Designated Duel: Mystica Calls Out Group Sound
"Invasion from Seoul '1-on-1 Original Song Mission! Your opponent will be... decided by nomination. Starting from today's announced rankings, from 1st to 6th place! You'll each nominate your opponent in order. If a higher-ranked band with nomination rights picks a lower-ranked band, the nominated band's nomination rights disappear, and they pass to the next in line.'"
Facing the empty audience seats, the rankings appeared on the screen. 1st place: Mystica. 2nd: us. 3rd: WEKIDS... and so on down the list. Muzaku had come in 12th, but after the audience left, the MC announced their voluntary withdrawal. The other bands had asked what happened, but there hadn't been any real answer.
Well, whatever. Better than the previous rules.
A 1-on-1 showdown where the top bands held nomination rights. It was a format ripe for the higher seeds to slaughter the weaklings, as they crudely put it. Given the PD's tendencies so far, he'd hate something like that for sure—but to appease broadcast sentiment, they had no choice but to show this kind of 'fair and square' showdown... Myeongjeon figured.
The 3rd round format—something about disbanding bands and all that nonsense—must've made for great TV footage, but it wasn't great for the competing bands or their fans.
"And while this mission is a 1-on-1 battle! For fairness..."
The MC paused dramatically to build tension, then pointed at the screen. Text scrolled up: ~1960s, 1970s, 1980s... What was that?
"For each matchup, a random era will be selected! Genre doesn't matter, but you'll need an interpretation fitting that era. For example, if you pick an 1980s metal song! You have to capture that era's metal vibe perfectly. And on top of that, infuse your own color for a fresh reinterpretation."
The bands murmured at the MC's explanation. A natural reaction. There were restrictions on interpretation, after all.
"If we get stuck with pre-1960s, we can't do metal, right? That genre didn't exist back then."
"Well... grab some hard rock and call it heavy metal. There's Helter Skelter or The Kinks'You Really Got Me."
Myeongjeon replied to Seoha's mutter. Then the MC continued.
"Of course! Genre interpretation will be broad. Judging on that will be handled by the mentors, so keep it in mind."
"That seems... fine, actually. Our mentors? They seemed decent."
Iseo muttered. The other bands reacted the same. It was unavoidable. Someone might grab glam metal, amp up the pop elements, and claim, "This is metal!" To prevent that crap, someone had to set standards.
"Then, from 12th to 1st! Band Mystica! Come forward and name your first opponent."
A few familiar faces stepped up: drums, bass, guitar, vocals. Mystica, a standard metal band setup.
"Uh... Being 1st feels kinda awkward. Didn't expect it to go this smooth..."
The vocalist joked around, drawing light laughter on set. Some bands whispered, "Hope they don't pick us."
"Our chosen rival is..."
Mystica's leader, Kim Seungjae, paused there... and looked right at Myeongjeon.
"Group Sound."
Bands shot up in exaggerated shock reactions. Were they really shocked? Myeongjeon wondered. Looking around, the nearby bands were staring at Group Sound with genuine surprise.
"So one of them drops, right?"
"Wasn't Group Sound 2nd?"
"Whoa. Ballsy."
Amid the intense reactions, Myeongjeon tilted her head slightly, eyeing the rival leader with a gaze that said, You sure about this?
"Group Sound, come on out!!"
As if refusing to back down from that look, Seungjae stared Myeongjeon down and bellowed into the mic. Laughter erupted on set. Myeongjeon and the kids stood and headed to the stage.
Mystica. Among the audition entrants... the standout in skill. On the tense stage with four versus four, interviews began. Their turn first. One of the mentors asked:
"Why Group Sound?"
"Mm... lots of reasons. They're familiar, we performed with two members in round 3 and spotted some weaknesses? But above all, they're the mountain we have to climb."
Kim Seungjae's answer drew "oohs" and applause. Praising the gutsy choice?
"Group Sound, how do you feel about this nomination?"
"No particular feelings."
Myeongjeon replied flatly. Bigger "oohs" this time. The rival band stared with slightly stiffened expressions.
"No feelings at all? Why?"
"It's a survival audition. To win it all, you can't dodge anyone. Gotta beat 'em all."
Myeongjeon paused a beat, then continued.
"Doesn't matter who, when, how, or in what style they come at us. In the end, Group Sound wins."
* * *
After recording wrapped, it was Invasion broadcast day. With the final round airing live, the schedule was pulling forward a bit. Tonight's episode covered the losers' bracket matchups and footage of bands crafting their round 3 songs.
"Why do we always gather here?"
"'Cause it's the best spot."
Pre-broadcast, Iseo sprawled on the sofa, legs kicking lazily. Myeongjeon eyed her lounging in shorts like it was her own place, then smacked her thigh.
"Ow! What the hell!"
"Is this your house? Huh? Is it?"
"Suyeon-ah. Why so mean? Treat your visiting friend like home."
"Yeah? Then why do you only pick the naughty stuff when friends visit? C'mon, Suyeon-ah. Be kind-hearted and gentle to your friends... Quit hitting! It hurts!"
"You need it."
While clowning with Iseo, Hyeona and Seoha arrived. Unlike Iseo, they greeted Hyein, washed their hands properly, and sat on the sofa.
