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Welcome to my episode seven review of NCT Universe: LASTART.
If you have not read my introduction post yet to this competition reality show, please go back and read it to get a great idea of what to expect from this show.
If you do not want spoilers, please do not continue reading because I will not hide anything in my review. Besides, these episodes already aired a while ago.
I am finally at the finale of this reality competition show. I hope the results are what I hope for in the new NCT team.
The 90's Love team is on stage for the rehearsal. The team looks anxious for their final performance. Vocal Trainer and Artist Director Jang Jin Young asks if the team is ready to start the rehearsal. After rehearsal starts, the intro part seems fine until Minjae misses the beat to step out in their hip-hop moves. Furthermore, he also misses it on several occasions. Surprisingly, Yushi loses his footing a bit when his shoe became lose and his foot step went sideways. Sakuya also had problems when his shoelaces became undone and trips a little bit while he was in front and center. While moving backwards, Anderson slightly bumps into Kassho. Kassho's voice sounded shaky during his part. At the climax when Daeyoung and Minjae were suppose to match dissonance notes, Minjae sounded a bit flat. Director Jang scrunched his face.
After rehearsal, Director Jang immediately goes to Minjae and Daeyoung and tells them to immediately practice their parts separately, but specifically pointing at Daeyoung. I thought Minjae sounded flat, but it seems Daeyoung needs the practice. Director Jang tells Kassho that his pitch was a little bit high. Director Jang went to Ryo and tells him that he can't hear him sing during his part and his ending notes were off. Director Jang made his way to Minjae to tell him the harmony was off in his high note for the climax of "90's Love." Director Jang went back to Daeyoung to tell him that he stopped singing mid-part when there were more melodies in his phrase.
After rehearsal was done, Daeyoung quietly squatted at the front end of the stage, deep in thought. Minjae, who was also squatting next to Daeyoung, noticed and asked him what was wrong. Daeyoung admitted that his throat was not in good condition that day. Minjae kept focused and told Daeyoung to relax more and they should go over their climax part. Minjae tells Daeyoung as they walk off the stage that Daeyoung can make mistakes, but they should show them their potential during their actual performance.
Backstage, the entire team looked visibly nervous. Daeyoung held his chest while Ryo tried to shake off his nervousness. Yushi also admitted that he was nervous. I think there are two things at stake here:
The IP TF (management) team and special artist directors are sitting in the audience and also, this final mission will decide who will be in the new debut group.
The IP TF (management) team and special artist directors are sitting in the audience and also, this final mission will decide who will be in the new debut group.
The 90's Love team eventually moves to the stage while the "Boss" team is in the waiting room with nervous smiles. At least, they can smile for now, but their turn will be next.
90's Love Team: Sion, Yushi, Minjae, Daeyoung, Anderson, Kassho, Ryo, and Sakuya performing "90's Love" by NCT U.
After this performance, I wanted to give them a huge congratulations for making it this far. I can't believe it's over. There were no major incidents that were seen during rehearsal. Team Boss realized that they were next to perform as the first team is done and Riku started to have mental panic.
Artist Director Eunhyuk asked if the group was satisfied with their performance that day. Sion answered that when he made eye contacts with other members during their performance, Sion could see that they were all having fun. This was true as I saw Ryo and Sakuya having the most fun with their bright facial expressions.
Special Artist Director NCT Johnny cut to the chase to ask Yushi what he wanted to show in this performance. Surprisingly, Yushi answered that he wanted to showcase his singing ability. I always thought Yushi wanted a dancer position, but he has high ambitions, which is inspiring to me. However, Yushi continued and said, however, that the choreography was 빡세다 Bbakseda (tough/difficult), using a Korean slang term (or my husband thinks this is no longer a slang, but standard vocabulary due to its widespread use). Johnny continued that Sion and Yushi definitely stood out in the performance and were bringing everyone together. Johnny thought Sakuya can quickly change the mood of the song and that made Sakuya look refreshing. Out of everyone on the team, Anderson had the best energy. However, Anderson looked like he was too focused on himself and his feelings, so he could work on going beyond and make the audience feel it too. Johnny said that Minjae only shined during the high notes and that was a bit disappointing because Minjae looked like he was confused where his spot was on stage.
