Top Band 2 Episode 10: Coach Selection

The sliding stages are over and KBS band survival show Top Band 2 is finally about to move on to the real competition. First the top 16 band got to pick their coaches for the rest of the show, as shown in episode 10 that aired on July 6th. KBS offers VOD to anyone with a KBS account if you want to watch the full episode. Daum does not allow video embeds, but if you click the headings below you’ll get to see the selection discussion and special performances for each band.

As usual, in addition to myself the Top Band 2 commentary panel consists of Lightinthemind of Korean rock is real, Dahee of Dahee’s Plastic Castle, Ranya of K-Underground Sweden and Xtian aka drowningn00b. Now the panel has also been expanded with Sangha of strangeseasons and Fabien of Kimchi Popcorn.


 

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The show opens with short cuts on the bands before the judges talk about how they’ll act as coaches.

Anna: If I got it right Shin Dae Chul wants to take a cool approach, Kim Kyung Ho is going for a Spartan coaching style, Kim Do Kyun seems to be more about freedom and You Young Suk will try to take an objective view.

Dahee: Yes, that’s right. I’m trying to think who I’d want to be coached by if I were in a band…Y’know, setting aside the minor detail that I want to jump on Kim Kyung Ho and braid his hair.

Fabien: This is an episode I thought was pointless, but ultimately far more interesting than it seems. It is an opportunity get to know the 16 selected bands better (although I would have preferred lesser-known bands at this stage of the competition). It still took me 15 minutes before I could  finally understand what was happening. And the idea of bringing together different groups in teams, each coached by a member of the jury, appears excellent! If only it had come earlier in the competition, this would have allowed other bands to get a boost with the help from successful bands like Transfixion and Pia. If I had to choose, I think I’d rather be coached by Shin Dae Chul or Kim Do Kyun. But I would first have to be part of a band…

Sangha: I think all the bands could benefit from being under a coach and it will be interesting to see who chooses who. I mean, I’m just assuming what the coaches will be like so I can’t be completely sure (and I haven’t watched the first season of Top Band so I don’t know much about the returning coaches) but I can already see how some coaches will be better fit for some bands, so we’ll see how this goes…

 

The 16 bands have gathered in a studio with the four judges sitting behind school benches ready to meet the aspirants for their coaching. MC Lee Ji Ae picks balls from an urn to decide the order of bands.

Anna: Seems like Top Band have tried to bring out more of a rock feeling from the show by having their speaker voice sound like No Brain’s Lee Sung Woo. Kim Kyung Ho is showing off his S-line? I can’t get enough of him.

Dahee: They’re really trying to milk Kim Kyung Ho’s “Nation’s Unni” image for all it’s worth. I loled when he struck that model pose.

 

Super Kidd

Super Kidd are split between You Young Suk and Kim Kyung Ho. But then Kim Do Kyun was the one who used a Top Choice card to let them advance in the competition. They eventually settle for You Young Suk, who had them down as the third best band and agrees to be their coach.

Anna: At first I thought You Young Suk was an odd choice for them, being the least ‘rock’ of all panel members, but I suppose with their fun loving attitude they’d be hoping to get advice on how to develop their own style rather than getting re-educated on the basics. Or it may be a tactical choice already, assuming that the other bands that’d have a preference for You Young Suk would be the less rock oriented.

Dahee: I thought this was an odd choice too. But yes, maybe You will be able to bring out the more emotional, serious side to them. I certainly hope so.

Fabien: It starts strong with Super Kidd who can finally tease the judges. Kim Do Kyun will always stay in their hearts for having saved them during the Triple Tournament. Their choice for You Young Suk isn’t actually so surprising. They focus more on fun and stage presence than on the voice or musical talent. It may become a good fit.

Sangha: I think this is a good combination! It’s not like Super Kidd needs to work on their performance, they already got that covered, so I don’t think they’ll gain much from being under Kim Kyung Ho or Kim Do Kyun. You Young Suk is more about arrangements and fine-tuning concepts so I think they were smart to stick to him.

 

Ynot?

Ynot? represented only by keyboardist Yoo Ji Hoon, carrying paper figures of the others on his shoulders, picks Shin Dae Chul. Ynot? were not in Shin Dae Chul’s top 8 and he rejects them.

Anna: A natural choice for Ynot?, but I wonder which bands Shin Dae Chul has got his eyes set on instead.

