mnet new girl group maker show "idol school" (아이돌 학교) official thread - it's over -

[paerarru]

Hello poppers! First post.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this show but who are we kidding, I was instantly hooked. I've watched ep. 1 with decent subs and ep. 2 raw. Here's my .02 on some of my fav girls.

 

Hayoung : Idol School breakout star? Sure looks that way!

 

Chaeyoung : Iljin schmiljin, Chaeyoung is Mnet's pet this time around so you might as well start liking her now. Besides, she's funny.

 

Tasha : How cool is this girl? She's like ten years more mature than the others, even the other unnies. Easily the leader of the group, and a good leader at that. Impossible not to be happy if she makes it.

 

Jina : Yoo Jina for Sohye 2017! I love her attitude. Can't sing, can't dance, no problem! You've never done something, but you like it so you want to challenge yourself, do something new. Work hard, do your best, have fun, learn something. That's what it's all about.

 

Eunyoung : The girl who taught Jina how to move rhythmically, one of the best dancers in the whole thing. I think she's a little underappreciated but maybe if she just gets some screen time she's got a chance. Even if it's stuff like her little drama with Haein. I think she's likable enough, we'll see.

 

Somyeong : Prettiest girl in the show, and that's saying a lot in this show. She's got a type that drives me and I'm sure many guys crazy.

 

Jiheon : Second prettiest girl in the show. Adorable just like the other maknaes. Actually though to be honest I rather none of them make the team... I realize this might be an unpopular opinion but I just think they're still too young. Also breaks my heart every time Michelle cries. Just coddle these babies until they're a little older!

 

I also like Haein, Natty, Yuri, Saerom, Nakyung, Jisun, etc.

[paerarru]

you can compare produce 101 with idol school, but i feel each iteration and season of reality shows will be different; which makes them interesting and dynamic.

 

so if you see parallels between sohye and jina; or of you see parallels with natty and somi, i believe it will be different this time around. even if this was produce 101 season 3, it would be different. different and unique girls will be looked upon differently, otherwise, it would just be a rehash of the first season.

 

new storylines that will emerge will make this season unique. how the final group will debut will ultimately be different. 

 

I agree completely, that's also why I find them interesting.  And I also understand that the show was "supposed" to be about learning with regular untrained people. So different right from concept. But it's just fun to make parallels, and honestly hard not to.

[paerarru]

yeah they are different because the girls in this program have no agency to fall back on or in the process of debuting. so this is basically all or nothing...and from i've seen so far in the show, a lot of girls need work. 

 

i wanted to add on the parallel thing. sometimes i feel like mnet wants us to draw these parallels...basically showing similarities. as the most obvious example of sohye and jina... i feel like a lot of girls needed help but i guess this was noteworthy because jina still had trouble getting down her moves...whereas sohye did pretty well with sejeong as her mentor. 

 

No doubt about it! We see what Mnet wants us to see: a carefully crafted Reebok commercial. They love their cliches. In a medium (Korean variety) already made of cliches. Something funny I was thinking, kind of a side note but have you noticed how many look-alikes there are in the show? I mean might be pushing it a little but we have a Tzuyu look-alike, Han Chaeyoung, Dodaeng, Suzy, Chungha... I've heard Soyul, Yulhee, Dani...

 

Yeah another would have been difference is that I think there was supposed to be no eliminations at first? But now there will be. Like some have said likely again to keep the audience involved. And of course it's the girls who end up paying the most again because yeah, it would have been good for them to at least have the full experience.

[paerarru]

Poor Sian, rejected.

[paerarru]

Jina fighting!

[paerarru]

MGT most demanding dance.

 

Cheer Up most demanding vocally.

[paerarru]

MGT is just hard. Poor Dahee. Not everyone can be a Yuju.

 

omg omg omg omg perf

[paerarru]

Dahee did good

Yeah, not amazing but not bad at all.

 

Overall group got good scores.

[paerarru]

I think Whistle is just going to mop up everyone else.

[paerarru]

Whistle is mess

It looks like one horrible mess lol but Mnet loves to do this.

 

They will slay.

[paerarru]

Whiparam choreography is not easy and this proves that

It was never meant for eight people. So very messy yeah.

[paerarru]

Mnet is so troll.

[paerarru]

Still early to tell who's gonna make it. Compared to PD101 for example, after 3 or 4 episodes you could tell maybe Somi, Sejeong and Yoojung would make it. The Troika. After them there were some front runners but nothing was guaranteed.

