#mnet wide open studio | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

be-netz · 1 year

Photo

— NOW PLAYING: NEXT GEN EPISODE 6

it’s the day of the concert and live finale. while in real-time the attendees are allowed in to find their seats and fight for the best spot in the standing area near the stage, the intro to next gen plays on television screens across the country. RHEE JIAN’s smiling face greets thousands of households as clips from last week remind the audience of the stakes.

“the contestants who end up in the top three positions based on a combination of audience votes and judges’ evaluations will be offered a trainee contract to any company they choose,” her voice is heard over clips of the various contestants rehearsing, performing, and laughing together; a reminder of everything leading up to the big finale this week. “the runner-ups will be offered contracts to one of the three companies. so everyone, do your best! we look forward to seeing you on stage!”

a badge in the top left corner of the screen reminds everyone that this episode is being broadcasted live. a loud cheer fills the auditorium as jian steps onto the stage, waving to NEXT GEN fans as she takes a spot in the center of the stage.

“it’s my pleasure to welcome you to the season finale of NEXT GEN,” she pauses as another cheer goes up. “as we begin today’s show, i want to remind everyone that your vote matters. if you haven’t already, please download the mnet NEXT GEN Vote app onto your mobile device. instructions for how to vote for your favorite contestant will be outlined on the screen. live voting will open immediately following the final performance and remain active for twenty minutes. the results of the competition will be decided by a combination of the judges’ scores and the audience votes.”

a qr code link to the app store and instructions on how to download the app are played on the television screen; in the concert hall, they’re shown on the large screens on either side of the stage that jian stands on.

“now, it’s my pleasure to introduce to you for the final time gracing the NEXT GEN stage, our company representatives who are judging this competition! please welcome YUNA, representing LIME ENTERTAINMENT; SEO RAN, ceo of SR MEDIA; and YOON JIHUN, ceo of STUDIO DELTA!”

the judges appear from some previously unseen door one by one as they’re announced, each waving to the crowd and smiling as they take their seats. as they get settled, the crowd also quiets.

“our contestants are battling it out for a trainee contract with one of the three companies represented here today,” jian reminds the crowd and builds the hype for the competition to come, “as representatives for the next generation of kpop, your votes will help shape the futures of three of the biggest companies in the industry.”

“shall we get started?” she breaks out into a wide grin as a wild cacophony of screams and applause erupts from the crowd in front of her. of course, they’ve all waited weeks for this moment. “then let’s welcome all of our remaining contestants to the stage!”

the lights dim as jian exits the stage and an impossibly louder roar sounds from the crowd. after a moment of silence, the opening notes of my turn can be heard playing and the lights change, purple in honor of the branding of the show. the introduction plays on repeat over and over until the silhouettes of the contestants finally appear on stage, earning another enthusiastic round of cheers, and finally the bright lights are raised as the first performance of the night begins.

as they had been during the mcountdown filming, SEO JUNHO and MOON SAEA are once again in center stage. positions have been shifted a bit since other contestants have left the show yet still there’s noted improvement among all of the contestants since their first performance as a large group. it’s clear that the past several weeks of trainee bootcamp, so to speak, has really helped the idol wannabes hone their skills.

my turn comes to an end and the contestants hold their finishing poses for a moment before breaking to greet the audience, smiling, waving, and throwing hearts to the fans who have been supporting them all this time. finally, the faceless viewers are real, tangible people in front of them. it may be an awe-inspiring moment for all of the contestants.

with a few final waves, the contestants retreat backstage as jian once again takes control of the event. “can we get another round of applause for all of our next gen participants?” she barely has to ask the crowd before they’re once again screaming their approval and enthusiasm. “thank you, thank you. it’s been a long journey to make it to this point in the competition. there’s been many ups and downs along the road and we had to say goodbye to so many of our friends who couldn’t be here with us tonight. the contestants who remain should be proud to stand on this stage. it’s a huge testament to their skills and potential to continue to grow in this industry.”

it’s clear, however, that the audience has no interest in being lectured to about the skills of their favorite contestants. of course not. the producers know this, and that would be why they’ve prepared a vcr to play while the first performance gets dressed and ready backstage.

“before we welcome our first performance, REALIZE TEAM, to the stage, we have a quick announcement to make regarding one team member, SATO KOU. due to personal circumstances, kou has withdrawn from the competition. realize team is performing as a four-member group today.”

disappointed murmurs from kou fans in the audience echo around the venue. however, they’re quickly replaced by excited chatter as the screen once again shows a practice room with four contestants rehearsing their never before seen original song for the competition.

traveling back in time to the days leading up to the concert, CAMERON and NAYOUNG sit on opposite ends of a small practice room during a break in their lessons. “well, call us the princess switch,” cameron jokes, though nayoung doesn’t seem to take it very well at first. why would she? cameron rubbing in her face that he had soared in the judges’ ranks while she fell so dramatically can’t come across all that nicely.

“funny,” nayoung responds, clearly not finding it funny at all.

somehow, though, cameron salvages the situation. “i think we’re going to switch again is what i mean,” he explains. though nayoung remains somewhat unconvinced, she at least looks a little less annoyed with her company.

“i honestly… gave up for a while. i’m mad at myself for that.” nayoung sits in the interview room, sharing her story to the cameras in her calm, matter of fact way. “but i won’t give up this time, even if i fail. i will become a trainee again one way or another, and i have the next gen judges and producers to thank for believing in me so i would believe in myself again.”

cameron, a former idol to nayoung’s former trainee experience, opens up as well in his interview. “this was all i really knew for a period of my life and it was something i expected to be doing for many more years. having a taste of it again, i don’t think i’ll ever not miss it.”

“i know my opinion isn’t the one that counts here, but i think you’re going to place well.” the scene returns to the practice room where cameron gives a little extra confidence to nayoung. “people like to see a fighter, they don’t like boring people.”

all nayoung says in reply is “we’ll see.”

another time, another place, another reunion from the first episode comes back to the screen. JUNHO and NOEL hadn’t had the best start, but it’s clear that both are on a better path now. it’s noel who extends the olive branch first, swearing to the other, “jun, i promise i’ll take this seriously, so let’s promise to make a good performance.”

“you’d better,” despite the half-threat, junho’s arm is wrapped around the other man’s neck rather playfully. “you’d done well so far, though. I’m proud of you. let’s both keep doing well to the very end, yeah?”

junho’s interview interrupts their heartwarming scene for a moment, adding a little context to his earlier actions and highlighting the personal growth he’s had throughout next gen. “i think learning to work in a team was really hard,” he explains, “i’ve always been an independent person, and i was a little impatient and short-tempered at first, but i think the show has really helped me work on that, and i think now i actually really enjoy working with other people.”

“i’ve gotten scolded a lot,” noel’s turn in front of the camera interrupts junho from going any deeper into thought. “i had kind of just guessed i’d be going home soon, but somehow i didn’t, somehow i really made it to the finals.”

back in the practice room, the pair are already getting to work. “so what would you suggest we begin with first? learning the choreography or our lines?” noel asks.

“let’s get the lines down first.”

it’s clear that this team was particularly motivated to do a good job.

the vcr comes to a close and again, the lights on stage turn on and reveal the four teammates ready to begin their performance. perhaps nayoung stands out at first, the only woman among three other men. the rhythmic song is admittedly better suited for a boy group than a girl group or co-ed performance, but somehow she manages to blend in well with the boys. the attention she draws to herself is only for the right reasons. the entire team works well together, their weeks of practice paying off as the song finally comes to a close and they take their final poses, the cameras capturing each ending fairy shot dutifully as the fans scream their approval.

as the crowd begins to settle, the judges lean forward in their seats, each ready to give their final words of wisdom to the trainee wannabes before them.

yuna is the first to speak, holding her microphone to her lips and waiting for the audience to quiet before she begins. “first of all, i want to congratulate you and everyone backstage for making it to the final episode of next gen.” she pauses as the crowd cheers once again. “nayoung, is it hard being the only girl on stage?” she smiles sympathetically, perhaps knowing better than most what it’s like to be a one-woman show. “you did well today. we were glad to see you work so well with a team when the odds were likely against you. thank you for listening to our advice. and thank your teammates as well for complimenting you so nicely. you all did a fantastic job.