Special Artist Director NCT's Haechan thought Sion was powerfully leading the team. Haechan really loved Yushi's voice. Haechan will remember Yushi's voice after the show. Eunhyuk egged Haechan on whether it was because Yushi had a similar vibe as Haechan and Yushi both had unique voices. Haechan laughed and expressed that Yushi had a unique voice that does not get in the way of enjoying the song. Yushi's unique voice made the song more interesting so Haechan really liked it. I can't wait for Haechan and Yushi to collaborate in the future. Haechan saw that Daeyoung only trained for three months, but can hit the high notes very well, which impressed Haechan. However, Haechan confidently said that Daeyoung needs more training in dance. Haechan had the feeling that Ryo was the cute member of the group. Ryo showed a different charm from his members, which was nice to see. In this personal interview, Ryo explained that he practiced his smile a lot for this performance and he interpreted the judges comments to mean that he had the most fun in his performance. Haechan did not check how the vocal parts were assigned, but he said he wouldn't remember Minjae very well. Minjae would have to think about how to resolve it as he continues to perform on stage. Minjae should focus on improving his vocal abilities, but he should not overlook the choreography.
Artist Director BoA thought that Yushi and Daeyoung's voice complimented each other very well. Their vocal tones matched well together. Ryo looked a lot taller to BoA from the last time she saw him. BoA thought Ryo hard-carried his team during this performance. Ryo's stage etiquette and energy was great. BoA especially liked the part when Ryo was dancing in front of Sion and owned the performance with that particular vibe. Unfortunately, Kassho did not stand out to BoA as much as she would like him to stand out.
Special Director Leeteuk thought after observing Daeyoung that if Daeyoung practiced his singing and dancing more, he would make a lot of improvements. To ease the tension, Leeteuk immediately went into a story about how their main vocalist, Yesung, was backstage still practicing high notes when his microphone was on. This story made Leeteuk realize how much pressure main vocalists are under to hit their high notes. When Daeyoung was moving to the side of the stage to prepare for the climax high notes, Leeteuk saw Daeyoung's determination to do well. Leeteuk asked that if Daeyoung would be able to let go of his determination a little bit and relax more, he would be a better singer and dancer. Leeteuk will root for Daeyoung. Because so much is at stake, I don't think any trainee can relax in this situation, but at least they need to hide that during the performance. During Daeyoung's personal interview, he said that he was nervous ,but decided to only focus on the performance. He was sad that the performance was over, but he didn't feel any regrets. Leeteuk honestly thought that it was not easy to smile in front of all the senior members in the agency, but it looked like Sakuya is enjoying it.
Artist Director Eunhyuk thought that in past missions, Ryo looked too youthful and didn't fit the image of the group that he had in mind. However, in this performance, Ryo completed the overall style of the team. Ryo led his team well. Eunhyuk also mentioned that in previous missions, he gave feedback that Sakuya's facial expressions were plain. However, in today's performance, Sakuya had the best facial expressions. Eunhyuk kept watching Sakuya, who showed him great smiles and facial expressions that matched the style of the song well. Eunhyuk recognized Sakuya's hard work. Eunhyuk liked how Ryo and Sakuya both improved. Eunhyuk thought Anderson enjoyed performing by nature and had a talent. Despite having a short training period and experience on stage, Anderson does not look like an amateur on stage. He looked like he was born to be on stage. Kassho looked like he was a good singer and dancer, but he kept blending into the group. Kassho should think about how to fix this problem on his own. Lee Sung Soo, the CAO of the new IP TF team thought that since Kassho had a short training period, he can continue improving himself and reveal more of his talents on stage and leave an impression on the audience.
Anderson left an impression on Special Artist Director Kangta. Thee choreography has a flow and Anderson did a great job at utilizing the overall vibe and rhythm of the song. Kangta explained to Minjae that the burden of a vocalist is to present the song from start to finish. The audience should not see the artist's burden on stage. Minjae should keep this in mind as he continues to practice.
Artist Director Kang Jin Young knew that the trainees on this team wanted desperately to be an NCT member, so they must have felt more pressure in this mission. The team finished the performance without any mistakes. He wanted to thank them and tell them that they did an amazing job. While performing on this show, all members have improved. He hopes that all members continue to improve whether or not they make it into the debut team. If they can manage it, continuous improvement will help their careers a lot.
