#*group: spextr

[infinitestagearchive]

POSTED 24.11.23

earlier today Infinite Stage Entertainment released an official statement declaring that Hae Minsun, one of eight winner’s of the company’s survival show Beyond Infinite, Would not be debuting along with the other members. her activities at the company have suspended until further notice, and SPEXTR will be debuting as a seven-member group.

as recent as the show’s second episode of the survival show, rumors have been spreading online alleging bully behavior from Minsun. alleged old classmates of Minsun came forward to claim that she was a habitual bully in school, and often led in the bullying of her classmates. while the company remained silent on the matter during the duration of the show, they released a post on their official social media channels this morning following their press release, stating that they above all believe in the safety and happiness of their employees, and have a zero tolerance policy for bullying.

many fans online began to speculate that this was related to events that took place during the airing of Beyond Infinite, pointing out different moments where there appeared to be strain between Minsun and the other contestants. it is unclear if Minsun remains at Infinite Stage Entertainment, perhaps debuting later or in a different manner, but for now fans can look forward to the debut of the other seven members of SPEXTR.

what are your thoughts?

[ +78 / -20 ] are we surprised?? her behavior during the show was so wild i cant imagine anyone putting up with her, let alone a manager. this is for the best for the other girls’ futures. [ +62 / -11 ] this is going to sound mean but I am honestly happy for the other girls … the way she talked to Jiwoo was unacceptable so I’m sure she was the same to others, and I can’t imagine the group would have been successful with her … [ +61 / -14 ] im not even going to lie she was one of my favorites like say whatever you want at least she was interesting!! i honestly dont know if i still care about their debut now… [ +44 / -3 ] ise is literally never going to not have scandals dfghs like girl… cmon now [ +48 / -12 ] praying for her solo debut soon, bestie run to a better company njowww!!!

[infinitestagearchive]

during this final episode of BEYOND INFINITE, all will be revealed as the contestants battle it out and put on their best performance to earn their place in the debuting group. tune in and watch as the final ten contestants give it their all for one last time.

for one final time, the viewer is greeted on the main stage of BEYOND INFINITE, though this time it is the final ten contestants that welcome them to the episode. the ten girls have never looked more comfortable on stage as they proudly greet the viewers and wave at the camera. it is only then that MCs Sohee and Jackson enter the stage, dressed in matching dark blue outfits as they too welcome the viewers to this finale. they introduce the judges one last time, with ex-idol Sang Minji, CEO Sun Jihoon, and creative director Jenny Lee being joined on the judging panel by producer Connor Seong, who will produce the debuting group’s first album with them.

MC Sohee informs the viewers that, for their final performances, the contestants were all tasked with putting together a solo performance that will prove once and for all that they deserve their place in the debuting group, as well as a ten-member group performance of the debut single. she also reveals that the final line-up will include eight contestants – a final line-up that will be revealed by the end of the episode.

during the week of preparation, the contestants worked on their performance of the debut track under the guidance of producer Connor Seong, who wrote and composed the track for them. he met each contestant and spent some time with them in the studio, with both Haneul and Sooyoung notably connecting well with the producer. Connor explains to the viewers that he appreciates when artists want to have input into a track, and that he really enjoyed the vision that both of them had for the track. 

notably, Minsun appears to be on her best behavior, being seen laughing and playing with the other contestants, and generally appearing to be in a much better mood. to the camera, she says that for the past weeks she’s felt really scared and tense, which is why she’s been acting out a lot. now that she’s gotten to know the other contestants better she feels much more comfortable and at ease, and this is evident from the way she appears during the episode. however, some viewers online commented that this behavior seemed disingenuous, with some even claiming that she was putting on an act in order to receive more views.

as the contestants train together for a final time, their usual joy in the training room is clearly dampened by the pressure they’re experiencing. after one particularly hard day, Haruka especially appears resigned to the idea of losing. she spends some time alone in the studio but is soon joined by Sojin. during the episode it becomes clear that Sojin and Haruka are closer friends than many viewers originally thought, with Sojin comforting Haruka and demanding that she not give up. 

Jiwoo and Chaewon are filmed several nights staying behind in the studio after the other contestants have left. during one of the evenings they’re joined by Jimin, and it appears that this has been a regular thing for the three contestants over the duration of the show. 

the screen returns to the main stage, where MC Jackson says that he has the honor to reveal both the concept and the name of the debuting group. he tells the audience that the group will have a ‘sci-fi’ concept, and that they will be called SPEXTR. the announcement is met with cheers from the audience, as the group logo shows up on the monitor behind Jackson.

the time comes for the contestants’ solo performances. Sooyoung is the first to perform, singing a cover of ‘Set Me Free’ by soloist Hero. she is clearly much more comfortable on stage compared to previous episodes, and while some people might criticize her for not going as all-out as she could, the performance is positively received.

next, Jimin takes the stage with a ballad version of ‘Egotistic’ by SUGAR. while this is an expected move on Jimin’s part, viewers clearly enjoyed this stripped-down version of the song. Jimin’s vocals are clear as ever during the performance, and from the reactions of the audience alone it is evident that she is one of the fan-favorites on the show.

the third contestant to perform their solo is Yoonah. deciding on a different tone from Jimin and Sooyoung, she decides to perform a cover of ‘HMU’ by BOYFRIENDZ. however, as she performs it is clear that this song is outside of her own comfort zone, and this carries over into her giving a disappointing performance that judge Jenny Lee calls not worthy of being a finale performance.

