#iqiyi

Is hell freezing over?

Edit: A second time, hell defo frozen!

Here’s how to do it on mobile.

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I absolutely criticised the hell out of the subs, especially their original content subs.

I both love and hate survival show finales.  On the one hand, you’ve got the ridiculously long runtimes, the host taking forever to announce each winner, favorite contestants not making the group, and a whole lot of filler footage to give the show time to rig count the votes.  But on the other hand, you get great performances and the excitement of seeing K-pop history happen as a new group is formed.  You see dreams coming true and the promise of a great future.  So yeah, I got up early on a weekend to recap this because I’m excited.

Welcome to the Starlight Boys Finale!  It’s four and a half hours long!  Buckle up, folks!

Our host appears on a dark stage and welcomes the audience.  Nine trainees will be chosen for the final group.  And right off the bat, she shows us the four contestants ranking nine through twelve.  One of them will have the ninth place spot, but we don’t know which one it is yet.  The four are Lee Da Eul from Boys Planet, Hong Sung Min from Fantasy Boys, Yoo Jun from BAE173, and Duan Xing Xing from Youth With You.

This is one of the things I hate about finales.  Only one of these boys will make it into the final group, and two of them (Lee Da Eul and Duan Xing Xing) are my picks.  So right off, I know one of my picks isn’t going to make it.  If I have to choose between them, it will be Duan Xing Xing.  He’s the oldest on the show at age 26, when time is running out for K-pop hopefuls.  Trainees in their late 20s and even in their 30s can still debut, but not usually as part of a boy band.

I know why finales do this.  They want the voters to see their favorite in danger so they’ll be motivated to vote, and in the case of this show, pay iQIYI more money to cast more votes.  This whole voting system is corrupt, but let’s move on.

Now it’s time to meet our eighteen finalists, three of whom we know are already doomed.  The stage’s back wall opens, and there they are, surrounding the nine seats.  It’s a pretty good visual.

They are introduced one by one as they step down to the stage and get into formation.  Then they perform the signal song that still gives me PTSD from the second episode.  I am so glad I will never hear this song again.

We see some final recorded interviews with the trainees and learn they’ve been doing this show for four months.  We get a montage of all the show highlights, including the Signal Song Death Dance you’d think they’d rather we forgot about.

Now we introduce all the coaches sitting at their own table.  They will spend the next four hours telling us over and over again how much these trainees have improved.  It’s in the K-pop Survival Show Bylaws somewhere.  If they don’t say “improved” at least 26 times per hour, they are taken out back and forced to dance to the signal song nonstop until the new debut group has its first scandal.  (Hang in there, coaches.  It only took ALD1 four months.)

Speaking of the new debut group, it’s time to find out what the name will be. 

They really needed to pick a more solid font for the name.  At first glance, it looks like “POIAPIX.”  But we know it’s POLARIX.  Yay.  Thankfully, they don’t do the usual thing of having all the coaches talk about the new name and what it means.  We have final performances to get to.  And the song for the first performance is … “Pretty Dirty Boy.”  O…kay.  The second song is “Millionaire.” 

“Both songs are very charming,” our host tells us, and I can’t help laughing, wondering how charming the first song is going to be.  I’m trying to imagine charming lyrics for that song.  Girl, I ran through a sandstorm to win your love, I hope, now I’m a pretty dirty boy, may I borrow some soap?

We do a flashback to the whole rehearsal process. The boys are shown the choreography to both songs, and I actually like “Pretty Dirty Boy.”  It’s a hip hop dance beat.  The dance looks fun.  “Millionaire” is also really good, with a harder beat and siren sounds.  These final performances are going to be awesome.

The boys get organized into their two groups, nine trainees each.

We get a segment on the “Pretty Dirty Boy” team practicing, but I skip ahead to Showtime to see their performance. 

Our AI-looking stunner Xin Che is so ready to debut.  He has full confidence in this performance and looks amazing.  The whole performance is fun and has funny bits here and there, like they’re fully aware of how cheeky this song is.