"Learn from her."
"Why you always~"
Myeongjeon answered Hyeona's quizzical look by smacking Iseo's thigh again. Iseo yelled, "Hey! Cut it out!" As Hyeona's eyes widened...
The next Invasion episode started.
The two losers' bracket bands pushing through. Highlighting their skills... especially Echo Stones targeting Group Sound.
"Coming in hot. But weren't they kinda meh? We just won easy."
Iseo muttered. And sure enough, Echo Stones' performance was edited bland and safe, while Group Sound's hit with massive impact. The leader regretting his choice with teary eyes, bandmates looking pissed... First half ended.
"They trying to bury that leader?"
"With this PD? Possible."
Myeongjeon thought so too. That guy would totally do it. But she worried what the vanished rival leader might pull next. Time to double-check plans.
Short chat later, ads ended, part 2 began. Draft picks, team selections. Naturally, internet reactions boiled over like lava.
"They split the screentime like shit. Mostly boy bands? Idols? That side."
Iseo muttered, plopping Myeongjeon in her lap. Uncomfortable, Myeongjeon squirmed—"Let go"—but no dice. Sighing, she refocused on the TV.
"Eh... that's TV for ya. Gotta maximize drama and hooks to draw viewers... Kinda expected."
As footage stoking viewer rage, frustration, and next-episode hype played, Hyeona said that. Next up: her scene. Band meeting footage.
"That's normal editing, right?"
Myeongjeon asked Hyeona. Her face flushed at the smear-like edit. Hyein, glancing from her work, teased, "That's too harsh~"
"N-no! Why is it like that! I never said...!"
"You'd think it's normal, sure. Like Hyein-unnie said—think you'd cancel if you got bad-edited? Nah~"
"No, that wasn't my intent...!"
Hyeona flailed, kids giggled. Myeongjeon grinned unwittingly. Fun sight.
* * *
The episode closed with Myeongjeon's 'temporary band.' Mentors hyped it as a "dream team!!" ending on Myeongjeon verbally dominating others. Spotlight: Muzaku's rhythm guitarist spouting nonsense.
Not outright labeled "this guy's full of shit," but they had members say "kinda odd choice," "not right for competition," with subtitles like [Member offers unique opinion]—blatant bullshit. Myeongjeon saw it as tossing chum: Go kill this guy~
WEKIDS fans were ripping him apart online like they wanted to scatter his corpse.
They're setting him up to get wrecked.
Myeongjeon sipped decaf coffee, thinking that. Seoha spoke up.
"Feels weird."
"Why?"
"Facing Mystica. Last year, I idolized them. Wanted in, befriend the members... even asked at shows, 'How do I join?'"
Seoha's face mixed subtle emotions. Made sense. Myeongjeon remembered sleepless nights when a dream band offered a session gig. Never made full member, though.
"Now we're knocking them out of the competition... feels surreal."
"...Wait, we definitely win, right?"
"Huh? We will."
"We will, but... normally you'd say 'I'm worried' or 'Can we win?' Not 'Sorry we're dropping you.' Kinda off."
What kinda sentiment is that? Myeongjeon wondered, mind drifting to Mystica. Hadn't paid them much mind before—no direct clash. But with this theme and 1-on-1 format... time to scout.
"Wanna check their performance?"
Myeongjeon switched TV to YouTube, searched Mystica. Videos popped up. Views modest, but plenty.
"Mystica... heavy metal band. Nicely put: traditional metal. Harshly: dated metal."
Songs too: straight-line old heavy metal. Simple, addictive riffs. No dark, evil vibe that defined the genre for later gens. Upbeat tunes instead.
"Old folks'll love it."
"Yup. How they make bank doing heavy metal... older fans nostalgic for that era show up."
Seoha's answer rang true. Even "good old days" gets stale. If someone's serving fresh takes on it? No-brainer. Plus, despite old-metal aims, technique and sound felt modern, polished. Explained Seoha's fangirl phase.
"And the headache: their occasional gigs..."
The video: a tribute show. Clean live club footage, good quality. No studded leather or full cosplay. Vocals commanded stage sans Halford charisma, but solid presence. Gritty highs soared clean. Guitar poured straight, intense fire. Not pure copy, but no mere mimicry.
By Seo Myeongjeon standards, no skill gaps.
"They nail that era's vibe. Our matchup's 1970s, right? Metal's golden age: Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, NWOBHM... heavy hitters."
"True."
1970s era for Mystica vs. Group Sound. Seoha's bands all ruled then, etched in history. Natural worry against metal specialists.
But one thing these kids didn't know...
"Who d'you think was the emperor of the 1970s rock scene?"
Myeongjeon's out-of-left-field question. Seoha looked puzzled, then eyed Myeongjeon's guitar as it clicked.
"Who's the emperor?"
Iseo, clueless, asked. Myeongjeon paused. Debatable, but her view. Album sales don't lie.
"Pink Floyd."
Yes. 1970s: era of her ideal sound, their peak. Rock's best-seller ever (second overall): The Dark Side of the Moon. Legendary Wish You Were Here. Top concept album contender: The Wall.
And crucially... Seo Myeongjeon's lived era. Felt it firsthand.