I will also give my feedback on the final performance. Sion led the beginning of the song well in the center as he tends to have exaggerated dance movements and that was the perfect time to do his special moves. Everybody seemed happy to do their "high touches" and I was happy to see that enthusiasm. Having Sakuya lead the hip-hop dance was awesome. Unfortunately, I didn't think Sion's voice fit this song well. He was more rapping than singing the lyrics. Sion's voice seemed weak in general for this song. Once Yushi came in with his part in verse 2, the song because more easier to listen to because of his clear voice. I wish Yushi smiled a bit more in this fun song. Unfortunately, Kassho seems to have 80% energy as the back-up rapper dancing in the back. I will admit that even the original singer, Winwin didn't have much presence either as a lead rapper. When Ryo sang the pre-chorus, he was really in his groove, which I appreciated very much. I finally notice Ryo as a worthy member. Ryo was living in the song and very immersed into his role. Daeyoung gave a smile and a heart while he was in the front, which was a good touch. Sakuya commanded in his rap role and took it to a new height for his performance. I missed his mission two fierceness that he brought out once again. I thought his facial expressions was not as good as when he practiced in front of Ten, but he still gave me the happy and playful vibes. Anderson came in strong, but his rap was more like a speaking rap than a rhythmic rap. I like his ending touch where he flipped his jacket open and moved his hands down the sides of his chest. That was creative and he acted like he has done it all his life (which I will not think about since that would mean he did it as a minor.) I am trying to say that he did his part very naturally. When Yushi danced in the front, the rest of the members beautifully supported him in the back triangle formation with Sakuya doing it strongly. Sakuya really brought his talent to the forefront in this performance. Unfortunately, Kassho did his part with a bland expression, which I didn't understand as he still hasn't got out of that too-cool-for-you character. His voice was great and his dance is decent, but that facial expression seems worse than Jungmin's robot look. I can't feel the song through Kassho. It's hard to detect that Daeyoung has a throat problem as he did a good job singing his part while Yushi flew by Daeyoung in the back with his own vocals. I only noticed Minjae during the climax part as he did his dissonant high notes with Daeyoung. While Daeyoung was looking and facing Minjae while singing, Minjae seems to be facing towards the back stage as he sang, which was strange to me. Facing the back of the stage is almost taboo when in the performing spotlight. Even Taeyong changed his original choreography with the "7th sense" instead of turning around and singing his part, he faced the audience instead. Daeyoung and Minjae should be facing each other when they sing this part just like Haechan and Ten would face each other as they sing together. Later on, Daeyoung also nailed singing an octave higher in his part with seemingly no effort. He looked like a wolf in howling position. There is no doubt that this team is strong despite having a rehearsal disaster. My only thought as I view this performance as a whole is that I didn't get the 90's feel from this group, but it feel more like a fresh group in the current era.
My initial ranking are as follows:
1. Sakuya - He led the team in many parts.
2. Ryo - He has his own groove, which fits the song well.
3. Daeyoung - Amazing vocal power and decent lead rapper. His rap parts weren't highlighted, but he did a great job. If he isn't feeling 100%, I'm sure his 100% would be very powerful.
4. Anderson - He fits well with the vibe of the song and he did a great job overall with creativity.
For the final lineup, I am sacrificing Kassho and Minjae as they did not meet my standards for debut.
After stepping off stage, the 90's Love team got into a semi-group huddle where Anderson explained that they have learned a lot from this experience, which improved all of their skill sets overall. Ryo explains that he had the most fun in this performance. Sion thinks that this is the time where they put in the most work to improve as trainees. He hopes that they remember their hard work and use it as their foundation. The group does their last cheer as a team to a good job and good work.
The Artist Director team is ready for the next song, "Boss" By NCT U. Eunhyuk asked Haechan if he though the song was difficult. Haechan explains that while he was not part of the performance of the song, he knows that the rap in this song is melody-focused with a singing rap. There are a lot of singing parts with trendy rhythm and blues lines. Executing these parts will be the key point in the song. Eunhyuk thought that the song has a lot of rollercoaster parts and a different range of styles.
In the practice room of the Boss team, at Day -7, the team members were stretching. Sion asked the team if they did not yet learn how to count the beats of the song and the group answered, yes, to confirm. Sion said that they will go slow. During his personal interview, when Sion heard that they would be performing "Boss," he thought that it would be a good opportunity for everyone to show their different talents. Yushi suggested to Riku that they do a high-touch (handshake-hug) at the beginning of the song and they practice it.
At D-5 and D-4, they work on their angles and range of different charms during their performance. While they were practicing, the final guest mentor walked to the practice room and spied through the window: NCT's leader, Taeyong. At a certain point, he promptly opens the door to make his presence known. Riku thought he was really cool and Haruta thought that Taeyong had an intense aura, which was cool beyond words. Taeyong went to shake everybody's hands and repeat each members name at the same time. Taeyong playfully explained to them, though with a straight face, that he came to play.