The coaches talk about how much these boys have improved.  Then our host says that we’re going to find out who is currently ranked in 9th place, based on the votes we have now.  Again, this is a ploy to send fans of the other trainees racing to the iQIYI app to buy more votes for their favorites.  The one currently ranked ninth is Lee Da Eul. 

Now for the Millionaire Team.  I skip through their flashback and go right to Showtime.

Now I know why the trainees call this “the hip thrust song.”  This is sexy as hell.  It’s my favorite of the two songs.  In a startling development, the coaches talk about how much everyone has improved. 

We get more filler flashbacks, which I skip through.  Back to the finale.  Voting has closed.  Then the group STAYC comes out to perform “Teddy Bear” and “GPT.”

We get more flashbacks.  I skip through them.  Our trainees sing another song called “Around.”  They’ve written love notes to the fans and folded them into paper airplanes to throw out to them.

Then another flashback, and finally it’s time to learn the winners of this show.  I’m super nervous, and this finale aired about two years ago.  As always, we’re going to save the ninth seat for last and start with eight through one.

The 8th place winner is Korean composer and all-rounder Yang Dong Hwa!  One of my picks and the perfect talent to have in any group. 

In 7th place, it’s another one of my picks, Avenger Zai from Taiwan! 

The 6th place spot goes to Korean Han Gyul from BAE173!  Okay, I wanted only one member of BAE173 to get into POLARIX, so this is it.  No more. 

Yang Dong Hwa, Zai, and Han Gyul

The 5th place winner is T-pop artist Pentor from Thailand!  Wow, I didn’t see that coming.  So far we have two people from Korea, one from Taiwan, and one from Thailand.  This could really be an international group.

Now for 4th place.  It’s … holy shit, it’s Chinese trainee Xin Che!  He was one of my picks, but I didn’t know if they’d let a one-month trainee into the group.  I thought he was a long shot.  I am so happy for this guy!  He’s so stunned, he almost falls on his way to the stage.

Third place goes to Chinese trainee Xu Shi Huan!  He’s been steadily rising in the ranks and was on the winning team that did the song by The Boyz.  He barely reacts when his name is called, but when he makes his thank-you speech, he’s crying.

Pentor, Xin Che, and Xu Shi Huan

Now for the top two.  Second place is – YES!  Korean trainee and former member of MIRAE Lee Jun Hyuk!  We now have two members of MIRAE safely in new groups.  I am so happy for him.  No more working part time in a café.  It’s time for this idol to get back on the stage.  When he starts crying during his thank-you speech, I get a bit misty-eyed with him.

And, of course, as if there were any doubt, Chinese visual stunner Shao Zi Heng is our first place winner and Polaris of POLARIX.  After the disappointment of having his first debut cancelled, he has come out on top.  What’s really great is that he seems like a genuinely nice guy who deserves to be happy.

Now for the final, 9th spot.  I’m really pulling for Duan Xing Xing. 

The last place spot goes to … Korean trainee, Boys Planet survivor, and former Hui roomie Lee Da Eul!

Lee Jun Hyuk, Shao Zi Heng, and Lee Da Eul

I wish I could see Hui’s reaction.  The coaches look very surprised, and I’m wondering how they feel about the trainees who didn’t make it.  We’ll get to them in a minute.  After everything this kid has been through, I’m so glad Lee Dal Eul made it.  He’s ready.  He’s going to be great in POLARIX.

So now we have our final group.  Four from Korea, three from China, and one each from Taiwan and Thailand. 

Before we talk about what happened with POLARIX (it’s not great), let’s see if we can find out what happened with our eliminated finalists.

CongB made his solo debut in January of this year with his first EP CongBDay. 

Do Ha from BAE173 collaborated with Fantasy Boys in January 2025 and debuted as Double One with the album Xpert.  Other members of the group that came from Starlight Boys are Hikari, Ling Qi, Hong Sung Min, Yoo Jun, and Min Jae (who currently goes by Bit).

In November 2025, Do Ha successfully sued his label.  He said the company was falling apart financially, and he never got paid.  The studio claimed he was suspended because of his bad attitude on Starlight Boys, and I don’t know if they were talking about his fight with Kai, but that argument didn’t hold water.  Do Ha won, the studio appealed, and the appeal was dismissed. 

