Season 2 of Produce 101 was such a phenomenon that it has spawned not only its winning act, Wanna One, but other project groups as well. Rainz consists of seven fan favorite trainees from the program, debuting and promoting for one year. However, it’s not the members that piqued my interest, but the involvement of … Continue reading
The Produce 101 train continues to roll on, guaranteeing that nearly every participant gets an opportunity for extra promotion — no matter how small that sliver may be. In the case of Youngmin and Donghyun from MXM, I’m The One is only a starting point. The two are essentially a sub-unit of a yet-to-be-named boy … Continue reading
If there was one contestant I wished would have made it into Produce 101’s boy group Wanna One, it’s twelfth-place finisher Jeong Sewoon. Not only was he a personal favorite, but I felt that he had a lot to gain from being in a group. For as much potential as he displayed throughout the series, … Continue reading
While reviewing Wanna One’s Energetic, I mentioned how I felt that IOI’s debut year was hampered by a discography that forced a variety of sounds and styles at the girls rather than let them forge a unique musical identity. It remains to be seen whether Wanna One will be plagued by the same issue, but … Continue reading
Last year, it took a while for the whole IOI phenomenon to click with me. As much as I loved watching Produce 101, the post-show releases felt more like agencies throwing various songs and genres at the girls rather than an attempt to create a cohesive sound. But then again, can a group who’s set … Continue reading
If any contestant seemed best primed for a debut with Produce 101 Season 2’s boy group Wanna One, it was Kim Samuel. He’d already gained debut experience with duo 1Punch and as a solo act, and enjoyed a built-in fan base that stretched all the way back to his trainee days with Pledis Entertainment. So … Continue reading
The Produce 101 rush of debuts continues with Choon Entertainment’s Longguo and Shihyun. Duos are not particularly common in k-pop, and I assume the two will eventually become part of a larger group. But for now, both performers complement each other well even if portions of their material leave something to be desired. I can’t … Continue reading