Taeyong proceeded to call out names from his clipboard like taking attendance in a school classroom. When Taeyong called out Jungmin's name, he noticed that Jungmin has a talent of drawing the Spongebob character, which Taeyong can do as well. When Taeyong called Riku's name, he notices Riku's specialty is popping. When Heitetsu was called, Taeyong incredulously read his specialty as flexible, interesting poses.
Next, Taeyong asked to see their performance so far. He asks the team if they are confident. The "Boss" team confirms with smiles. Taeyong told them that they should be confident and that they can do it. Yushi looked nervous to start, but Taeyong commanded them not to be nervous. Once the music started, Yushi was in performance mode and Yushi's nervousness vanished instantly. While they performed, Riku rapped live. Heitetsu followed up with his rap live. Taeyong looked adorably cute as his round eyes rolled around and focused on different parts of the performance. After the performance, Taeyong asked everyone to drink some water.
Taeyong expressed that he can tell everybody worked really hard. The team sat in front of him while he spoke. Taeyong mentioned that he rather not compare them to his present self as he had his own trainee days in the past. When he thought about his past, he thought it was okay to be more stressed than the present. He then proceeded to tell the trainees that they worked really hard, but that was it. Taeyong has big expectations. Taeyong wanted them to push themselves to the limit. This advice is totally opposite from the past mentors on the show, who showed a lot of encouragement. Taeyong gives his advice with tough love. Taeyong explained that there is a very thin line of difference where the audience can see them differently. Taeyong would like the team to treat this performance like it is a matter of life or death (wow). He wanted to see more teamwork and exude a vibe where they are working together.
For example, during practice, Taeyong would like them to discuss what types of gestures they want to make for the performance and get approval. They could also talk about what they want to do with their positions. They will have to resolve the discussions among themselves. Once they do that, their performance will look more comfortable to watch.
Taeyong expressed that the "Boss" song is a hip-hop song that has not existed before its release as there were not many groups that did hip-hop dancing as far as he could remember. He would like them to remember that it is not an ordinary choreography, but a whole new genre. The original Boss team also had a hard time with the choreography. The new Boss team can discuss how they can bring the hip-hop vibe to the song.
Taeyong tried to ask the team if they ate already, in which the team confirmed. Feeling awkward, Taeyong bought them fried chicken, but he said he will take it all and eat it himself. A staff member promptly dropped off all the bags of food and drinks next to Taeyong. The team could only laugh in this situation.
Because there will be a new NCT unit, the topic is more special to Taeyong. He thought that this is a new way to let the world know more about NCT. Despite his harsh comments, he told the group that he was proud of them and he hopes that they become a group that shines.
During their group photo, Taeyong asks the team to smile. Jungmin does not disappoint.
Personally, it didn't look like Taeyong's session with the team helped that much. He gave such general advice. I normally enjoyed the guest mentors, but in this case, I am not sure if this advice would help them change their current strategy.
The team continues to monitor their performance. Sion asks Riku to put more weight into his performance. Sion also reviews Haruta's part. They talked about the choreography, but it was Sion who mostly talked to the members. Sion mentioned that they did not talk much about teamwork since they were engrossed into their practice. They tried to practice in a different way for several days and they did not bump into each other during the dance. Sion thought the overall formations looked neater.
For the next three days, the members practiced. Jungmin also practiced singing in his individual training room. Jungmin wanted to show that he was not only a good singer but a good dancer as well. Riku also practiced his individual rap. However, he has mixed feelings about debuting, but he knows that everybody is nervous so he wanted them to show what they practiced so far.
The Boss team were now in rehearsal. Vocal trainer and Artist Director Jang Jin Young looked on. At the beginning of the choreography, Haruta's leg slipped while bending over and walking. He continues to miss the beat while walking and bending over. During the chorus, the tones of the members did not sound good. During Jungmin's high note part, he did not secure his high note in time and froze in place. The team looked stressed after the rehearsal was over. Director Jang looked like he did not know what to do. The final mission seemed to have gotten to every contestant's nerves.