Double One

Right after the finale, Duan Xing Xing posted a letter to his fans on Instagram saying he had wonderful experiences on the show.  He’s still chasing his dream and trying to debut.

Eden is still busy.  This August, he will host a live talk show called Evening with Eden.  You can get details on his Instagram page.

He Xi Long debuted in February 2025 in a Chinese boy group called Racebace.

Racebace

Now.  Let’s talk about POLARIX.  Warning:  This story does not have a happy ending.

POLARIX released a mini debut album, Freefall, with three songs in May 2025, and that was it.  Not even a music video or promotions.  Their management either didn’t know what to do with them or just gave up on them.  Fans thought they’d be up for Rookie of the Year at the 2025 MAMA Awards, but they got zero nominations.  There’s been no comeback.  Other than a performance at the Korea Grand Music Awards, there have been no concerts.

According to the group’s fans on Reddit, the Chinese government was supposed to relax their restrictions on promoting K-pop groups, but then they reversed their decision, meaning the Korean members couldn’t get working visas.  The five Chinese-speaking members have made appearances in China, and many fans there who didn’t see the show think that POLARIX is a five-member group.

It’s very likely that POLARIX is no longer a group at all.  Their contract has to be up by now.  This has to be devastating for the nine winners who worked so hard for four months.  Allegedly, the iQIYI label made tons of money from the paid votes that came in over the course of the show.  If that’s true, and they made enough money to rake in a huge profit after the survival show, they might want to close the books and not put any more money or effort into promoting the group. 

It’s a sad end, but unfortunately it happens a lot.  When I think about Lee Da Eul, Han Gyul, Lee Jun Hyuk, and Shao Zi Heng, my heart breaks, because they’ve been through the industry wringer several times already.  The older Korean members will have to do their military service soon.  This was probably the last chance for them.

We’re getting a mass exodus today.  Yes, we’re getting a ranking/elimination ceremony, but three trainees have decided they’ve had enough and left the show.  High-ranking trainees.  Their departure will make room for potential winners who may not have stood a chance before.  This is a really chaotic series.  Welcome to Episode Nine!

We open in a large practice room with all 36 trainees.  Three of them, Yoo Gwan Woo, Ling Qi, and Lee Jun Hyuk, are standing in the middle of the seated group.  These three announce that they are gathered here to determine whether some rumors about Starlight Boys are true.  Well!  So much for all the Googling I’ve been doing.  Looks like this show is going to drop the façade and tell us what’s really going on around here.

Then we find out what they’ve actually done is collect fan questions from the internet, and they will answer them now.  Hopefully the fans want the same information I do.

They do not.  The fans want to know which trainee has the broadest shoulders.  For anyone who’s interested, it’s Ivan at 62 centimeters.   And that, ladies and gentleman, was our first and last episode of How is This at All Helpful?  Now back to our regularly scheduled recap.

Time for the ranking ceremony.  We return to the aquarium studio.  The trainees enter and take their seats, the lights dim, and we’re ready to do this.

Our host comes out, and one of the first things she says is, “Excluding the three trainees who left, thirty-three trainees are gathered here.”  And that’s it.  She doesn’t give us any details.

Fine.  I’ll tell you.  We lost my favorite, Sun Ying Hao (Blondie) from Youth With You.  He ranked in second place at the last ranking ceremony and was on the winning team in the Position Battle.  Also from Youth With You, we lost Yoo Gwan Woo, who ranked NUMBER ONE and the Show Polaris in the last ranking.  Finally, we lost Zhang Ji Jun, who ranked 8th last time but was told in the last episode, in front of an entire audience, that his performance was a bit of a bummer. 

Yoo Gwan Woo, Sun Ying Hao, and Zhang Ji Jun

According to Yoo Gwan Woo’s fan club, he had a back injury and needed injections.  Sun Ying Hao hurt his ankle, and Zhang Ji Jun hurt his back.  Other possible explanations I got from Reddit included mistreatment by the coaches, accusations of cheating on the part of the voters (which may have had something to do with being able to pay to vote more often), and all three getting better offers.  One fan of Ji Jun’s posted that he probably never wanted to debut and was just trying to be seen on TV because he’s an actor looking for more roles.  I looked him up, and yeah, he’s appeared in twenty K-dramas in the past six years.     