Dahee: I laughed a little too hard at the cardboard cutout thing. So cute. But it must feel awful to be rejected when you’re all alone like that.

Fabien: Apparently the rest of the members of Ynot preferred to give a concert at the Yeosu Expo and to leave the keyboardist alone to represent them on the TV show. He immediately asked the presenter to grant him a moment to deliberate alone with his cardboard friends… Rejected by his band and Shin Dae Chul the same day… Look at his sad face… !

Sangha: Shin Dae Chul as a coach is a mystery to me (I really should’ve watched season 1!) but I feel like a lot of the bands are drawn to him for his fame and name value in the industry. And maybe I’m wrong, but although Shin Dae Chul’s proteges didn’t win Top Band season 1, I feel like Gate Flowers ended up being the most successful band (so far?) out of all of them (and Ravie Nuage is becoming pretty popular too), and I did hear that Shin Dae Chul maintained the friendships even after the show ended, so maybe the bands are looking at long-term values as well when they pick Shin Dae Chul? Just my assumptions. Kind of sad that he didn’t accept Ynot? though, I could really see this working out well.

 

Siberian Husky

Siberian Husky ask for Shin Dae Chul as a coach and he approves.

Anna: I’d thought Siberian Husky would’ve been a band with their eyes set on You Young Suk, but they too want to learn from the guitar legend.

Dahee: I wasn’t surprised by this – Shin’s obviously been a fan of theirs throughout. I sense that the bands are going for the judges who have praised them the most. But I’m sure Shin’s legend status is playing a role in his popularity, too.

Fabien: Surprised by their choice, but which may be explained by the tenacity of Shin Dae Chul to defend bands that have a different sound (as we have seen when he defended YaYa). Shin Dae Chul finally accepts them while they were in the last position in his personal Top 8. The blend of style might be really interesting.

Sangha: Shin Dae Chul is perfect for them I think! Siberian Husky seems to have a slightly dark element to their music and I feel like Shin Dae Chul will really bring that out to their advantage.

 

Achtung

Achtung want to have Shin Dae Chul for coach, but they were not in his top 8 and he turns them down.

Anna: They’re trying to bribe him with the dance of Cutie Honey, but Shin Dae Chul disapproves. I really can’t see which one of the judges would be the better choice for them. Especially since they have their acoustic guitar gimmick. Maybe You Young Suk?

Dahee: Ouch! Shin Dae Chul is really harsh as he rejects them, saying they can’t possibly defeat Daybreak. O_O I mean, it’s true, but still…

Fabien: I think it will be very difficult for Achtung to find their coach, they seem too unpredictable and uneven to be a strong contestant. Shin Dae Chul has so much popularity that he can afford to refuse them. A club made of people rejected by Shin Dae Chul is already forming. What a heartbreaker!
Sangha: Yeah, I’m not sure about Achtung as well. I’m confused on what their music is supposed to be… I can see that they’re extremely capable, but even after all their performances on the show so far, I can’t figure out how they’ll be successful or which coach they would work well with. I don’t think they’ll last long, unless they really hit jackpot with their coach.

 

Wiretap In My Ear

Wiretap In My Ear opts for Shin Dae Chul. Shin Dae Chul has them as his number one and agrees to be their coach.

Anna: I can’t help but smile like a fool every time I see Lee Hyuk. And that special Yeonnamdong Dumb and Dumber performance was a treat. Apparently they wanted a coach that enjoys drinking, so the coffee drinking Kim Do Kyun has to see his number one band under another coach. I could totally see them going with Kim Kyung Ho though. Lee Hyuk may already be a great entertainer but with a bit of coaching from Kim Kyung Ho he could become magnificent.

Dahee: Yeah, I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t go for Kim Kyung Ho (who apparently is “friggin’ crazy” about alcohol, lol), who would have really made their stage presence improve even more. Still, Shin definitely is not a bad choice.

Fabien: As they had not really decided before, they decided to raise the stakes, but only according to each’s capacity to resist alcohol. Between Kim Do Kyun who prefers coffee and Shin Dae Chul who proposes to do alcohol therapy, the choice was quickly made. Meanwhile, Kim Kyung Ho feels more and more alone.

Sangha: I’m not too sure whether this will benefit them in any way. Wiretap is a band with a very distinctive and strong image and I know it will be hard for them to break away from it, but if they really want to win on the show they need to show a different side to the band and I’m pretty sure Shin Dae Chul is too enamored with the band’s image already to even let them try something new. Who knows though, maybe sticking with their current image might work in their favour.

 

Tacopy

Tacopy want to learn from Kim Do Kyun and though he had ranked them 8th he agrees to be their coach.

Anna: I wonder why Kim Do Kyun would satisfy with a band that just barely made the top half of his band list. Surprisingly many bands have gone for Shin Dae Chul already, but after all Kim Do Kyun is one of the big 3 guitarists too and should have some more faith in himself.

Dahee: I dunno, I’d be nervous too if I were Kim Do Kyun. Poor cute buddha. He should be more than able to bring out Tacopy’s good traits.

Fabien: Hahaha,  Tacopy’s Lee Sung Shik provides a crusty anecdote about Kim Do Kyun. He says that last year he would often see Kim Do Kyun walking around in Hongdae, accompanied by a beautiful Western woman with blond hair. His reaction is absolutely priceless! He can not remember who she is, everyone starts to think of him as a lady-killer. Lee Sung Shik asks then why he does not appreciate Korean women, and he admits he is still learning about them. Maybe it’s to prevent rumors from spreading further than he agreed to take them in his team.

Sangha: I think this is a miss. Like Anna said, Tacopy barely made it to the top 16, and they need a stronger coach than Kim Do Kyun if they want to do well on the show. Kim Do Kyun would be good if they were looking into improving their instrument skills (he is one of the best guitarist of Korea, after all), but that’s not what Tacopy needs at the moment. They need a coach that will help them improve their performances and develop their image to appeal more to the masses like Kim Kyung Ho, or someone that will refine their image and help them come up with better arrangements, like You Young Suk. I don’t know how Kim Do Kyun will help them do any of that.

 

Transfixion

Transfixion as Kim Do Kyun to be their coach. He accepts.

Anna: I thought they’d go with Shin Dae Chul for sure, considering how Shin Dae Chul was the one to announce that they moved on from the first live audition

Dahee: I’m actually glad they picked Kim Do Kyun, since for some inexplicable reason I was starting to get a little annoyed by Shin Dae Chul’s popularity. (Irrational, I know.) He’ll be a great fit for them.

Fabien: Very good choice, I hope it will allow them to regain their true talent. Kim Kyung Ho is still paying for all his caustic remarks made since the beginning of the competition. I guess most of the bands are still afraid of him, while he for this reason may be an excellent coach.

Sangha: I disagree… I don’t think this is a good fit. (Maybe I just don’t think Kim Do Kyun is going to be a good coach, haha) I think they would have been perfect with Kim Kyung Ho, because Haerang needs to improve his vocals and Kim Kyung Ho is notorious for being harsh with vocals. And we all know how long Transfixion has been around, and how hard they’ve tried to hit it big with the mainstream audience but kinda failed to do so. I’d even say they tried as hard as No Brain to appeal to the masses, with collaborating with pop acts and churning out singles that were more pop than rock, but while No Brain has gained much mainstream popularity, Transfixion still hasn’t hit it big yet, despite trying so hard with their recent singles that sound overly mainstream-friendly. Like I said before, Kim Do Kyun would be good if you are looking into improving your skills with the instruments, but Transfixion doesn’t need to do that, and who they really need, both on the show and as musicians, is someone to help them appeal to bigger audiences while maintaining their ‘hard rock’ image. And Kim Kyung Ho knows exactly how to do that, as we saw through his success on I Am  A Singer.

 

Peterpan Complex

Peterpan Complex want to have You Young Suk for coach. You Young Suk accepts.

Anna: Excellent choice for them! Jeon Ji Han performs a dance of sorts with the Tacopy vocalist and the Ynot? keyboardist, very sweet.

Dahee: Yes, perfect choice! I’m really starting to fangirl Jeon Ji Han and his craziness hardcore.

Fabien: Shin Dae Chul would have liked to have them in his team, but it would seem that his advances and “thank you” scared Peterpan Complex. One of the members is also interested in the story about Kim Do Kyun and asked if he could also learn from Western women while drinking coffee. The choice is really perfect, at least musically. We will see later if You Young Suk will take advantage of their madness.

Sangha: Perfect combination! I don’t have anything to say about this, Peterpan Complex was meant to be under Yoo Young Suk and I’m glad that he accepted them.  And how fascinating is Jeon Ji Han, gah.

 

Daybreak

Daybreak offer an acoustic potpourri of Kim Kyung Ho’s “나를 슬프게 하는 사람들”, Sinawe’s “크게 라디오를 켜고”, Blue Sky’s “겨울바다” and Baekdoosan’s “주연배우” before announcing that they want You Young Suk for coach. You Young Suk had already listed them as his first choice and accepts them.

Anna: This was quite expected, but suspecting that the judges will be the ones to make the first cut in their groups, as it happened during the first season, now I fear for the future of Peterpan Complex in this competition.

Dahee: This is an unsurprising choice, and a good one for both parties. Maybe he can make them become somewhat more palatable to me.

Fabien: It was expected beforehand, and I do not think it’s with this choice that i’ll start to enjoy their music. I would have liked to see what Kim Kyung Ho could have given them as a coach.

Sangha: This is another perfect match. Although Daybreak’s attitude and the coaches’ attitudes toward them are starting to bother me. All the coaches are fawning over them, and You Young Suk seemed thankful that they picked him. Yes, Daybreak is a strong contender and I do agree that they are talented, but I’m wondering if with that kind of attitude and treatment, will they really be able to win? There are so many other bands who are trying their damn hardest, while Daybreak has been kind of relaxed with their performances. This is a survival show, and most of the time it’s the ones that really try and go beyond their potentials that win.

 

Monni

Monni ask for You Young Suk as coach. He had not included them on his top 8 list and turns them down.

Anna: Gong Tae Woo and Jung Hoon Tae break out in a Trouble Maker dance, with Jung Hoon Tae taking on the part of Hyun-ah. I can’t help but wonder if there is shipping also in the k-indie fandom and which the most popular couples could be. All of a sudden I feel very out of touch.

Dahee: I nearly died watching that Trouble Maker performance, I ain’t gonna lie. It kind of made my life. But poor Monni, being rejected like that for “another band he really really wants to coach.” He would’ve been a good fit for them. They did say though that Kim Kyung Ho was their first choice originally, and I feel like in some ways he’s an even better fit for them than You Young Suk.

Fabien: These attempts to bribe the judges make me laugh. I’m not a fan of Monni either, but I think one of the three other coaches would be good for them.

Sangha: They also did the Trouble Maker dance on You & I, I encourage everyone to check that out if you can! (It’s longer & edited better, haha) Monni hasn’t been doing too well on the show so far, I am getting worried for them… And Anna, yes I do know that fans did ship them for a while, before Gong Tae Woo got married. I’m pretty sure I still have some pictures on my hard drive of them together looking shippable… oh god.

Dahee: Aaaaand off to google this couple…

 

Romantic Punch

Romantic Punch become the first band to ask Kim Kyung Ho to be their coach. Kim Kyung Ho has them at the top of his list and accepts.

Anna: How very perfect! Not only did they realize they’d be the perfect band for Kim Kyung Ho, but Kim Kyung Ho thought the same thing! I’m so glad for all of them.

Dahee: This made me so happy. I was getting grumpier and grumpier with each band that didn’t choose Kim Kyung Ho, and then when this happened my mood immediately lifted. Even if I’m not a fan of theirs. But yeah, they’re perfect for him. And oh my god, that girl calls him “oppa” and says that she loves Kim Kyung Ho not necessarily for his music, but for his attractiveness as a man. LOL! Fangirl alert! And he hugs her!! I am feeling so much envy right now…

Fabien: A true love story between a rock legend and a garage band! They have been very lucky, as this was the first choice for both of them. Finally Kim Kyung Ho has someone to care about!

Sangha: MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. Romantic Punch is the band that I’m rooting for the most on the show, and I’m so, so happy for this match. I’d say that Kim Kyung Ho is the strongest coach from my assumptions, and I’m so glad that they are together. Romantic Punch is a band that has two obvious strengths: Bae In Hyuk’s vocals and their fun stages. Kim Kyung Ho is a mastermind with both vocals and exciting performances, so I’m sure they can learn a lot from him. I can’t be happier with this combination, I’m so glad, ah!