Haneul, perhaps showing just how connected she and Sooyoung are, also decides to sing a song by Hero, choosing to cover ‘God Damn’ from the same album. while she is not much of a dancer, Haneul’s stage performance is undeniable, and her performance provides some much needed relief for the audience and viewers at home alike, following the less-than-exciting performance from Yoonah.

Jiwoo puts on a performance of ‘Juice’ by Butterflyeffect’s Bambi, and while her vocals shine a bit less when she is not surrounded by the other contestants, joy radiates off of Jiwoo as she stands on stage. throughout the entire performance she smiles and shines, not faltering once and delivering a quality performance.

her performance is followed by Sojin, who, like Yoonah, decides to go for a more up-beat song. she performs ‘Heart Attack’ by SUGAR, and to the surprise of seemingly everyone delivers a near flawless performance in which she both sings and dances like she’s never quite done before. Sojin shows that she clearly has a lot more talent up her sleeve, and the audience is vocal about just how much they loved her performance.

Minsun, who has to follow Sojin’s performance, is clearly a bit shaken by the performance of the other contestant, and looks quite nervous as she walks out on stage. Minsun performs her version of ‘BBY’ by BOYFRIENDZ, and her performance is far better received by the audience than Yoonah’s. while she still looks a little put-off at times during the performance, her vocals remain stable and the performance is an overall success.

when Emiyo steps on stage she looks as confident as she always has, but as she begins performing her cover of ‘You And I’ by soloist Mew, her voice falters. she appears deeply insecure on stage as she attempts to power through the song, but ultimately leaves the audience wanting for a stronger performance.

thankfully, they find that strength in the next solo. Haruka is the second-to-last solo performance of the episode, and while her dancing is always impeccable, her cover of ‘Shout Out’ by S-DIVISION proves that her vocals have also improved over time. she is a joy to see on the stage, and her enthusiastic attitude is infectious to both the audience and the judges, who give her a lengthy applause following the end of her performance.

closing out the individual performances is Chaewon, who seems excited more than anything to perform on stage. though her performance includes minimal dancing, not quite showing off the dance skills some viewers might have grown to love her for, she gives a powerful rendition of ‘Rewind’ by SUGAR that impresses the judges, who comment that they had underestimated Chaewon in previous episodes.

after a brief commercial break, it is time for the contestants’ final chance of earning votes; the debut song performance. all ten contestants gather on the stage in shining futuristic outfits, with their expressions varying from completely ecstatic – such as Jiwoo and Haruka – and simply mortified – as is the case for Emiyo and Minsun. in the past week, the contestants have not only prepared for their solo performances, but also to trained together as a ten-member group. in a quick look back, we see Sooyoung say that it’s been strange to train together, despite knowing that two of them will not make it to the final group, and that she would prefer to debut just like this, as a ten-member group.

the contestants take their starting positions, and the music starts. the contestants perform SPEXTRs debut track, ‘The Strange World’. Haneul and Jimin have taken the center position for the performance, with Minsun and Yoonah finding themselves at either ends of the lineup on stage. the contestants give a strong performance, clearly well in tune with each other as they move around the stage. Sooyoung and Haneul even find time to have a few cute interactions on stage, and Sojin and Jimin stand out as the shining performers. it is also evident that Emiyo has not entirely recovered from her mishap, still seeming quite shaken and not like her heart is truly in it.

the end of the performance is met with thunderous applause from the audience, as the contestants step to the back of the stage and Jackson and Sohee walk on. they announce that this is viewers’ last chance to vote for their favorite contestants, and a rerun of all performances is shown at the last minute before voting closes.

the judges address the contestants one last time, praising them for making it ths far and for the amazing performances they have given. Connor Seong once again reiterates that it was a pleasure working with all of them, and that he hopes that no matter what, they will not stop making music.

the time comes for the final ranking to be revealed, and in order the MC’s reveal the eighth to first place ranking. the first contestant to make it into the debut group is Minsun, who appears shocked into silence on camera. the seventh member to be announced is Chaewon, who almost immediately bursts into tears. next is Haneul, the official sixth member, who can do nothing but squeeze her best friend Sooyoung closer. the fifth member to be announced is Haruka, who tearfully embraces the first person next to her, Sojin, with a wide smile. the fourth member’s name to be called is Sooyoung, who is pulled into a tight hug by Haneul before she can seemingly even realize her name has been said. Jimin’s name is the next to be called, and she gives an appreciative bow to the camera, trying to conceal the tears that well up in her.

the tension is palpable as the final two members are to be announced. Yoonah, Jiwoo, Emiyo, and Sojin huddle together on the stage, all holding each other’s hands as the MCs continue to speak. Sohee announces that the second-ranked member of the group is Sojin, who gasps in shock before turning back and being embraced by Haruka and Sooyoung. the three remaining contestants all seem nervous in their own way, with Emiyo shaking her leg, Yoonah closing her eyes, and Jiwoo taking deep breaths as Jackson announces the last name. as Jiwoo’s name is said, the audience erupts into cheers, and Jiwoo is embraced by all of her members, leaving Emiyo and Yoonah behind.

FINAL LINEUP

the two girls get a chance to give a final thanks to the audience, the judges, and everyone who supported them, before the attention returns to the eight members of SPEXTR. they are congratulated by the judges before they themselves turn their attention to the camera and thank the audience.

as the episode closes out, Sohee reminds the audience to keep an eye on the debuting girl group, and to make sure to follow SPEXTR on all social media. Jackson announces that their pre-debut single ‘The Strange World’ will be available on streaming soon, before thanking the viewers at home one final time and ending the episode.