So in total, four trainees left this show.  Now let’s see fifteen more get eliminated and how the three new departures affect the rankings.  As always, the final 18th spot will be announced last, so we’re starting with 17th place.

The 17th spot goes to Eden.  This Korean trainee was on the winning Monsta X team and has jumped 19 places from the 36th spot in the last ranking. 

Next is 16th place, and it goes to Min Jae, a Korean trainee from the group BAE173.  He ranked in 9th place last time, so this is a bit of a drop.

In 15th place, it’s another BAE173 member, Do Ha.  Wow.  After the serious drama between him and Zai in the Position Battle, I’m surprised he’s still here.  He seems to be feeling better.

Now for 14th place.  It goes to Korean trainee and former roommate of Hui on Boys Planet, Lee Da Eul.  He’s dropped four spots since last time, but being on the winning team in the Position Battle certainly helped keep him in the game.

Eden, Min Jae, Do Ha, and Lee Da Eul

Our amazing V-pop singer CongB comes in 13th!  After his incredible performance singing the Day6 song, I really want him to win this.  Plus, he just has the best smile.  He looks like he’s made of joy.

Next is 12th place, and it’s BAE173 member Yoo Jun, up three places from the last ranking.  He’s been on the winning teams for both battle missions, so he’s got potential to make the final group.

The 11th place ranking goes to the strong vocalist He Xi Long.  This Chinese trainee has remained in the same spot in both rankings.

In 10th place, just out of the Top 9, it’s Zai from Taiwan.  He’s jumped ten spots since the last ranking, and it’s a good thing he and Do Ha have patched things up, because they could both wind up in the final group.

CongB, Yoo Jun, He Xi Long, and Zai

Now we’re in the Top Nine.  The 9th spot goes to our gorgeous AI boy from China, Xin Che.  He’s jumped 14 spots since the last ranking.   Not bad for a trainee with one month’s worth of experience coming into this show.

In 8th place, it’s our last remaining member of the Chinese group Youth With You, Duan Xing Xing.  He’s dropped two spots, but he’s still in the Top Nine and has been on the winning teams for both song battles.  He’s powered through an ankle injury and is a walking, living, breathing beast idol.  He’s also one of my picks to win this.

The 7th place ranking goes to Fantasy Boy Hong Sung Min.  He’s jumped five spots since the last ranking.

In a total surprise, Chinese trainee Xu Shi Huan jumps eight spots to 6th place.  He went from One Star status to the winning team in the Position Battle. 

Xin Che, Duan Xing Xing, Hong Sung Min, and Xu Shi Huan

Now for 5th place.  It’s our Korean composer, all-rounder, and visual stunner Yang Dong Hwa.  He’s jumped eleven spots.  I’m sure that partnered dance with Lee Jun Hyuk in Team Monsta X, using their own belts, went a long way in getting him into the Top Nine.

In 4th place, it’s Thailand’s T-pop trainee Pentor, up one spot.  He was on the winning Day6 team and sang that song gloriously. 

It’s time for the Top Three.  In 3rd place, we have MIRAE’s Lee Jun Hyuk jumping four spots.  I’m positive he’s going to be in the final group.

In 2nd place, one spot away from Polaris, it’s our final member of BAE173, Han Gyul.  Once again, all of BAE173 has survived.  He’s been on the winning team in both battles and has jumped two spots.

Yang Dong Hwa, Pentor, Lee Jun Hyuk, and Han Gyul

Which means that Chinese trainee and visual stunner Shao Zi Heng is in the Number One spot and the show’s Polaris once again.  He got 4.3 million votes from the viewers, which is mind-boggling.

Okay, now for the 18th spot.  The final seat at the very bottom.  I don’t know why these ranking ceremonies end by focusing on this poor trainee barely dragging his ass over the line, but he we go.  The almost-eliminated and surviving by the skin of his teeth is … Chinese trainee and Fantasy Boy Ling Qi.  He ranked 18th last time as well.