“noel,” ran smiles in a way that betrays none of her actual thoughts, “you’ve grown a lot during these last few weeks. have you noticed? the first time you stood in front of us, we had to scold you for not taking this seriously. i’m glad we did. ever since then, you’ve improved leaps and bounds. congratulations. cameron, you had a lot less to learn than noel did. but you’ve been a reliable presence for your fellow contestants. your teammates should thank you for being someone they don’t have to worry about. goodness knows that can be difficult to find.”

the crowd roars again and though he looks a bit annoyed, jihun has to wait for a lull before he can speak. “junho,” he addresses the contestant directly, “i want to compliment you on your thoroughness. you’ve been a particularly dedicated performer this entire competition. that’s why we made you a center for my turn. we saw how you practiced everything for this stage, even changing outfits between songs. no one else would have thought of that. your professionalism is to be admired.”

“oh, and noel,” jihun adds, “thank you for noticing we’re not losers.” the judges and audience all laugh together.

as the contestants are dismissed from the stage, jian appears again to introduce the next team. “our next performance is HUG TEAM,” jian announces. fans of the contestants in the first performance give their wildest cheers. “let’s take a look at how they’ve prepared for tonight,”

the huge monitors on stage change from a close-up of jian’s face to a wide shot of a practice room. for the viewers at home, the television screen is filled with the same scene rather than a recording of the stage. the team is shown learning their song, recording the vocals, and perfecting the choreography together. but nerves get to them nonetheless. how could they not with the final results upon them?

but the long competition seems to have taken its toll on the contestants. SARANG is seen cozying up to SEOJUN during a break in rehearsal, both taking a moment to catch their breath and recharge amid the pressure to push themselves to their physical and mental limits.

“what are you listening to?” sarang asks rather innocently, bonding with all of his teammates right up until the last moment. “was it ‘hug’ or something else?”

“it’s something else. i was actually listening to a song by vertex. their song fighting got my attention,” seojun responds.

a moment later, he’s seen in the interview room, smiling, nearly laughing, as he recounts the events of their practice. “getting to know sarang was nice. i hope we get to keep in touch after this. i wouldn’t mind being his friend.”

the scene changes and seojun is still in the practice room, but now it’s HANEUL who joins him. “i want to show the best side of me during the finale,” haneul says to his friend, holding up a fist to encourage them both as he monitors his own practice on a screen in front of him.

“i know you’ll do just that. each performance you’ve been doing has been amazing hannie,” seojun gushes in response.

it’s haneul’s turn in the interview room and chemistry seems to be the name of the game for this team. “i’m glad the audience voted the way they did ... i’ll forever be grateful they let me compete with seojun instead of against him.” clips of the pair throughout the series plays as he finishes his sentence. they’re truly best friend goals, as far as the editors of the show are concerned.

but it’s not all friendship and sunshine. the competition before them is ever nearing the finale and nerves have gotten to some of the contestants DOHYUN and RENYI share a practice room, bantering back and forth before the atmosphere suddenly becomes somewhat serious.

“how’s it going?” dohyun is the one to ask the question first.

renyi plays it off lightheartedly, acting as if the question did not register with him at all, however there’s a certain intentionality to the lilt in his voice, the way he distracts himself by monitoring his rehearsal recording instead of dwelling on the question. “don’t ask me that,” is all he says, quickly turning the question back to dohyun instead, “how are you feeling about your parts?”

“good actually. well, so far,” the other young man responds.

“i'm really proud of my group,” dohyun in the interview room takes over the screen, “i think i did well, but i'm only as good as we are as a team. we all had something to show and what we brought worked well off of each other."

a few more clips of hug team practicing all together play across the screen in an emotional montage before slowly fading to black. a moment later, the lights come up on the stage and the team is there in person, waiting for the music to start and their performance to begin.

hug is a warm, playful sort of song that suits the members of this team. intentionally or not, each and every one of them seems fully immersed in their role and it’s clear that their hard work has paid off as they sing, dance, and rap to this song that has never been performed on stage by any other artist before. the camera pays attention to haneul in particular during his rap part— do the judges and audience remember when j-yoon instructed him not to worry about rap? he certainly has proved the guest judge wrong now.

as the song comes to a close, the audience lets out a wild cheer with screams of each member’s name combining into a garbled mess of unintelligible syllables. the audience seems to have been wooed by the cutesy performance and as the cameras pan to the judges for their reactions, their faces are filled with bright smiles.

yuna is again the first to speak, picking up her microphone and waiting for the audience to quiet before she begins. “you’ve all grown so much since we first saw your audition tapes. renyi, dohyun, you two have picked up the basics of dance and performance so well during your time here. sarang, you continue to impress us with your ability to command the stage. and haneul and seojun… you were adept performers coming into the competition and we’ve been so pleased to see you grow even more. this is our final episode, so i don’t have much critique left to give. bravo, everyone. you’ve done well!”

her statement is punctuated by the enthusiastic agreement of a noisy crowd. jihun is the next to pick up his microphone, though he actually shushes the audience rather than wait for his turn as yuna had. “let me speak,” he jokes with the crowd. a few laughs can be heard in response. “yuna said it all very well. you’ve all grown so much in a very short time. it makes it difficult for us to make the final decision. i will say, i know our audience chose this song for you all, but i’m not sure it suits all of your personalities very well. sarang and renyi suited this concept best, in my opinion. i would’ve liked to see dohyun, seojun, and haneul take on something a bit stronger… but never mind, that was out of our control. you all did well. great job.”

another loud cheer goes up from the crowd before ran is given the opportunity to give her final words to the team in front of her. “what is left to say?” she smiles warmly at hug team. “were you perfect? no. but you’re not debuting tomorrow, we don’t expect perfection even now. what’s great to see is how well you all perform in front of an audience. i think you all actually shine brighter in front of a crowd, though i know how nerve-wracking that can be. i have to say sarang really stood out in this performance. the concept suits you, as jihun said, but you also seem to have a natural ability to charm an audience. it’s something we love to see in sr media.” she smiles to herself as if in thought and the crowd takes the pause as an opportunity to cheer again. “you’ve all done a fantastic job. i can’t wait to see the results.”

“please give another round of applause to hug team,” jian asks the audience, who are more than happy to oblige as the contestants give one final greeting to the judges and crowd before exiting the stage.

there’s only one team left to perform and perhaps its the knowledge that the show is coming to an end soon, or maybe the contestants in this team are among the most beloved among fans, but there’s a certain tension in the air as jian prepares to announce the final team.

“before our last performance,” she smiles at the muffled groans of disappointment in the audience, “we’d like to remind everyone to make sure you have the voting app downloaded. and again, we’d like to thank everyone for the love you’ve shown all of the contestants, judges, coaches, staff, and myself throughout next gen. it’s thanks to you that we’re here in front of you performing like this today.”

after one final cheer, it’s time to introduce the final group. “now, without any more delay, please welcome TALES OF THE UNUSUAL TEAM!”

a loud cheer sounds from the crowd but just like with the other groups, the contestants do not immediately appear on stage. rather the lights dim and the screens give an inside view to the preparation that this team underwent for the performance today.

the scene opens on a practice room where JINYOUNG and JOOMI rehearse the song together, over and over again. perhaps it comes as a surprise, but the contestant known for his dance skills is the one making repeated mistakes, asking his practice partner to run it again with him over and over until both look like they’re about to collapse. when they finally take a break, it’s only by joomi’s request.

“hey, stop for a sec,” joomi rests a hand on jinyoung’s shoulder. the man flinches away from the contact. “are you alright?”

“i need to get this right,” is the only response that jinyoung has, a note of desperation in his voice. has the pressure of the competition gotten to him? how long has it been since he’s last taken a break?

“i’m hoping some of jinyoung and i’s luck last episode carried into this performance with saea and hyejin,” joomi explains to the cameras. it doesn’t look like jinyoung’s having very much luck right now, though. “i haven’t really had anyone support me like this before, so i didn’t know what to do about any of it. but in the end, i figured, ‘okay, i’m here, so many people want me to do well, so i’ll try not to disappoint them.’”

back in the practice room, it’s not joomi doing anything disappointing. jinyoung is visibly frustrated, likely with himself, and joomi offers the same sort of support he’s so grateful for from everyone else. “okay. you’re not going to get it right like this. you’re really stressed out and frustrated, so you’re going to have trouble focusing, and i think you’re going to keep making mistakes.”

jinyoung relents, accepting the fact that he needs to rest in order to improve. joomi offers him water.

in another practice room at a different time, the girls, SAEA and HYEJIN take a break of their own. their practice seems to be going much more productively and in their downtime, the girls discuss the stage.

“i was thinking red contacts maybe … but then i came across these white ones?” saea shows hyejin her phone and the screen cuts to clips of idols in other performances who have worn colored contacts similar to the girl’s idea. “maybe some of us have a pair, and some of us only have one? i think it would fit with vibe and theme of our song right?”

“ooo, red and white ones would be too perfect,” hyejin coos at the younger girl’s ideas, clearly very supportive of her teammate and friend. “they’d give off that creepiness we want. it will work perfectly for our song.”

the scene cuts to a beaming hyejin in the interview room, still buzzing with excitement. “the visuals and outfits we decided to go for were way too perfect. i’m forever thankful that saea had such great ideas,” she gushes. “staying in the character i wanted to convey for the performance was a bit hard.”

saea, on the other hand, almost seems too excited about getting into character, her enthusiasm rubbing off on her practice partner. “maybe we could do some bloody makeup … is that too much?”

“we’ll have to see what else they’d let us do for our concepts,” hyejin responds practically. how intense will this team’s performance actually get?

the audience will find out very shortly as the screens fade to black and the performers appear on stage bathed in red light. the first notes of the song begin and it’s clear that the four members of this team have completely immersed themselves in their roles; the cursed circus vibes of the song come through not just in the composition and choreography, but in the expressions on the performers’ faces. they smile with wide eyes, ingenuine and exaggerated by contact lenses it’s enough to send a shiver down even the bravest man’s spine. even jinyoung, who had been so uneasy in practice, seems to be dancing as if in a daze.

the song finally comes to a close and a humongous cheer from the crowd doesn’t seem to want to fade as each member smiles at the camera and waves to the audience in front of them. they know this is the last stage of next gen; perhaps they’re just loathe to say good bye to the show that has occupied their evenings for so many weeks.

eventually, the screams do die down long enough for jihun to pick up his microphone and speak. “that was… terrifying,” there’s a chuckle that runs through the crowd as jihun himself smiles. “as it should have been. i think ran will have a lot of good things to say about you all. but i have to be honest, i was a little disappointed. jinyoung, i feel like we didn’t see your best performance today. considering this is the finale, i can’t help but feel a bit let down. joomi, i know you had no say in this song, but i feel like i didn’t get to see you showcase your strongest skill, your voice. but that’s on the audience.” as may be expected, jihun’s comments are met with loud boos of disagreement.

“ignore him,” ran rolls her eyes before smiling more warmly at the contestants in front of her. “he was right about one thing, though. i do have a lot of good things to say. to miss saea in particular, i want to congratulate you for getting involved in the visual direction of your performance. i don’t know if the stylists had anything planned before you approached them, but the contacts and makeup really suited this concept. great job.”

yuna again waits for the cheers to quiet before speaking, directly to hyejin now. “congratulations on making it to the finale and being one of three young women left in the competition,” she smiles at the girl. “you’re a solid performer, hyejin, and we’ve appreciated seeing you come out of your shell during this competition. i still feel like we haven’t seen your full potential, though. don’t get me wrong, you’ve done an excellent job, but i just feel like you have more to give. i’m not sure what’s holding that back.”

the audience can’t seem to decide whether to boo at yuna as well or to cheer for the compliments she gave hyejin, but the chance to respond is taken away from them as jian once again commands their attention. “can we get another round of applause for all of our contestants?” she requests, and the crowd enthusiastically responds.

all of the contestants are welcomed back to the stage and everyone knows what this means; it’s time for the final results. how nervous they must all be as they watch as the judges whisper and discuss amongst themselves. it is their companies that will be signing the contracts, after all, and as much a business decision as it is a fun reality show. at the same time, jian announces that voting is open and the monitors are filled with instructions on how to vote. a hushed murmur falls over the venue, eerily quiet as the fans in the audience furiously vote for their favorites and the judges decide their own rankings amongst themselves.

even when the voting ends, an extra few minutes to factor in how they affect the judges’ scores and who the winners will be has yet to be calculated. in that time, the contestants on stage have a few moments to interact with the crowd.

finally, the music in the background changes and the lighting becomes rather intense, focusing in on jian as she holds a very important envelope in her hands. “i have the results of the next gen finale in my hand here,” she tells the crowd. they scream in response.