Fellas

Fellas want Kim Kyung Ho for coach. They perform “금지된 사랑” with Lee Dong Wook imitating the vocal styles of Ha Dong Kyun, Bobby Kim, Park Hyo Shin, Naul, Yoon Min Soo and Kim Jong Seo. Kim Kyung Ho accepts them.

Anna: If they hadn’t shown them singing Kim Kyung Ho behind the scenes I would’ve thought they originally wanted You Young Suk, but decided against it after seeing their competition. I’m happy for Kim Kyung Ho though. And that special performance was actually very nice.

Dahee: Yeah, I was impressed with that vocalist’s mimicry abilities. I’m happy for him too. He should be able to bring out a livelier side to them, as well as understand their more ballad-oriented side.

Fabien: It seems that all the already known bands got upset by the criticism of Kim Kyung Ho, and it is finally the smaller competitors who want him as a coach. I am very curious what his strategy will be for the next stage.

Sangha: I think this is a good match. I’ve been bored by Fellas’ performances on the show so far and Kim Kyung Ho will really do them well, helping them bring out more energy and charisma on stage.

 

Coreyah

Coreyah want Shin Dae Chul for coach. He did not include them on his top 8 list, but still agrees to be their coach.

Anna: I’m glad they finally showed a bit of Kim Do Kyun’s experimentation with traditional Korean music. Why Coreyah would even consider any other coach I cannot understand. Their loss.

Dahee: Oh my god, none of the judges actually want to coach them! Shin recommends Kim Do Kyun, and Kim hesitates and asks whether Kim Kyung Ho wants them. When Kim Kyung Ho sits in mortified silence for an awkward length of time (how much do I love his transparent facial expressions?), Kim Do Kyun finally says that he’d be willing to take them on. But then they pick Shin Dae Chul anyway! What an incomprehensible decision. Poor buddha. *pat pat*

Fabien: Nobody wants this band and they are passing the buck, to finally arrive to Kim Kyung Ho. He’s like a garbage for unwanted bands since almost nobody wants him as a coach, and because the other judges reserve all their last places for stronger horses. But even Kim Kyung Ho does not want them. It’s finally Shin Dae Chul who devotes himself, and I liked that he accepts them despite his lack of interest in their music. I do not really see what he can bring to them anyway, but he’s creating a very diverse team.

Sangha: Yikes, if I was a coach I wouldn’t want Coreyah either. I also thought Kim Do Kyun would be a better fit for the band as well, but I’m interested to see how Shin Dae Chul can benefit them.

 

The Koxx

The Koxx want You Young Suk as coach, but he’s waiting for another band to take become his fourth and declines.

Anna: I’m surprised they didn’t go with Shin Dae Chul when he put out a Top Choice card for them.

Dahee: I’m also surprised. I’d have thought he’d be the better choice, too.

Fabien: The Koxx disappoints me every day, and to see them preferring the coach who has the least interest in rock is beyond me.

Sangha: I could see why they would go for You Young Suk. What The Koxx really needs is better arrangement and production (as could be seen from their performances on the show so far, their original songs were pretty good but their covers have been messy and poorly executed) and You Young Suk could really help them hone those areas. Sad that this combination didn’t work out.

 

Rose Motel

Rose Motel ask to become You Young Suk’s fourth band. You Young Suk had put them second on his list and agrees with the request.

Anna: Wow, You Young Suk could hardly ask for a better group of bands to coach. I think he’d be the best choice for Rose Motel too, but things really aren’t looking good for Peterpan Complex now.

Dahee: I was actually hoping they’d choose Kim Kyung Ho, since he really knows his comedy (he even tried out for the MBC comedian exam once before his debut), knows his saturi, and has great stage presence. I worry that You Young Suk will make them go too…straight and narrow? Ah well. He’s the best fit after Kim Kyung Ho, really.

Fabien: Except Peterpan Complex, You Young Suk has created a veritable dream team, with three bands who all got very high scores at the precedent stage of the competition.

Sangha: I think this is a really good match. You Young Suk will help them strengthen their distinctive colour while improving their production and musical value.

 

Pia

Pia want Shin Dae Chul to coach them. Shin Dae Chul has them second on his list and accepts them as his fourth band.

Anna: This makes good sense. Coming from Seo Taiji, hoping to learn from the man that taught him. Hopefully Shin Dae Chul will see to that they either get their current sound together or just revert to their old sound.