So we have our survivors.  Now let’s check the list of those we’re losing.  Among the eliminated, we have Fantasy Boy Hikari, the only one in his group who didn’t get to move on this time. 

We’re also losing the broad-shouldered Ivan – in fact, we’ve lost most of the Avenger team in this round, including Canadian Michael Wu.  Michael’s been a weird one.  At the last ranking ceremony, he cried and said he was glad to show his father it was a good decision to come on this show.  Then in the last mission, he said he was fine with not winning.  I looked up Michael, and he’s now part of a Chinese co-ed dance crew called BackToStreet. 

Michael Wu (photo from STANFORD Magazine article)

We’ve lost Kingston Wong from Malaysia, his friend Pong from Laos, and Pentor’s friend Kris.

We’re also losing our sweet, adorable Sun Jiayang, but he just debuted with VAYONN (he goes by Ayang now), so I know he’ll be okay.

VAYONN (with Ayang third from left)

We’ve lost the Japanese/American Syo, which bugs me because he got a raw deal from the very start on this series.  I looked him up and was pleasantly surprised to see that he co-wrote the Enhypen song “We’ll Be Fine” with a producer named New K.  So yeah, I think he’ll be fine.

I’m disappointed that we lost the Beijing Dance Academy graduate Wang Kun.  I can’t find any information on him, but I hope he hasn’t given up.  He was one of the best dancers on the show.

I’m going to close out with my nine picks to make the final group.

CongB (aka Vibrato).  This V-pop artist came in with a fan base for a reason.  His voice is heaven.

Duan Xing Xing.  I’m almost positive he’s going to make the final group.  He’s already a beast idol and deserves more success.

Lee Da Eul.  He’s ready.  He came in after being eliminated on Boys Planet only to be told by former roommate Hui that he hadn’t improved at all.  He improved his way to the winning The Boyz Team and earned praise for his performances. 

Lee Jun Hyuk.  This former MIRAE member has been in the Top 7 since the beginning and gave a swoonworthy performance on the Monsta X Team.

Shao Zi Heng.  Stunner, been in the Top 3 the entire show and has been the show’s Polaris twice – do I really need to explain this one?

Xin Che.  Our AI-looking stunner.  He went from being told he had no potential to ranking in 9th place.  He’s done years of training on this one show.  He’s ready.

Yang Dong Hwa.  All-rounder.  Composer.  Also writes choreography.  Again, I don’t have to explain this one.

Zai.  He’s been on the winning teams in both battles and jumped up the ranks to the Top 10.  He’s the only Avenger left on the show. 

That leaves one spot left, and I think one member of BAE173 should get it.  I don’t think more than one of them should be in the new group, or they’ll form their own clique and disrupt the harmony of the whole band.  It can be Do Ha, as long as he and Zai promise to get along.

See you at the Finale!

Welcome back!  I was reviewing my notes and remembered this was supposed to be the most cruel survival show ever.  The fact that I totally forgot that premise means that after the Dancing Death March in Episode Two, this went back to being a normal survival show.  That’s kind of a bummer.  I know I’m not supposed to say that, but this show had such an awful reputation, I was expecting eliminations to involve body bags with obituaries rapped to a beat.  Oh well.  On with the show.  Welcome to Episode Eight!

We’re back at the Position Battle, and it’s time for the third round.  It’s the Rap & Dance Category.   Team NCT Dream will perform “Smoothie,” and Team iKON will do “Rhythm Ta”  First up is Team NCT Dream.

Team NCT Dream:  Do Ha, Zai, Sun Jiayang, and Kris

Zai promises the audience he won’t make the same mistake he made on the previous mission, when he forgot his rap part during the song “Again and Again.”  We go to the flashback. 

On the second day of practice, Do Ha doesn’t show up.  The other three start practicing without him.  This goes on for several days.  Do Ha just doesn’t come to practice.  I’m a little confused.  Did he disappear completely?  Are they still seeing him at meal times or in the dorm at night?  If not, maybe call the police?