“before i read this, can we take a moment to give a big round of applause for our judges, including our guest judges and coaches throughout the series?” at her request, the audience lets out a huge roar of gratitude. “and thanks to the staff as well who have made this event and every episode a possibility,” another roar, “and thank you to mnet for producing this series.” again, they roar on command.

finally, jian seems to run out of ways to delay the results.

“we’ll start by announcing the grand prize winners. as a reminder, these three contestants have been offered a contract to all of the three companies represented here and may choose to join any one as a trainee.”

it’s the moment of truth, the final results that all contestants have been working for since first sending in their audition tapes months ago. the tension in the venue is thick enough to cut with a knife as participants and audience members alike wait with the utmost apprehension.

“our third-place winner, offered a contract to any of the three companies is… ZHOU RENYI!”

the cameras focus in on ren’s face as the crowd roars their approval and excitement. when it finally dies down, jian prepares for the next winner.

“in second place, offered a contract to any of the three companies is… LEE SEOJUN!”

another winner, another loud cheer, perhaps slightly louder than the last. the cameras focus on seojun, but they also glance at the other contestants who are undoubtedly wondering who the first-place winner and final recipient of any contract they desire will be.

“and in first place, the conqueror of next gen, with a contract to any company of their choice is… YEOM SARANG!”

the loudest cheer yet goes up for first place and the contestants take the time to hug and congratulate one another. before the runners up and remainder of the rankings are revealed, the judges speak up once more.

“congratulations to all three of you. you’ll be very successful no matter what company you choose. of course, i’m hoping to see you in our practice rooms,” jihun smiles at the winners, “make your decisions carefully. this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“from this point, we’ll count down to our final ranks,” jian explains to the audience. “in fourth place, and offered a contract to lime entertainment, please congratulate SEO JUNHO!”

yuna smiles at the contestant offered a contract to her company as the crowd cheers again.

“in fifth place, with a contract offer for studio delta, MIN HYEJIN!”

the ceo leans back in his chair and smiles at hyejin as the crowd roars their approval of her award.

“in sixth place, offered a contract to sr media, MOON SAEA!”

ran stands and waves her hands to cheer along with the crowd, obviously excited to have saea as part of her company, should she accept the contract.

“in seventh place, with an offer from studio delta, PARK DOHYUN!”

again, jihun nods his approval along with the shouts of the audience, pleased with his decision to sign dohyun.

“in eighth place, offered a spot in sr media, LEE NAYOUNG!”

just as before, ran reacts enthusiastically by getting out of her seat and smiling as she waves her hands.

“our ninth place winner is the final contestant to be offered a contract on next gen,” the mood suddenly turns rather somber again as the remaining contestants suddenly feel the pressure of the final spot being filled. not everyone can win, there has to be some losers, but after so much hard word it’s undoubtedly so bitter to miss out at this point.

“i quickly want to say that we did want to give all of you a chance,” ran picks up her microphone quickly, unable to keep silent with all of the disappointment before her. “but it just wasn’t a good fit at this time. we all truly hope that you continue to improve your skills so we can see you on stage again soon. there will be other opportunities in the future.”

“in ninth place, with an offer from lime entertainment,” jian takes a breath, nervous herself as she reads off the final name, “LEE NOEL!”

the crowd cheers for noel’s victory, though the remaining contestants know that this is where their road ends for now. jian doesn’t draw the rankings out any further and instead announces tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth place in rapid succession one after the other; CAMERON, JOOMI, HANEUL, and JINYOUNG.

“congratulations to all of the winners,” jian wraps up the results, smiling to the soon to be trainees. “and thank you again to everyone who has supported next gen.”

the show and program reaches its close, the final good byes said on stage among the new trainees and eliminated finalists and written thanks scrolling across the bottom third of the screen.

#BE:NGS1P5 #BE:NGS1P6

6 notes · View notes