 

Here I think Hayoung and Chaeyoung would be my bets. Solid skills and solid popularity. Then we have a small dynamic peloton with girls going in and out, currently made up of Haein, Jiheon and maybe Natty I would say. But nothing's guaranteed; remember Jonghyun! We have a lot to go through: votes reassignments after eliminations, not to mention switching to 1 vote, that's bound to throw a couple wrenches into the whole thing. Perhaps after eliminations we'll have a better picture, maybe with some solid numbers.

[paerarru]

Do you hear that? That's the sound of Hayoung rising.

[paerarru]

Jisun carry pants.

[paerarru]

Whistle took it but to be fair it was close.

[paerarru]

Whom haven't they called that ranks high?

[paerarru]

That BGM yeah.

[paerarru]

So many questions guys but actually I think Mnet is half winging it... I don't think they're even sure what's going to happen haha.

[paerarru]

I wonder if some of the eliminated girls will want to go home now? Since Mnet didn't pick any girls with an agency, they basically have nothing else to go back to. They just got their summer ruined. I guess it's fun to stay? Idol Camp hahaha.

[paerarru]

same, honestly lamo. seems like they're making things up as they go 

 

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

i hope none leaves, even if they can't debut anymore [unless mnet pulls one of their pranks again] its a great oportunity to get exposure and learn 

 

That's true, again since they don't have much to go back to anyways. And hey there's always another chance, a lot of these girls are on their second if not third or later chance.

 

Did any of the eliminated girls have experience? I think they were pretty much all rookies, right?

[paerarru]

In regards to elimination, aren't they doing exactly what you all argued for? They're staying true to the whole "this is a place of learning and the girls will have a chance to learn here" so I don't see what the issue is with this elimination system. Tbh if they are doing this for ratings they are doing a bad job at it because the elimination ends up being completely ephemeral. 

I don't think most people have so much an issue with it, since eliminated girls are staying in the show so yeah that's good. It's just kinda funny because it seems like it might have been unplanned.

 

I guess I'm not sure but I don't think they explicitly said that girls would not be eliminated? I mean like after all there's only 9 (?) in the group so maybe it's like one should just assume that there would be eliminations. I guess when they said they would keep the girls they meant they would be "eliminated" but only from the competition, so they'd still be in the show. Who knows, maybe that's been their plan all along.

 

If so, or either way, I think this system could be interesting, watching the eliminated girls hone their skills and maybe even perform, while the show focuses on the girls still in the competition.

[paerarru]

I love Jiheon, she's probably my favorite in the whole thing, but I really really hope she doesn't make it in the end. She's too young. She's inexperienced, she lacks a lot of polish. And yeah it shows, she's very "awkward". She has a certain something that Somi had in Sixteen. She's immature, to put it bluntly. I think even Natty is a little young, but Natty has experience and is much more prepared. The youngest girls don't have this. I think Jiheon needs Idol School to be her Sixteen.

 

Keeping this in mind, Jiheon has 9 years difference with Tasha. That's significant. Added to the difference in experience, it can cause issues in the group you know. Nothing dramatic, it's just extra stuff to deal with, it affects everything from the group's concept to their careers and the future of the group, daily life stuff, what have you. Tasha might not even be in my top 9, but she'd probably be THE biggest asset to the group. I'd be very glad if she makes it. Basically the opposite of Jiheon. So I hope something happens and Jiheon doesn't make it, nor any of the youngest girls. Nothing scandalous, just other girls becoming more popular.

 

Unfortunately, Jiheon is very popular. Which activates a feedback loop for Mnet. Since she's so popular she gets more screen, which means she gets more popular, which means she gets more screen...

 

Speaking of Tasha and Mnet, I know people tend to blame Mnet for a lot of things, particularly on OH. And yeah, I think a whole lot of it is just salt. However, Mnet does do some questionable things now and then. One thing that really struck me recently, and this might have been mentioned before, if so I apologize, but why did Mnet cast Tasha and Snowbaby and Somi and all the foreign girls, but then keeps ifans from voting? Basically nullifying a lot of potential votes for them. I think in this case you can say that Mnet "played them dirty". That's just bait and switch in a way for the viewers, too. Mnet doesn't care about our votes. But you better be sure they care about our money! At the very least our time. Mnet boasting that it attracts a lot of international fans is good PR. That's a little dirty.

