queendom 2 (2022), round three: part two

[yestoday]

Alright, alright, let's go, let's go. I'm fully caught up on this show for once in my life, and I intend on doing the same with these reviews. No foreword because I haven't slept adequately for two nights and counting after picking up this new 200k word VIXX fic that I'm only a fifth of the way done with.

On this topic, Starlights are batshit insane good writers; it literally drives me nuts. This is in which I find can a new VIXX fic that changes my fucking life quite credibly every month—at the very least. No, because, at this point, I need to devise a masterplan to recruit the select Pulitzer Prize VIXX authors into the Melody fandom and start helping revive the forsaken BTOB tag. We're starving here… Please… VIXX and BTOB are, like, besties… Please do this for them; we need you so bad… It's barren as fuck over here.

Ahem. Back to the girls. I'll keep it short.

Round Three: Part Two

1. LOONA. I knew they would have their redemption arc on my rankings. These outfits are gorgeous; it's the perfect display of simple elegance. And Yeojin! Yeojin, my sweet angel, stole the spotlight. I understood their intention of wanting to keep close to the original song, but I do wish that the first chorus would've had more of a special twist to it. (The second chorus sounded wonderful, though.) As for the setup, the props were well-designed and distinct, the background selections were mystical. Of course, I can't forget about their unrivaled synchronization, even including the backup dancers. The spiderweb part is also something that definitely shouldn't go undiscussed: while it could've had a smoother transition, it was enchanting nonetheless and expanded eloquently on the theme. 

Okay, but on a personal note, maybe there was a bit of emotional lean involved in my decision, as well… I love this song and have many baby Orbit memories with it, and hearing it on here just made me so sentimental. These girls have seriously come so far… I love them so much. (I suddenly just had a fleeting image of Hi High being performed here and got a head rush.)
 

2. WJSN. I saw highly mixed reviews of this on Twitter. Honestly, I thought it was great! The camerawork did them dirty, though; I would have liked to see the curtain fall head on. The beginning was singularly amazing—I was actually wondering when a Queendom act would pull a more unique take on utilizing the environment, such as the synced backdrop choreography they displayed here. Although the stunts were thrilling and fantastic, the sheer amount of them cramped into one performance did make it a bit overwhelming. Then again, that isn't bad for this performance, I believe: the explosive spectacle could be what they were going for; after all, this was meant to be a bit of a showbiz extravaganza. I thought it was, overall, an enjoyable performance, a grand sight to behold. And, oh, it was nice to see my beloved Bona back on stage again.

3. Brave Girls. This was really nice. The Cinderella concept was clever—starting from the bottom and reaching the top through pure dedication and endurance, and now, they're here putting on a ball for the biggest idol competition show on Mnet. It's not just that; they put their all into this, and the underlying message was palpable. This was them pouring their hearts and souls out, not knowing whether it would be a farewell song or not. It was sincere and heart-grippingly sweet. I also think this performance aligned with the "FANtastic" concept the best out of the contenders. The VCRs themselves took up too much of the total timeframe for my liking, and for that, I nearly bumped them down to 4th place. Nearly. But then, I decided they deserved bonus points for the raw vocal category. The harmonization at the end easily shifted them up at least one solid position on this list.

4. Hyolyn. She is so good at setting up a scene, bringing an atmosphere, immersing the audience in her show. See, this is a brand new concept we haven't seen from any Queendom or Kingdom performance yet! That's what I like to see! (Okay, maybe I am a little bit influenced by my adoration for the personally-declared ingenuity of AOA's original Good Luck concept.) Hyerim's cameo was incredibly touching, especially after seeing her fangirl journey and how her aspirations led her to the dream she's living now. But for the performance, it added a heartwarming factor, which left this performance tender, but not exciting, per se. And, yes, this is the lowest Hyolyn has even been on my rankings… Though, I can't even say I feel disappointed in her this round or anything, either, since I in fact loved this. It simply did not compare to some others nor exceed her previous performances.

5. Kep1er. There wasn't anything phenomenal in this, to be fair. The gigantic wings were a nice touch, however. Dayeon's voice took me by surprise, too—she can seriously do everything. Of course, this wouldn't be level anywhere near the original's splendor in any department, but I deem it an acceptable remake, at least. I just feel like they could have done a more meaningful song for fans—like Shine, or maybe even O.O.O (if that wouldn't be awkward)! I know a fan recommended the song, but it still felt out of place among the other performances. This arguably coincided with the "FANtastic" theme the least out of everything this round.

6. VIVIZ. This feels harsh, but it simply did not bring anything to the table. There's one thing I have to note first: their vocal game was noticeably weaker here… what happened, besties? I wasn't sure if it was a mic issue or something, because they're typically on the game in that field. It's alright, though. That's not the centerpiece of my judgment. Eunha had a nice high note, anyway. The reasoning for their track selection was sweet, it really was: this will the first time Na.Vs/Buddies see their debut performed in person. The concept and format were nothing unseen before, though, and it lacked a true punch. The cheerleading stunts were cool, and the dance break was great. I just really have no meaningful impression of any of it after it ended. Either way, they worked hard! I'm sure this was a momentous sensation—to hear fans' real-time cheer on their re-debut—and I'm really happy they went with this.
 

I feel like I was meaner here than usual… I didn't mean to, I swear! Maybe, it's because I'm sleepy as hell, and Genshin Impact is still under maintenance (my Yelan is so close, yet so far). Can I make it up to them by streaming… all of their finale songs an equal amount of times so that it actually doesn't benefit any group and is pointless to actually do, yet I feel the need to contribute in some way or form so this guilt doesn't swallow me whole. I love them all, I promise! 

Now, the big question is whether I should wake up early to catch the final episode live or not… I have yet to decide. I better make that decision soon, though.

Once again, here are my mom's and sister's!

Mom:

1. WJSN
2. Brave Girls
3. Kep1er
4. LOONA
5. Hyolyn
6. VIVIZ

Sister:

1. Brave Girls
2. WJSN
3. Hyolyn
4. LOONA
5. Kep1er
6. VIVIZ

「 — opening + round one — round two — round three: part one — round three: part two — final — 」