Dahee: Great fit for everyone involved, although I feel like it’s kind of a safe choice. Let’s hope he makes them take some (good) chances.

Fabien: This choice can only be good for Pia, who absolutely need to return to their basics. Shin Dae Chul is also quite lucky, because he managed to take his two favorite bands.

Sangha: I can’t stop thinking that Pia would have been better with Kim Kyung Ho since he will really help them with the vocals (because as much as I love Ok Yohan, he needs to improve his vocals) and just basically everything I said about Transfixion above, but I could see how this could work out. Being true to their rock image could help Pia, and Shin Dae Chul will be good for that.

 

Leftover Bands

Kim Kyung Ho to coach Monni & Achtung

Anna: I can’t help but feel a bit bad for Kim Kyung Ho. He’s a great rock singer and to some extent songwriter, but as indicated by how the bands picked their coaches it’s not obvious what he’d contribute for an actual band.

Dahee: I feel bad for him too, but as I understand it he was actually Monni’s first choice, but they switched to You Young Suk at the last minute based on the other bands in You’s group. So that softens the blow a little. And I know that he has a fondness for acoustic sounds, so he should be a good fit for Achtung too. Maybe the bands are prejudiced against him because he’s always been a solo singer? Or maybe they’re a little scared of him because of how critical he’s been with some of the more established bands? I would’ve thought that the bands who need some help with vocals would’ve wanted to get his vocal training, though (he already has experience as a vocal professor at a university). At any rate he did say in one of the interviews that he was expecting his lack of popularity, based on a number of factors. Actually, I feel like he would have been a lot more popular with the rookie bands who’ve already been eliminated. I so badly wanted to see him coach Exit No. 4…*sigh*

Fabien: It’s sad for him, but he’s doing well anyway. I hope to see him take his revenge against all those bands who ignored him by giving them fierce competition. He is very demanding, so these four groups who are far from flawless could benefit from his coaching. The fight promises to be exciting!

Sangha: I was surprised that not many bands picked Kim Kyung Ho because I consider him the strongest coach amongst the four. Yes, he is a soloist and yes, he has been tough as a judge, but as a coach, you really couldn’t ask for a better one. He’s performed on over 1000 stages so he knows what works with the crowds and what doesn’t. He’s managed to do extremely well on I Am A Singer so he knows how survival shows work. And most importantly, he really knows how to balance maintaining your sound AND appealing to the mainstream audience. If he manages to coach the bands on those factors and share some of his tips with them, he’d be the perfect coach for basically anybody. I think Monni and Achtung are lucky to be with him.

 

Kim Do Kyun to coach Ynot? & The Koxx

Anna: Good for Ynot? and The Koxx! Although not their first pick they’ll get to learn from one of the very best. Last season he favored bands with a sound similar to Ynot? so he’s probably excited to have them.

Dahee: I approve. The Koxx especially seem like a good fit for him, and I think he could really bring out the side of Ynot? that I like best.

Fabien: Kim Do Kyun did not have much more chance that Kim Kyung Ho at first, but he ends u  with Transfixion and The Koxx as students, two favorites for the final victory! And it is above all two bands that had some difficulties to find their own music lately, so I also expect many positive effects of this coaching.

Kim Do Kyun: I’m glad Ynot? ended up with Kim Do Kyun because I could see how Kim Do Kyun’s interest in traditional Korean music could help Ynot? with their sound. As for The Koxx, it’s really great for Sooryun (who is shaping out to be one of the best guitarist in the indie scene at the moment, in my opinion) as I’m sure he can learn a lot from Kim Do Kyun, but I’m not sure how he will help them as a band. Kim Do Kyun always came off to me as being ‘old-fashioned’ and unable to understand what appeals to the current masses (as can be seen from Baekdoosan’s speedy elimination on I am a Singer), and The Koxx is the opposite of that. They’re hip and very ‘now’, and I’m wondering if Kim Do Kyun could help them up that image and do better on the show. I might be wrong though!

 

Judges Top 8

As displayed during the episode. Bands getting coached by the respective judge in bold.