Director Jang addresses the team and tells them to practice the "player" part of the chorus. Their tones keep going up as they were singing and dancing at the same time. Director Jang tells Jungmin that his overall tune is ridiculously off. He demonstrates the "yeah" parts. Jungmin is stunned and started shedding quiet tears. Jungmin explained in his personal interview that his throat hurt. This reminded me of what Daeyoung mentioned during his rehearsal. Jungmin stated that he couldn't control his voice so that was starting to make me nervous as I do not want him eliminated because of this problem. He looked so vulnerable on stage, but unlike Daeyoung, I thought Jungmin couldn't snap out of it. Director Jang stayed by Jungmin's side as Jungmin silently shed tears. Director Jang tells Jungmin that after the audition, they will take some time to fix his tone and it should be okay to work on the basics first. Even though Jungmin may make a mistake, he still has to do it. Jungmin nods and continued to silently cry. Director Jang wiped Jungmin's tears. Director Jang is such a caring mentor. He really wanted everybody to succeed. At this point, I am really worried about Jungmin. I can't have a team without him.
Eunhyuk and the rest of the audience were ready to see the next performance. The Boss team, led by Sion, is ready to perform with no regrets. However, Jungmin walks on stage with his eyes widened, unfazed by the camera, and looking stunned. I am really worried as that is not the correct mentality to go on stage. The 90's Love team is now very relaxed in the waiting room, but nervous to see the Boss team perform.
The Boss Team: Sion, Yushi, Heitetsu, Riku, Ryu, Jungmin, and Haruta performing NCT U's "Boss"
After the performance, the audience was in awe. Eunhyuk thought this was a difficult song and Kangta said this song would make them stand out. The Boss team introduced themselves to the judges.
Kangta started the praise that the team understood the flow of the song well despite needing to sing and dance. Kangta gave encouraging words to Heitetsu that if Heitetsu practices enough, Heitetsu will beat even talented trainees. When Kangta looked at Riku's performance, Kangta can see the flow of the music. Riku did a good job of interpreting the concept of the song. As a joke, Kangta explained to Jungmin that there is an otolaryngologist or ENT who can help Jungmin with his voice. Their company knows a person (referring to BoA). Kangta advised that Jungmin learn how to produce sound without straining his throat.
Johnny thought Yushi and Sion were cool. Jungmin caught Johnny's attention a lot. When Johnny looked at the screen which showed Jungmin from the chest upward, Johnny fell in love with Jungmin's face. Jungmin looked like he didn't know how to interpret Johnny's comment. Jungmin had a talent of capturing Johnny's attention. However, when Jungmin dances, his dance looked a little heavy. Johnny can relate as he tried hard to improve his heavy dance look himself. I interpret that to mean heavy steps when dancing. Johnny has faith that if Jungmin worked hard on it, he can improve.
Eunhyuk compared Sion to a chameleon who knew how to express his himself through different songs and Yushi who knew how to keep the pace of every song to lead the performance. Ryu looked like he was doing his best, but his moves were a little bit rushed for the song. Ryu should relax more and express himself better. Eunhyuk could see confidence in Haruta's face. Eunhyuk praised Jungmin and Riku for leading every performance and are great at it. Jungmin had difficult parts in his songs.
Production Center 4 Chief, Chae Jung Hee thought Ryu's past energy and confidence in past missions could serve as his strength, but in this song, Ryu needed to show good control.
Haechan thought Ryu's tone was cool and he can polish up his tone on stage and relax more, which would make him look better on stage. Haechan honestly told Jungmin that when he was a trainee, he did not dare to sing high notes, but Haechan thought it was cool that Jungmin still attempted high notes even if he possibly executed it the wrong way or made a mistake. If Jungmin can learn to use his voice better, he can become an unmatched vocalist. In his personal interview, Jungmin confessed that he used to be a cheerful person, but there was a period of time where he became timid. Other trainees helped Jungmin a lot. During the time they were standing side stage, Riku mentioned that not only is Jungmin's singing good, but Jungmin has charm. Jungmin promised to work hard and polish his skills so he can become a great vocalist. This confession made me think about what happened in his life to make him become so timid. Was it something he personally experienced like being bullied or was it the pressures of being a SM trainee where he felt he was not good enough?
Leeteuk gave Heitetsu feedback that his performance is too bland. There was a specific praying move with his hands and palms together in which he had to move it up and down along with the group during the chorus, but the way Heitetsu did it was dull and seemed slower than the other members. Leeteuk thought that Heitetsu knew he did not have confidence so Heitetsu danced father away from the group. Later on, Leeteuk explained that a person's average attention span is eight seconds. This is enough time for a person to skip over a music video. How long the trainee period only matters internally and the public will not care about that fact. Leeteuk looks forward to seeing all the trainees as professionals when they debut. Eunhyuk joked that he could only concentrate on Leeuteuk's words for the first eight seconds. Leeteuk joked back that his comments can be split into two episodes.