 

My final point is just a comment about the upcoming performances. Like in other programs, the girls (or boys) go through a certain period in which the taping and the voting are synchronizing. This is before the second round of performances, so the girls just went through it. Usually the first few episodes where little audience input is needed are taped weeks if not months previously, but then they need some time for the votes to sink in... okay I think you get the point. I think during this period the girls improve a lot, because of all the time they have. Now, I have to make a disclaimer about the difference in experience between these girls and say the PD101 girls. I think we lucked out with PD101, there were a lot of talented and well prepared girls. Or you know, it's just the concept of Idol School that the girls aren't actual trainees on the verge of debuting (not to mention in actual groups...). Anyways, you get my point.

[paerarru]

agree.

Success = 30 % looks + 30 % charm + 10 % charisma + 20 % skills + 10% luck.

 

Some girls have 1-2 very strong points, some of them are full package.

don't forget fifteen percent concentrated power of will 

[paerarru]

why did someone neg you? I don't understand.

 

 

irrelevant but do you think my sig is nice   or should I tweak it a little bit or even change it?

 

 

I don't know maybe my post was too long heh. I tend to explode in bursts, I have to stop myself from ranting. Sometimes I write cryptic little tidbits because I'm scared of writing too much. 

I'm not a big Gyuri fan lol...  but I like her! I think my biggest problem with your sig is her expression. I guess the V sign is fun. I do love the style! I think if you did that same style but with a sweet, cute puppy expression, not so spunky, I would love it. Besides it's already your avatar.

 

Jiheon already make appearance in tv show, she also always be school representative in her school

for public appearance she's not really that inexperienced , she also join dance crew too . if you compare to other commoners. she's not really that bad . but if compare her to "ex-trainee" from big company who trained hard already for few years , join PD101 , etc etc... yes she is far from them

but she still deserve to debut tho  , all of them tho...they debut if they work hard and do their best to show off their charm 

take note's that yoojung from pd101 even bashed and people mock her for "talentless" , but she work hard and stand where she is now

 

I know, believe me she's one of my favs, probably my #1! I fell in love with her right from the trailer when she's taking out her books and saying she's top of her class. I know she's not just some random girl with a pretty smile. Really I'd be happy if she makes it in the group, too. But I'd be a little worried. I just think it might be better for her and the group if she waited a little.

 

Come on now. The show is about growth. Yes, Jiheon may not be ready from that one performance that was recorded a month ago but what about in a few more months? How about longer than that? Success isn't always built in a short period. She interviews well and had tv experience, that is a trait idols wish to have. I'm not the biggest fan of her but she's marketable.

 

paerraru - sorry, I'm not going to quote your post as it is quite long. I agree with many of your points but one I want to address is that we have to learn that CJ E&M decided to not have international fans vote in season 2 of Produce101 and look at how great that went. I would assume that they had reasons to stop that from season 1 that may include populations of countries like China that would have all the voting power due to sheer numbers. Also, they are going to be a Korean group promoting mainly in Korea. It would be great for us to vote but I can see why we can't.

 

 

No negging please because of opinions!!

I've personally never supported it and hope oh one day abolishes it but I digress.

I also think that based on jiheon assessment so far..she is not as prepared as others... however I think that's the point of the show....to make regular girls with little experience get the opportunity of their lives. If you really were skilled...you'd already be a trainee waiting to debut in another company. Most of the girls have had little to no training. They just probably practiced dancing at a dance studio or sung karoake or at the most...were never discovered. The program and show is to train these girls.

 

I think haein and Tasha are more of the outliers in terms of age. And there is an advantage to having younger girls in your group as opposed to older girls. Jiheon might be a work in progress but from what we've seen so far..she has more personality than Tasha and that's good for variety opportunities... Of course you might blame mnet for never showing Tasha on screen...or maybe she just doesn't have to show.

 

Trust me...my jisun is in the same camp. She's not particularly extra...but she was lucky... sometimes that's all it takes to help your popularity. Maybe Tasha will be given that opportunity in the future.

 

As to the point of voting...I was highly disagree. If they allowed international voting...snowbaby would be 1st and Natty would be top 5 every week. They have an entire nation supporting them.

 

It is ultimately a kpop group chosen for Korean audiences. Let them decide.

 

Hmm, I guess maybe I could have a little more faith in her. A big part of the issue I think is compounded by the age difference with the older girls. Although Jiheon as expected seems like a really nice dongsaeng. I just hope everything goes not only well but also as smooth and easy as possible for everybody. Although I guess a little hardship is to be expected and not something to hide from. They seem to thrive on it.

 

I understand, I don't mind if only Koreans can vote. My issue is with the casting of foreign girls. Seems a little unfair, if not disingenuous. But I guess it could be unfair the other way around, too. Don't worry, I'm not just an Mnet basher, not at all.

 

Thanks for the good discussion.