You Young Suk Shin Dae Chul Kim Do Kyun Kim Kyung Ho
1 Daybreak Wiretap In My Ear Wiretap In My Ear Romantic Punch
2 Rose Motel Pia
3 Super Kidd
4
5 Peterpan Complex
6
7 The Koxx
8 Siberian Husky Tacopy
X Monni Ynot?
Achtung
Coreyah
? Transfixion
Ynot?
The Koxx
Fellas
Monni
Achtung

 

Coming Missions

In coming episodes the bands will be competing against each other while covering a song in accordance with one of the following missions:

  • 1Round: Concert 7080 songs (2004-now)
  • 2Round: Saturday Night Movies soundtracks (1981-2007)
  • 3Round: Music Bank songs (2001-now)
  • 4Round: Gayo Stage (1985-now)

It is not shown how Shin Dae Chul makes the choices. You Young Suk is asking his bands who wants to take on what mission. Kim Kyung Ho appears to have already made the decision on his own, simply telling the bands who will do what. Kim Do Kyun together with his bands attempts to decide what would be the most strategic setup.

 Mission Shin Dae Chul You Young Suk Kim Kyung Ho Kim Do Kyun
Saturday Night Movies Pia Daybreak Fellas Transfixion
Music Bank Siberian Husky Super Kidd Romantic Punch The Koxx
Concert 7080 Coreyah Rose Motel Achtung Tacopy
Gayo Stage Wiretap In My Ear Peterpan Complex Monni Ynot?

Anna: Oh! I think I like this a lot more than the initial elimination process in the first season! I thought Coreyah could become more interesting with the Saturday Night Movies mission, and perhaps Siberian Husky could’ve taken Concert 7080 leaving Music Bank to Pia. And I’m not so sure about Transfixion on Saturday Night Movies either, but can’t figure out a better solution with the rest of the bands under Kim Do Kyun . Other than that they’ve done a really good job picking bands for each mission. The Gayo Stage looks like the toughest round of all. It’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out.

Dahee: Oooh, this is going to be FUN. I find it odd that Siberian Husky are taking on Music Bank, but maybe they’ll come out with something really creative and fun. I really approve of how You Young Suk and Kim Kyung Ho have arranged the bands. I already tremble in anticipation of the Gayo Stage – so many of my favourites being pitted against one another! Noooooo!

Fabien: So here is a program that promises to be particularly exciting, with a LOT of potential! I could not help but jump in my seat while discovering the different missions. Saturday Night Movie is especially appealing to me with my passion for cinema. But the Music Bank and the Gayo Stage will let the bands try audacious experiments that deviate from the original versions. I can’t wait ! I would have loved it if all bands went through each of these missions, but with this formula there is a strategic aspect which is equally interesting to follow.
The team to beat will be that of You Young Suk, who is compared to Real Madrid. His strategy is very safe, without risk taking. Daybreak is perfect for movie songs, while Transfixion and Pia will have their own duel at the top. There will be blood! For Music Bank, Super Kidd will have to withstand the onslaught from The Koxx, while Siberian Husky may create a surprise with a completely new version of a recent success. Rose Motel will have the royal road at the 7080 Concert, that kind of songs should be appropriate to their particular stage presence, while other coaches have preferred to put their less good bands in that round. Finally, the confrontation with the more uncertain result will be the fourth round, with four bands with different styles and that could have radically different approaches.

Sangha: It’s been so hard not to read spoilers from this round because they’ve already had the stages and people have been talking about it! It’s going to be tough for all the bands, Saturday Night Movies stage is going to be brutal, I feel almost sorry for Fellas for being sandwiched between some of the most popular ‘named’ bands. I’m so excited for the Music Bank stage, PLEASE, please, Romantic Punch, move onto the next round! And Concert 7080 seems like the safest at the moment, I could already see what bands will move on and what bands will not. Gayo Stage is going to be really fascinating as well, seeing how different all the bands are. I’m so pumped for the actual competition to start! It took way too long to get here.

Xtian: These missions look bananas and can’t wait to see how the competition pans out! I’m particularly interested in the Music Bank and Gayo Stage matchups. My personal faves, Romantic Punch, against the ones I should dislike, The Koxx, as well as Super Kidd? And the four with most name recognition on the Gayo Stage (in my opinion) duking it out at the end? Man, Top Band 2 is finally looking up ^_^

 

Anna: Hmm, turns out it was actually Lee Sung Woo doing all the speaking stuff this episode! As part of No Brain he was one of the mentors in the first season so it’s nice to hear him involved albeit in a very different way this time around.

 

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