[Yesterday TV] “MIX & MATCH”’s iKON Already Completed Charging for Combat
[OSEN=김사라 기자] The final match of candidates for YG Entertainment’s new boy group iKON has been unveiled. There is still one week to go until the final confirmation of the members, but the talent of the members has already been proven.
In Mnet’s “MIX & MATCH” aired on the 30, the final match between the candidate trainees was displayed. The members who have evolved through the past two matches have proven themselves as “well-prepared new faces”, in the latest match. The only thing left is the actual selection of the members through the result of voting.
The final match was literally fancy. SONG YUNHYEONG – JUNG JINHYEONG – JUNG CHANWOO team and KOO JUNHOE – KIM DONGHYUK – YANG HONGSUK team showed a high-level artistic talent like that of veteran singers, in the three matches of freely-selected songs, songs written by the members themselves, and dance. Any one of the two teams showed full qualifications to be selected, so any one of them are not the one to lose.
“WIN” Team B members who lost “WHO IS NEXT: WIN” show last year have been enjoying a big popularity even before their official debut. Members excluding B.I, BOBBY, and KIM JIN HWAN whose debut was already confirmed have emerged as strong candidates for iKON, in judges’ vote as well as in fans’ voting in Korea, China, and Japan. Three new-face trainees unveiled in “MIX & MATCH” are also growing fast, securing many fans.
The members have boasted their talent in a variety of missions in “MIX & MATCH”. In the show, WIN Team B members were grouped with three new-face trainees, to engage in different missions, including end-of-month tests, vocal and dance mission, and collaboration mission in team with YG’s female vocalists: LEE HI, AKMU’s LEE SU HYUN, and JANG HAN NA. Plus, WIN Team B’s “good-bye performance” on the stage of YG Family concert heightened fans’ expectations for their return as iKON next year.
Needless to say, iKON is a rookie who is perfectly prepared. Notably, B.I and BOBBY have surprised senior singers, with their superb rapping skills not like that of idol singers, in “WHO IS NEXT: WIN” and last year and in Mnet’s “SHOW ME THE MONEY” this year. Vocalist KIM JINHWAN joined the two, to lead each team in “MIX & MATCH”. In every match, the three aroused judges’ admiration, performing like professional artists, not trainees.
Along with the three whose debut had already been confirmed before the beginning of “MIX & MATCH” show, WIN Team B’s KOO JUNHOE, KIM DONGHYUK, and SONG YUNHYEONG also surprised YG family, showing a bigger talent much evolved compared to last year. When they competed with WIN Team A who are now WINNER, they showed an outstanding talent. One year later, now, they are completely prepared to become a power rookie. Expectations for new members are also growing high. In “MIX & MATCH”’s competition that began in April this year, the new faces showed fast growth, to be fully qualified to become the members of iKON.
We have WINNER for this year, and then next year, iKON will come. YG’s next rookie iKON will meet fans with a new color different from that of WINNER, a “monster rookie”, who has dominated charts and music shows this year since their official debut in August. YG’s head producer YANG HYUN SUK said, “The new members have stronger hip-hop color than WINNER”. Expectations for the seven rookies to be born through a fierce competition are already growing very high.
2014. 10. 31.