Our team goes to the production team for help.  Production tells them Do Ha is sick, and Zai is furious.  I’d be pretty pissed, too.  Did no one think to tell Do Ha’s team that he was sick?  Who’s in charge around here?

Zai yelling at the production team

Now we find out Do Ha was in the hospital and needed a lot of meds, and he needs to stay in bed for a few days.  I did some digging online and learned that Do Ha was allegedly in the hospital because of exhaustion and stress caused by being on this show.  Apparently (and keep in mind this is coming from YouTube and Reddit, so they’re not official sources), several contestants wound up in the hospital because of the physical and emotional toll of this show, and we are about to see an exodus of several top-ranking trainees.  Possibly in this episode. 

Okay, so the idea of this being the most cruel survival show ever is alive again.  Let’s get back to our angry Zai.

Do Ha finally shows up to the practice room while Zai is still stomping around frustrated.  He’s wearing a mask and coughing a lot.  Zai tells us in a confessional he thinks Do Ha is faking it. 

The team huddles for a meeting.  Rin is with them, so now they are five, so this must be taking place before the ranking ceremony. 

Zai is angry that Do Ha has the Polaris position and hasn’t been practicing.  He wants to take it, but Do Ha remembers Zai’s rapping mistake in the last mission.  The argument escalates until Do Ha storms off cursing and tells the other three to take a vote between him and Zai.  I guess he’s got his energy back.

Zai follows him, demanding to know what his problem is.  I love that they’re having to resort to using what English they know to communicate.  His exact words are, “You have what problem?!”  Meanwhile, the other three teammates try to disappear into the furniture. 

The three of them finally decide on Zai for the Polaris, and they tell the production team because I think they’re too afraid to tell Do Ha.  The situation is so bad, the whole team is called back to the practice room later that night so two of the coaches can mediate.  The coaches try to lighten up the atmosphere with joking and laughing and are greeted with stone cold faces.  They’re actually unnerved by the silent rage in the room. 

Tough crowd.

Zai and Do Ha finally explain the situation.  Do Ha is still not feeling well, and I can just see it in his face.  It’s not just feeling sick.  He’s done with all this.  I wonder if he’ll be one of the trainees to quit the show.

The coaches tell them they have to be professional.  Idol groups have conflicts all the time, but they can’t bring it to the stage.  Zai and Do Ha nod, but their expressions are the same.  They’re officially done with each other.  Whatever happens at the end of this show and onward, I hope these two don’t wind up in the same group. 

We jump ahead to just after the ranking ceremony.  Rin is gone.  With four members left, the team is exactly the right size and doesn’t need to add or lose members, but there’s still a problem.  Do Ha is missing again.  They wait a while, and then a frustrated Zai walks out.  He finds Do Ha in the hallways and snaps that everyone is waiting for him.  The four of them sit in silence for a while, and then Zai says he hopes Do Ha will continue to come to practice, or the team is screwed.  (I’m paraphrasing.) 

It ends well.  Do Ha shows up for practice, he and Zai call a truce and they all start practicing together.  That was a really dramatic flashback.  Now it’s Showtime. 

They’ve clearly taken the coaches advice, because they are getting along great up there.  They’re having mischievous fun.  Zai makes up for his mistake on the last mission by doing a perfect dance break.  They may still hate each other offstage, but they look like brothers onstage. 

Now it’s time for Team iKON with the counterattack.  

Team iKON:  Nam Son, Phoom, Zhang Ji Jun, and Ke Ming Kai

Flashback time.  We go to the first practice after the eliminations.  This is the team Zhang Ji Jun joined after leaving Team Monsta X because of injuries.  He’s physically injured, so he went from a Vocal & Dance team to a Rap & Dance team.  SO close, sweetie.

With team members from China, Vietnam, and Thailand, this crew is struggling to understand each other.  They communicate in broken English.  Zhang Ji Jun wants to be the Polaris.  His teammates are confused and remind him of his injury.  Ji Jun dances to show them he’s fine.  Now they’re REALLY confused, wondering why he left the Monsta X team. 

