin is good too but his dance could use a little improvement. Also if you really think about it, since the public can’t vote or effect the show whatsoever, then the main purpose of the whole show is to let people become attached to the contestants or be blown away by their skills, both things that the show hasn’t really succeeded at much. This show lacks variety, and it really feels aimless and like we are spectators expected to consume it rather than enjoyers who are excited to see the end product. Regarding this episode in particular, Daeyoung really surprised me. I feel like for the final lineup Jungmin will debut for sure, and then it’ll either be Minjae or Daeyoung, but not both of them. I think Daeyoung is slightly better and likelier to debut than Minjae due to the fact he can rap and he seems more relaxed performing. Minjae is a great singer but his expressions while performing feel so incredibly flat. Like he has the voice, he can dance okay, he can hit insane notes, but he doesn’t have enough expressions nor does it seem like he’s having fun, meanwhile Daeyoung is just slightly better. There’s a confidence in his voice, and especially his rapping, that Minjae lacks despite being technically better. I also think if NCT Tokyo had Jungmin and Daeyoung as the main vocalists it would be super interesting. Like looking at it from a vocal chemistry view, I really think Jungmin’s and Daeyoung’s voices go well together. Both have tones suitable for soft rock, and Japan has a huge rock music industry which could be an advantage for them. I also can’t name any other group in Kpop with vocal tones like theirs in one group so it could also make them standout and be unique. Super disagree with Eunhyuk’s statement about Riku falling flat during the ‘Why’ performance, Riku did amazing and his worst is still better than most of the other contestant’s best. SM would be incredibly stupid not to debut him. This show feels like it has zero personality. I HATE to compare it but Boy’s Planet was humongous this year and we saw so many different colors from those contestants. Like I don’t see any main dancer here. Yeah Sion/Yushi can dance really well, but where’s someone like Sung Hanbin? Or Gunwook? Or even Yujin? People who specialize in particular fields or styles of dance? Where are the rappers like Keita? The singers like Taerae? Zhang Hao? Hui? Most people expect more, especially coming from SM. I also don’t think the format itself has many chances to show their individual strengths or limits. I would love to see them perform full stages by themselves with hard songs to really push them, sort of like what Daeyoung did with his ‘Wildflower’ stage but incorporate dance as well. Hell, I saw more of their dance abilities when they were dancing in front of Ten then their introduction stages back in episode 1. The ‘rounds’ on this show are just group performances after group performances; it lacks any opportunity for the trainees’ inputs whether it be creative freedom, strategizing, or changing aspects of the song or choreo. It just feels so incredibly derivative. Not having the trainees change aspects of the performances makes us lose out on the ability to know more about them or their motivations or ideas which sucks considering the whole point of the show is to showcase the trainees and make us like them. It’s like despite the fact we are 6 episodes in, I only vaguely know some of the contestants. I find the way the performances are organized (literally just them performing the songs verbatim) makes it feel like they’re just following a recipe rather than exploring anything and growing from that exploration. In the pursuit of perfection, one might just land on excellence. And I don’t think I’ve seen any of them strive for perfection, but just passability within the constrained parameters of an allowed performance. This whole thing is just so incredibly unfortunate. I will still be rooting for Riku, Jungmin, and Anderson though. I really need them to debut.
nins
2023-09-05 00:10:59 +0000 UTCmy realistic top 4 is jungmin, daeyoung, minjae, riku. but honestly i'm hoping for a random 5th who for me would be ryo honestly (i think it's his charm) but i do think he's too young for that line up :\ I think the final top 4 will be jungmin, riku, sakuya and daeyoung though, just from the editing alone aha
Paris Richardson
2023-09-04 23:46:53 +0000 UTCWhile Sion remind people of young Jaehyun , me when riku smile , he look just like Kai .
Lutfi Sapiee
2023-09-04 23:44:42 +0000 UTCI think my top 4 are jungmin riku Anderson and minjae but I also really like daeyoung and in terms of who’s ready I think jungmin anderson and riku are but minjae and daeyoung dance and sp need work but they’ve got amazing vocals and I can see them improving a lot from when this show ended to their debut honestly hoping they debut all 5 lol
Anna
2023-09-04 23:42:35 +0000 UTCJungmin definitely. Because since the Sherlock he's gotten more confident in singing and his danc8ng is fine as well. So is his facial expressions. Anderson is another one who I think is ready. He really stood out this mission. EDIT: And to answer your question. Yes, Put your Head down was perform at the SMTOWN concert. Also, I agree with this ranking. Heitetsu really didn't stand out to me. It just seems like he's the same as before just based on what they've shown us. Yes, he has alot of charm but to me his dancing and vocals are still a bit ehh to me.
pup_kay43
2023-09-04 23:36:36 +0000 UTCThank you. Pwede bang lahat na lang sila mag debut. Ang hirap mamili. Pero I think Jungmin and Riku secured their place.
Geraldine Solis
2023-09-04 23:31:46 +0000 UTCSo far my Top 4 in this order is Sakuya, Jungmin, Riku, & Daeyoung. If Sakuya doesn't make it, I'll cry myself to sleep lol
Zerose777
2023-09-04 23:29:54 +0000 UTCOmg I've been waiting for you to post your reaction to this episode 'cause it's my favorite one so far! Thanks Jeff! :) This is the first time I've commented, but I have been watching with you for the entire show so far. I'm just gonna share my thoughts here, but it might be a bit long, just a warning. Lol As far as your question on which trainees I think are ready, definitely Riku and Anderson! They seem like the most natural on stage so I have no doubts when it comes to those two. I think Jungmin is ready to debut as well, and based on his high rankings and the judges' comments, I'm confident that he will (which makes me happy 'cause he's one of my favorites). He needs a little work with his dance and facial expressions, and he needs to open up a bit more personality-wise, but overall he's amazing. The talent and potential is absolutely there. For the final spot, I could see it being one of the other two vocalists, and I think Daeyoung has a slightly higher chance. I love Minjae's voice a lot, but for some reason I feel like he doesn't quite fit the Neo vibe, like I just can't see him as an NCT member, collaborating with the rest of the group in NCT U stuff. I would rather have him train in SM a bit longer and then debut later in a separate group. Daeyoung on the other hand, I can already see fitting in with NCT, especially from his voice. A voice like his and a voice like Jungmin's together in one group would be legendary. Plus we saw a little bit of his stage presence in the TVXQ stage here, and I thought he did pretty well. I know you've made some comments on your opinion of Sakuya and how you don't love him all that much, but I can see him potentially debuting in the final lineup as well. I feel like with this group being NCT's Japan-based unit, it would be nice to have another Japanese member, and other than Riku he's the one that seems the most debut-ready to me. I like his presence when he raps, and he's a fairly stable dancer too. He has better facial expressions than the majority of the other Japanese trainees in my opinion (although I do like Ryu a lot too, but I unfortunately get the feeling he's not gonna make it in the final lineup). I'm hoping that SM pulls out a plot twist at the end and allows the top 5 to debut instead of top 4, because I just love too many of these trainees and I want to see more of them make it. A 7 member group would make more sense based on SM's past group sizes. And I think it might actually be a possibility after seeing that they're gonna have some kind of "emergency meeting" when they're discussing the final lineup. Either way though, I'm ready to support this group when the show ends :)
stayzennie_sf
2023-09-04 22:53:24 +0000 UTC