BoA explained to Heitetsu that he was the tallest in the group, but he was floundering too much. Therefore, she recommended that he practice dance more seriously. Haruta caught BoA's eye a lot during the performance. She loved his performance and thought that Haruta finally expressed himself on stage. Riku's performance was great. Riku matched the song so well that BoA felt that Riku was a boss himself. Riku had the charisma. BoA saw that Jungmin had throat problems and asked how his throat is after the performance. Jungmin replied that he had a hard time vocalizing. BoA explained that she warned him that if he kept singing the way he sang in the first mission, he would eventually hurt his throat.
Eunhyuk told the Boss team that they can relax now and wait for the final results. This is it!
Once the trainees are off the stage, Jungmin confessed that he didn't want to cry, but he actually cried twice that day with the first cry being at rehearsal and the second cry after Haechan's compliment. The subtitle mentions Jungmin as the crybaby of LASTART. Heitetsu soon began to cry himself. After seeing Heitetsu cry, Riku turned around in attempt to stop himself from crying. Heitetsu wanted to thank everyone and they huddled together to do a cheer with their hands in the middle. In his personal interview, Yushi had mixed feelings as well as he had many practices with the trainees. He will do his best to work hard. Sion mentioned that although their missions are completed, this is a start and not an end. He will also work hard and show improvement.
I will also give my thoughts on the performance. I didn't like Sion's voice too much in 90's Love, but Sion's voice was definitely better in Boss where I can clearly hear his melody. His flexibility in his dance is great as usual. I see Ryu improved in this performance. While the judges see him as rushed and not relaxed, I see Ryu's best performance yet. It would have been nicer if he held his melody until the end of the musical phrase instead of cutting it off short. I felt Jungmin wasn't mentally invested into the song, which was a shame. I can tell throughout the performance that he was thinking about something and not really being in the moment or in character. His dance also looked really heavy and he wasn't moving like how he moved in "Electric Kiss" where his mentality was do or die. Yushi's vocals are stable as always. I notice that I no longer see vocal problems of him cutting his melody short or out of breath anymore like I see in Mission two. Yushi must have increased his stamina. Riku is the main boss in this performance. He was very in character. I was trying to find the Taeyong and Mark of the group and it is looking to be Riku and Yushi who had the most charisma. Heitetsu's rap was really his best performance. He still has a long way to go in terms of improvement, but I feel like he has improved since mission one and his quick rap wasn't bad at all. I think if Heitetsu continues to practice, he will debut one day. Unfortunately, Jungmin came in again singing way ahead of the beat. I knew Jungmin's mind wasn't in the moment, but Jungmin kept his power in his vocals. He didn't put power into his arms and made it a fling instead, which was disappointing. He also took many glances at the floor during his performance. If I have to be harsh, this is Jungmin's worst performance and I will be nervous if he doesn't debut because of this performance. In a way, I felt like he was on autopilot mode. Yushi singing the bridge part was heavenly. He could have more dramatic moves since he had the spotlight, but I guess he needed to control his movements for a better quality sound. I think I need more of Yushi's voice in my life. When it was Jungmin's turn to finish the bridge, he had less movement than Yushi and was basically standing there. It reminded me of Minjae and how he stood in place in preparation for his high notes. I am relieved that Jungmin was able to hit his high note even if it was a bit shaky. Riku quickly made up for it by capturing me with his boss rap and high jump. Having Haruta do the low rap in combination with Riku's higher tone rap sounded really good. I didn't pay attention to Haruta until this point, but Haruta brought his chaotic energy with him as he strongly head bopped to his rap. That was an excellent climax to the song. I wanted to cheer for him as this was his personal best performance and very memorable. Just like Riku, Haruta brought his own boss energy to the song. I wanted to comment on how it was a bit unfair that Yushi, Sion, and maybe Riku had the best outfits while everybody else had mediocre styled outfits. Jungmin's outfit wasn't that attractive on him. Haruta and Ryu's outfit looked a bit plain. Overall, I am proud of the team's efforts in this performance and the disasters that we saw during the rehearsal were not evident in the actual performance.
The new IP TF team provides 50% of the scores and the artist directors will provide the other 50% of the scores. Only four out of the eleven trainees can debut with Sion and Yushi. The aptitude, talent, and growth potential of all the trainees along with their mission evaluations will be considered and included in the scores.
