Mnet's 'Steal Heart Club' Delivers Genre-Defying Performances Amidst Intense Competition

Mnet's global band-making survival show 'Steal Heart Club' continues to break genre boundaries with its latest collaborative performances, showcasing the growth and teamwork of aspiring musicians. Despite low ratings, the show captivated audiences with its dramatic and memorable scenes.

On the 7th episode aired on Tuesday, the 'Collaboration Unit Battle' of Round 4's second match featured five teams. With the final results of Round 4 hinging on the scores from this match, tension and drama were palpable even before the performances began. The episode achieved the highest viewership among teenage female audiences during its time slot, including terrestrial channels, according to AGB Nielsen's metropolitan area paid viewership ratings.

The first performance was by the Dane unit 'E.R.E.R' (Kwon Young-bin, Dane, Riaan, Jung Woo-seok, Choi Jin-geon, Han Jun-hee). Despite a lineup change due to Zhao Ja-yin's injury, the collaboration with the Black toe Dance Company captivated the entire team. The atmosphere heightened with the reveal of SHINee's 'HARD' as their song choice. Kwon Young-bin was ultimately chosen as the drummer after a solo battle with Kim Gun-dae.

The performance of 'HARD' combined the intense choreography of the Blackto Dance Company with cinematic elements, leaving a strong impression. Sunwoo Jung-a praised it as "beautiful and perfectly balanced," while Jung Yong-hwa likened it to a "MAMA-scale" performance. With an average director score of 92, Dane expressed confidence in aiming for first place.

Next was the unit 'Geotchok Sokba' (Park Cheol-gi, Oda Jun, Lee Yoon-seo, Lee Yoon-chan, Joo Ji-hwan, Kevin Park) featuring jazz saxophonist Shin Myung-seop. After choosing Crush's 'Don't Forget,' Lee Yoon-seo was selected for the guitar solo battle, leaving K-Ten in tears but hopeful for a future reunion.

Their performance delivered a warm emotional resonance with the saxophone's deep tones. Jung Yong-hwa noted the importance of audience connection, while Sunwoo Jung-a critiqued the lack of cohesive harmony despite individual excellence. The director's average score was 91.

The third performance by Kim Eun-chan A's unit 'WOW BOYS' (Kim Kyung-wook, Kim Eun-chan A, Brody, Lee Woo-yeon, Jung Yeop, Choi Hyun-joon) featured rapper BE'O. Despite initial tension from Lee Woo-yeon's previous mistakes, the team delivered a strong performance of Epik High's 'Don't Hate Me,' earning positive feedback from Jung Yong-hwa. However, Lee Jang-won felt BE'O's presence overshadowed the team. The director's score averaged 89.

The team receiving the highest praise was Hanbin Kim's unit 'Korean Mutants' (Nam Seung-hyun, Jung Eun-chan, Sagisomul, Seo Woo-seung, Shin Jae-min, Hanbin Kim). With Sagisomul as the main vocalist, they performed Younha's 'Event Horizon' in collaboration with STAYC's Sieun, leaving a strong impression with their harmonious blend. Sunwoo Jung-a and Lee Jang-won praised Sagisomul's vocal range and stage presence, earning the highest director score of 94.

The final performance was a collaboration with the experimental music team 'Mum,' featuring traditional Korean instruments. Yoon Young-jun's unit 'Cola Band' (Kim Si-hoo, Ki-hoon, Na Yu-ha, Yoon Young-jun, Choi Chi-young, Hagiwa) reinterpreted IVE's 'ATTITUDE' with a fusion of traditional and electronic sounds. Sunwoo Jung-a and Jung Yong-hwa praised the performance's grandeur and musical arrangement, with an average director score of 91.

With all performances of Round 4 concluded, the focus now shifts to the band maker voting scores and final results. MC Moon Ga-young announced that only 20 contestants will advance to the 'Semifinals,' heightening anticipation for the lineup announcement. Aspiring musicians are determined to survive and debut, drawing attention to the final results of Round 4.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr