Mnet’s ‘WSWF’, which expanded its scope with a national competition, delivered explosive dopamine from its first broadcast, marking the beginning of a hit syndrome.

The first episode of Mnet’s ‘Street Woman Fighter’, which aired on the 27th (directed by Kwon Young-chan and Choi Jeong-nam, hereinafter referred to as ‘WSWF’), featured the first meeting of six crews gathered to determine the true global ranking, followed by a battle to call out the weaker contestants. Expanding to a competition between five countries including Korea, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, and Australia, the scale of the dance competition increased significantly, delivering an overwhelming immersive experience.

The broadcast recorded a peak viewership of 2.0%, marking a successful start. (AGB Nielsen metropolitan area, based on paid households) Additionally, the target viewership rating for the 15-39 age group ranked first in its time slot, including terrestrial broadcasts, proving the hot interest from the very first episode. Key indicators of buzz on social media, such as X (formerly Twitter), saw 12 keywords related to ‘WSWF,’ including ‘WSWF,’ trending in real-time, and four related videos entered the Naver TV TOP 100 shortly after the broadcast.

The opening scene of the broadcast showcased the meeting of the six crews. The AG SQUAD, centered around Kaea, Ruthybaby, and Kyra, who led the heyday of the ‘ROYAL FAMILY’, along with Marlee, a traditional old-school hip-hop dancer, and Logistx, a representative of the United States in breaking, formed the US crew, MOTIV. BUMSUP, where the leaders of ‘Street Woman Fighter’ Season 1 collaborated with LIP J, and OSAKA Ojo Gang, centered around Ibuki and Kyoka, who have won titles at prominent dance battles, along with RHTokyo led by renowned choreographer Riehata, and the world-renowned dance crew ROYAL FAMILY entered the fight club, escalating the tension with fierce psychological warfare.

As the rankings for expected winners in the fiercely competitive national battle were revealed along with each crew’s no-respect status, the atmosphere heated up even more. Notably, unlike previous seasons, the method in which the leader received all the no-respect votes for the crew attracted attention. Honey J, the leader of BUMSUP, ranked fourth in the expected winner rankings, received a total of 12 stickers, among which five no-respect stickers were confirmed to be from AIKI, creating a shock. RHTokyo, which was ranked first in the expected national winner rankings, received eight no-respect stickers, while ROYAL FAMILY, which ranked sixth, received a staggering 13 no-respect stickers.

The ‘national battle to call out the weaker contestants’ unfolded with an immersive experience that made it impossible to take your eyes off. In the first half, featuring individual battles, Honey J from BUMSUP faced Marlee from MOTIV, and Aaliyah from AG SQUAD squared off against AIKI from BUMSUP, leading to victories for Marlee and Aaliyah, respectively. Gabee showcased a heel battle against Danica from AG SQUAD in a situation where BUMSUP was in crisis, and after a fierce rematch, celebrated the joy of victory. Notably, Gabee’s showmanship, demonstrating ecstatic dancing throughout the space, garnered praise as “the star power of the devil” and received enthusiastic applause.

An upset also occurred. Among them, the fierce competition between the Japanese crews and the rivalry within the ROYAL FAMILY can be seen as another highlight. Kyoka from OSAKA Ojo Gang and Riehata from RHTokyo, who excels in choreography, faced off, and the results defied everyone’s expectations as Riehata emerged victorious. The clash within ROYAL FAMILY saw the young talent Tasha defeating the red-haired Kaea, creating a surprising drama. Especially, despite being predicted as the first likely contestant to be eliminated, ROYAL FAMILY defied the prejudice of being the weakest and heralded the beginning of a rebellion by continuing their momentum of victory.

The revenge match of the world’s top wackers, realized after 10 years, also delivered exhilarating dopamine. Ibuki from OSAKA Ojo Gang and LIP J from BUMSUP, who had met on the world stage in the past, reunited through ‘WSWF’. Having experienced a painful defeat by LIP J in the past, Ibuki called out LIP J as the opponent in the battle to call out the weaker contestants, and dancers from each crew and even the judges were thrilled by the unprecedented showdown. The protagonist who emerged victorious from the rematch was LIP J. The two showcased a performance as if they were on the same team, and after the battle, shared a warm hug, providing a unique emotional moment.

Meanwhile, at the end of the broadcast, a futuristic look at the latter half of the battle to call out the weaker contestants and the rank mission, known as the flower of ‘WSWF,’ was teased, heightening anticipation for the next broadcast.

[Photo] Provided by Mnet

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