Ji Jun and Phoom battle for the Polaris position.  Phoom wins.  I don’t blame Nam Son and Ke Ming Kai for that vote.  I have no idea what’s going on with Ji Jun.  When the team starts practicing, he can’t figure out the choreography.  He’s currently ranked 8th, and suddenly he can’t learn choreo?  I’m not buying this. 

The team blows it at the Interim Check, and Ji Jun is determined to get everything right by D-Day.  That takes us to the present, and it’s Showtime.  Let’s see the Flashback Formula at work!

Okay, so Ji Jun is anxious and rapping too fast, but overall, they’re amazing.  I like them even better than Team NCT Dream.  The energy is fire pouring off that stage.  This is my first time hearing this song, and it kicks ass.  I don’t care about the mistakes.  I’d vote for this team.

One of the coaches actually tells Ji Jun his performance was a “bit of a bummer.”  He says this into a microphone in front of the whole audience. Give Ji Jun a break.  He maybe kinda sorta had an injury and suddenly forgot how to learn choreography for some reason.  It’s a miracle he even found his way to the studio.

The votes are counted, and it’s time to determine the winning team.  It’s … Team NCT Dream and their “Smoothie” performance.  You know what?  I’m happy.  After everything Do Ha and Zai went through, they deserved this win.

There’s one battle left, and I’m so excited because now we’ll see the Team Monsta X performance of “Shoot Out.”  But not just yet, because Team Wanna One is up first to do “Energetic.” 

Team Wanna One:  Xin Che, Ling Qi, Yoo Gwan Woo, Wang Kun, and He Xi Long.

The flashback is that everyone’s having trouble learning the choreography.  The show is running out of story ideas.  But they manage to pull it together in time for the Interim Check, and the coaches rave over how much our AI-looking visual stunner Xin Che has improved.  He really is amazing.  He came in with only one month’s worth of trainee experience, so this show is like a crash course in all the trainee years he’s missed. 

Flashback over.  Showtime!

I really hope Xin Che makes it to the final group.  Some may argue that he hasn’t paid his dues, but when you’re that magnetic and you improve this fast, you’re ready.  Not everyone has to go the trainee route.  And of course they know the choreography and give a great performance. 

The audience casts their votes, and now I’m excited because this is the performance I’ve been waiting for since we started this mission.  Team Monsta X with “Shoot Out.” 

Team Monsta X:  Eden, Yang Dong Hwa, Han Gyul, Lee Jun Hyuk, and Michael Wu

I can’t wait to see this flashback.  The last time we saw Team Monsta X, they had to vote out two members and keep Michael Wu.  Now we go to their first practice after the team shuffling.  They choose Han Gyul as the Polaris and assign the other parts.    

The rest of the flashback focuses on a partnered dance break that Lee Jun Hyuk and Yang Dong Hwa will be doing, and they’re going to be using props.  I’m even more excited to see this performance.  Let’s jump ahead to Showtime!

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

I have been a K-pop fan long enough to be the world’s leading expert on the subject (two years).  I’ve been the world’s greatest monbebe (not even close) for nearly the same amount of time (one and a half years).  I can state with all my authority (none) that Monsta X would absolutely love this performance (guessing. never met them).

Team Monsta X never lets up on the intensity.  The dance break, where Lee Jun Hyuk and Yang Dong Hwa duel with their own belts that they whip off their own bodies, almost made me faint.  Their harmonies are seductive.  This whole performance is wild.  I love it so much.

The audience recovers and then votes.  Now it’s time to find out the winning team.

Team Monsta X is the winner.

The Position Battle is now over.  Everyone gathers to find out the temporary rankings, which I won’t list here because it will all change again in the next episode.  We do learn that in the ranking ceremony, only eighteen trainees will survive.  That means we’ll be losing half the trainees.  I wonder if the number of trainees leaving the show on their own will affect the number eliminated.  This episode ends without making any reference to anyone leaving.

Two more episodes left – the ranking ceremony, then the finale.  Hopefully all the exhausted and stressed contestants will be out of the hospital and ready to roll.  See you in Episode Nine!