Johnny was worried about what to say to the trainees who didn't make it. Haechan was just as nervous as the trainees. He wanted to give a warm welcome to the new members of NCT. With a smile on his face, Eunhyuk was curious to know whether the NCT members would be territorial with the new NCT members. Johnny gave his witty response to answer that it would be a given. Haechan cackled at Johnny's response. BoA then asked if the other NCT members were mean to Johnny when he joined. Johnny then replied that he was the one who was territorial.
It's time for the SM Rookies and trainees to take the stage. Eunhyuk thanked all the trainees for their hard work and asked the SM Rookies for feedback on their experience. Sion wanted to thank all his friends and juniors for trusting him and following his lead. They went through a lot of tough experiences together, but they also made fun memories. He would like this experience to be a good memory for all. Yushi was very worried, but explained that the trainees followed his lead very well. He was very proud (of their efforts, probably).
Eunhyuk then turned to Haechan for an announcement. Haechan announced that NCT has a group concert in August and September (NCT Nation: To the World). Those trainees who debut will be a part of the pre-stage performance for the concerts. Haechan thought it would be a good opportunity for them to perform in front of the NCTzens who love NCT.
This moment is where the title of "NCT New Team" is displayed in the video. I was hoping that SM would reveal the new name of the debut group, but I was disappointed to know that this does not happen on the show.
The ranking results of mission four and the final results are as follows:
1. Riku (Ranked 1st in the first mission, 2nd in the second mission, 2nd in the third mission)
2. Sakuya (Ranked 5th in the first mission, 3rd in the second mission, 5th in the third mission)
3. Daeyoung (Ranked fourth in the third mission)
4. Jungmin (Ranked 3rd in the first mission, 1st in the second mission, 1st in the third mission)
Surprise! The new IP TF team and artist directors had an emergency meeting and made a necessary decision for the structure of the group. Therefore, one more trainee will debut.
5. Ryo (Ranked fourth in the first mission, 7th in the second mission, and 7th in the third mission)
Unfortunately, this means the following trainees are eliminated from the NCT New Team:
6. Anderson (Ranked 2nd in the first mission, 5th in the second mission, 3rd in the third mission)
7. Ryu (Ranked 8th in the first mission, 6th in the second mission, and 6th in the third mission)
8. Minjae (Ranked 6th in the first mission, 4th in the second mission, and 10th in the third mission)
9. Haruta (Ranked 6th in the first mission, 9th in the second mission, and 8th in the third mission)
10. Kassho (Ranked 9th in the first mission, 8th in the second mission, and 9th in the third mission)
11. Heitetsu (Ranked 10th in the first mission, 10th in the second mission, and 11th in the third mission)
We have our final debut team. I will share my personal rankings:
1) Riku: He killed it with his performance. Just as BoA said, Riku looked like he already debut. Behind Sion and Yushi, I have faith that Riku looks ready for debut and he will deliver his part well.
2) Sakuya: He has captured my attention in every single mission. I am not sure how else to explain it other than that he has charm and he is not afraid to try new things. Perhaps it is because of his young age that he tries to take a lot of risks and the risks are paying off. Mentality plays a huge part in success. His youth is also his charm.
3) Daeyoung: Daegu man has made it! Since mission three, I know he is not perfect, but I can see his potential. He can sing, he can rap, and I can see him improving his dance skills in the future. He is the type of trainee that will get things done and focus on the matter at hand.
4) Jungmin: He was somebody I always thought was a necessity to the team. I was very disappointed in his mission four results, but not enough to kick him off my debut list. I have faith that he had one bad performance, but he will also have many better performances in the future. I have to keep the faith to believe that he will solidify the group with his quirky behaviors, main vocal talent, and his vulnerability. I am a bit worried that mentally, he could be unstable, but I am willing to give him some time to adjust and to pick up his confidence.
So far, I noticed that my choices matched the outcome of the competition show, which normally never happens in a reality competition survival show. If I have to look at all my review posts, my thoughts are mostly similar to the outcome, which I am proud of, which means I also have the "Pink Blood" (SM's Fan Club name) within me.
However, my fifth choice would have been possibly different.
5) Anderson: I was really rooting for Anderson to be in the lineup. He has consistently ranked in the top five of all missions. There is no reason to not include him in the group. Personally, I think Anderson would have a lot more to contribute than Ryo would and I like Ryo, but he was never a necessity in my mind, though Ryo had given a very good performance in mission four. The combination of Ryo and Sakuya also makes a good pair and it would be a shame not to debut them together. Anderson is good with words, has good dance skills, but I can see how the judges think he needs more training. I would also think the Japanese audience would like Anderson based on his looks and talent. I really wish that they decided to debut eight members instead. Then, I think I all is well with a perfect group created from a small pool of contestants. Since Ryo is picked, I will also accept the outcome as Ryo has great vocals and a great personality on stage. Like Sakuya, he is young and he is willing to take risks to reach success.
