Monday, March 19, 2018

Why Wanna One?


taken from: https://fernbarberkie.deviantart.com/art/WANNA-ONE-WALLPAPER-698939751

DO NOT WATCH VARIETY SHOWS. 
I REPEAT. 
DO NOT WATCH VARIETY SHOWS.

I know that warning very well, thank you. But somehow, I tend to violate it myself. *sigh.
Just like watching Korean Drama, Korean variety shows are equally addicting. I am not a fan of K-Drama, but I am a huge addicts of variety shows. I love watching Running Man, Knowing Brothers, Weekly Idol, I Can See Your Voice and Happy Together just to name some. Alongside variety show, the almost identical shows start appearing, survival/talent shows. 

Talent shows are nothing new in South Korea. I remember watching Voice of Korea way back, well since Kangta is part of the panel judges. Anyway, they also have Show Me The Money running for several seasons, finding good rapper. YG Entertainment specifically, made it famous to have all their idol groups start from a survival shows. Start from Big Bang, Winner, Ikon and recently just finished with MixNine.

So, I guess the same hype goes on when Produce 101 first season start in 2016. It had massive response from the audience. When it goes the second season, many wondering will it still got the same reaction as the first one. Turn out, the response was even much more spectacular. I remember stumbled on every Kpop news channel with an update or two related to the shows. Even so when it hits the final. It's super mess. Everyone, literally, everyone on my Kpop-related-timeline-twitter went mad.

But still, I didn't bother. It still did not interest me much, well, until literally almost all Kpop news outlets given out news related to Wannaone and Kang Daniel. Damn. Curiosity really kill the cats. I was so damn intrigue with this popularity that Wannaone had, I just need to give it a go. One variety won't kill I thought. So, I choose one variety show where Wannaone guested, Weekly Idol.

THEN.THIS.HAPPENS!




I fell in love to Ong SeongWoo the minutes he came to the screen. His physical, to me, looks more to Nam Woohyun of Infinite. A long time fave of mine. But, Seongwoo is in another different level. He's damn tall and handsome, with a super witty character. It went downhill from there.

So, it takes no genius that Produce 101 made me curious. And it's a trap, really. I am watched it non-stop for 4 episodes one night. Notes that one episode takes around 2 hours to finish, means, I almost did not sleep at all. I finished all the 11 episodes, include some of the different auditions video, in less than a week.

Looks here his audition video and tell me if you did not felt the slightest impressed. Super confidence Seongwoo!



So, as I said, it really went downhill from there. I love the shows. I will recommend it to everyone to give it a go. The boys all super talented and the shows are really entertaining. It made you became emotionally unstable as well as each elimination passed. As some of the review here or here said, it super sad that the National's Leader and the Child's Genius that got A the first time did not passed. But hey, Jonghyun is doing well with Nu'Est and Samuel will soon launching his second album at the moment. So, everyone wins from this show. 

Even the one not in the final 20 also have a lot of fans. I don't think I ever saw any survival shows where many gained so much from it. That showed how impressive the show is.

So, moving on.
The show finished.
The remained top 11 gathers.
What's next?

A recipe for success I may say.

And damn YMC surely know how to milk it out.

Their first month as Wannaone is a total full-packed schedule. They released debut album called 1X1=1 (To Be One) with the title track Energetic. Energetic got 14 wins in music shows and made them the hot rookies, surely a guarantee winner of Best New Artist by end of the year awards. The songs got a unique choreography with them re-enacted a piano recital show. Some controversies happened, since Minhyun become the center of this song, instead Daniel, the ultimate winner.


But nevertheless, their success did not faltered. Wannaone becomes the most sought-after artist. Aside than Weekly Idol that made me hooked, they've been invited to other popular shows such as The Returns of Superman, Happy Together, and SNL during that first month. Not to mentions, lots of endorsement deals. Products such as cosmetics, beer, school uniforms, snacks and mobile games put them as their spokesmodel. Some commercials even sealed when they're not even debut.

Cosmetic's Ad
Biscuit's Ad
Clothing's Ad

Fast Food's Ad

They become the busiest group existed. Aside than all the above activities, they have their own variety as well. Wanna One Go (season 1 and 2) is super helpful for me to knew the members well. You can watch all the shows where Wannaone or some of the members guesting here

And if Wannaone super busy, then Daniel become the busiest members. If Wannaone have 5 schedule in a week, Daniel will likely got double than that. He became the Nation's Pick for a reason. Cute, tough, sexy, funny in one package.

I really think Daniel's the one that developed greatly in the show as well. So, he's a well-deserved winner from Produce 101 Season 2.