I wanted to give honorable mention to Haruta, who really sneaked into potential debut possibility. I saw his super fast growth from mission three onwards and if he keeps it up, I think he has debut potential. He would have been a formidable trainee contestant as I see him going up in rank.
This also gives me another thought that the trainees who did not make it can form another group in the future. We don't want to lose potential talent here as I see something special in each trainee and I have faith in them. I only worry about Kassho and Heitetsu, both whom I was unable to see clear growth in their abilities during this show. For sure, Anderson, Ryu, Minjae, and Haruta can become a potential debut group.
In this industry, we have to keep in mind that there are more rejections than there are acceptances. I am not directly in the music industry, but even I could not find a job in the music industry after college with three internships under my belt and many rejections. I'm sure Yushi and Sion went through rejections in order to get to this point in their debut. The trainees should not feel too bad and keep powering on until they get the results that they want. This is not an easy journey, but if they want it bad enough, I see opportunities in their future.
Confetti is shot in the air and Sion is visibly shocked by it.
In their closing comments. Haechan told the new members to cheer up and work hard. He wants to be close to them very quickly, but I'm sure it won't be long before he starts joking around with his new members. Johnny promised to drop by to check on their practice for the NCT concert and to chat with them in more depth at that time. He then congratulated the new team. Leeteuk had to interject and jokingly ask if Johnny will give the new team a tough time. Johnny smiled and said he will once he is alone with the new team.
BoA explained to the new team that they have entered into the world of professionals. They will have to make twice and thrice the effort to try harder from now onwards. She thinks they will feel it themselves once they take the stage. They will realize what they have done so far is child's play. She wishes that they grow into a team that befits the NCT brand.
Leeteuk mentioned that this is not the end for the trainees who did not debut. They need to hone their skills to debut as another cool group in the K-pop industry. Leeteuk encourages the trainees not to give up and that this is only the beginning.
Kangta mentioned that this is a rare opportunity before debut. The trainees should think of it as a good memory and remember their lessons and feedback that they received to become cooler artists. Kangta thinks many people will watch this show (Yes. Me included.). Therefore, they could have more opportunities because of it. This is true as now SM trainees, who are famously hidden from the public, are now public with the public knowing who Anderson, Ryu, Minjae, Haruta, Kassho, and Heitetsu are at SM Entertainment.
Eunhyuk concludes the show by reviewing again the show's title "Last Start: LASTART." The show is over, but the member's dreams begin from this point. Eunhyuk asks for the viewer's unwavering support until the group receives love from all over the world.
I am already emotionally invested in this group, so I will be closely observing their career. A huge congratulations to the NEW NCT TEAM and I will go through major withdrawal until I get to see them on the screen again. It has been an interesting experience so far to note down all my thoughts and experiences throughout the show and I am proud of myself for being able to write this much about the show. I hope my readers also learned something and are entertained by it as well.
Seven episodes were not that long and yet I cannot believe it it is over. I am eagerly awaiting to see what types of NCT combinations we will get. A lot of netizens already mentioned the following twin-like pairs or great duo combinations:
Sion and Jaehyun
Sion and Jaehyun
Riku and Mark
Ryo and Renjun
Haechan and Yushi
I can see how the netizens may not like the age gap that Sakuya and Ryo have with the rest of the NCT members, especially with Taeil, the eldest member, but for me, music and art have no limitations and bounds. I mainly appreciate the performance art and music by itself and not think too much of what should be morally right. NCT is the wrong group to support if we want to stay with the status quo. I can see NCT continuing to push the boundaries and to show us what is really cool in this world.
It is also true that Japanese NCT member Yuta did not attend the final mission. That is a shame and also too bad that he couldn't be there to cheer on the Japanese team and support them in some way during the show. Hopefully, we will get more interactions between them in the future.
I will take a little break to personally travel to Korea (No, not to see NCT, although that is nice.), but I will be back to review the final episode eight. I see that episode eight is not the last episode as the show continues to Japan, but I will not have access to watching the Japan shows, so I will review up to episode eight.
Please leave a comment if you would like about this finale episode and we shall continue to episode eight for the final episode review of NCT Universe: LASTART.