So, after rambling quite some time, today, Wannaone had their third official comeback with the song that... hopefully growns on me later on. 


So, after this-not-so-impressed-songs-for-me released, I was wondered what made Wannaone hugely popular?
The songs are so-so, they're not the first one that come out from a survival show, the group's concept are standard boyband-cliche, their voice an okay but not over the top and their management is bad, honestly.

So why then?

THE PEAK OF MOMENTUM

I really think that Mnet was super clever. They pick out the hype from the first season right-away and create the second one. Come out with the boys' version is a genius marketing. It is not a big secret that boygroup usually had more loyal fan, than girl group. In the fandom history.

Before the show even started, Mnet create the hype on revealed the trainees one by one with their unique greetings video. All the trainees need to do their own introduction in a concept. This tricks create intrigue potential viewers.

Looks how cute Sungwoon is introduce himself with that Harry Potter's customes. Aside than him, Daniel and Jinyoung also use the same custome.



Mnet even invited some well-known name but not famous enough, to join the shows. Jang Moon Bok and Nu'Est are fine examples. Both names already have their own fanbase so it will easier to drawn the fan for the show.

And when it finally hits its peak, Mnet create many gimmicks surrounded the show. As in a story, characterization plays an important part. Character such as great caring leader for Jonghyun, witty and full of comments' Jisung, strong tough guy for Baekho or pure cutiepie genius' Daehwi. 

Aside the original 11 episodes of the shows, Mnet understood exactly that the viewers are hungry for more. They always upload footage not aired or some tiny bits reality shows where some of the trainees become VJ and interviewed one another. Some videos showed cuts for following the daily routine of the trainees or give them some mission challenge. They upload that daily basis.

Look how good of them keeping the show fire alive.


GOOD MIXTURE OF MEMBERS

Eleven members.
Eleven different personalities and skills.

It is quite shocked to know how balance the member of Wannaone is. Although they come from a survival show, where the votes coming from general public, surprisingly the group consisted of enough rappers, singers and dancers.

They had the super tall handsome versus the shorter-cutie pie members. It is equally divided also, the numbers of members that already in the mature-age stage versus the one that still considered under-age.

It attracted wider audience. They have one for every taste.

You can choose your own faves:

The sexy adorable Daniel, cute but want to look tough Jihoon, genius but still super young Daehwi, an overconfidence voice of an Angel's Jaehwan, the dorky unlucky but handsome Seongwu, nosy but charismatic rapper Woojin, tall maknae speaks many languages's Kuanlin, witty with motherly features' Jisung, ice prince's Minhyun, super awkward Jinyoung and pretty skin and voice's Sungwoon.



LIMITED AND MYSTERIOUS

People love limited editions.
It makes them special. Like, they're amongst the luckiest.

Wannaone will only be around until end of this year. After that, they're going back to their respected agencies.

For people like Minhyun and Sungwoon, that previously belong in an existed boyband, they'll surely will be back to their original group. But the other 9 is still unknown.

This feeling of uncertainty excited people. They know Wannaone will only stay for short period of time, that makes Wannable (the name of their fans) willing to do almost anything to support their idol. Say, by this time next year, they'll no longer around. It is better to cherish the moment while they're still at.

And once again, YMC and Mnet is super clever to maximize this opportunity. Fanmeet and concerts occured almost in every big cities allover Asia. I went to one of the fanmeet in Jakarta, it is, well, MEH!

At least that proved, for me that always prefer concert over fanmeet, I can throw it all my logic to watch their fanmeet. Like, it might be the last time I'd be able to see them. Although it's a MEH experience, but I STILL WATCH THEM. I have this rare opportunity to actually saw them.

And I know for sure how many people will feel the same way as I am.
Although maybe some will defend that their fanmeet was great.
Yeah. Sure.

I wrote my experience attended the fanmeet on my twitter account here:
click on the dates to saw the full threads

Anyway,
I like Wannaone.

Not in a Super Duper Love It, but they're the current group that I'm into at the moment.

So, I'm just gonna cherish the product that MNET's created while it lasts
💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

Because...

Why Wannaone?
Why Not!





3 comments:

  1. Duuuhh dedek2 emesh hahaaaa

    Bener sih grup ini blending n balancenya pas bgt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trik marketingnya jalan banget sihh gue liat, makanya kadang curiga itu hasil votingnya beneran apa ada manip dikit 🤭
      Pas bangeet soalnya proporsional dari umur, posisi sama kelakuan-jumlah yang anteng sama kayak uget2 seimbang 😆

      Delete