But once we repeated it a lot, and once Younghoon and other members got the timing right, it shifted from impossible to possible. Q: When I first heard that I was going to be thrown, I was actually so scared. But ultimately the performance hinged just as much on the throw of the sword, a move perfected by the stately Younghoon, The Boyz’s resident actor. It was a difficult stunt to start with, and it didn’t help that their practice room ceiling was too short, a problem they solved by taking to their company lobby to practice tossing their relentlessly cheerful frontman. For Road to Kingdom ’s first 90-second dance challenge, they kicked off their aptly named “Sword of Victory” performance by launching main dancer Q over the rest of the group to catch a sword in mid-air, transitioning upon landing into a lightning-quick dance break. While Other Groups Were Dancing, They Studied the Blade In their own words, here’s how they pulled it all off, from showy swordsmanship to fearless fire tricks. That was certainly one of the takeaways from Road to Kingdom, where The Boyz repeatedly pulled off risky, crowd-pleasing stunts that helped them dominate the first half of the show with three consecutive first-place rankings, and ultimately win it all. Whether it’s the caffeine or not, the group seems to have an endless amount of energy. You’d never know The Boyz are in the midst of perhaps the most tiring stretch of their young careers. “We have to go back and practice after this,” chipper, chatty Eric, the group’s youngest, informs me with a grin. But as a slew of iced coffees are delivered midway through the interview, I realize I’m wrong. I initially feel guilty about the timing, thinking I’m keeping them from their beds after what was no doubt a long day. And eventual champions The Boyz, a young, 11-member group from Cre.Ker entertainment, played to win from the minute the game began.Ī few days before being crowned Road to Kingdom champions, The Boyz crowd into a conference room near midnight KST to talk to me over Zoom (via a translator, with the exception of English-fluent members Kevin, Jacob, and Eric). As the seven competing groups proved, it took more than talent, passion, or myriad fans to win Road to Kingdom-it also took strategy. Road to Kingdom’s champion would take home not only increased renown and a shiny trophy, but a pass to the big leagues: entrance into Mnet’s upcoming series, Kingdom, the sequel that will pit Road to Kingdom’s winner against a to-be-determined but likely fearsome lineup of more experienced groups.
The boyz debut series#
Everyone has catchy songs and perfect performances everyone has immense skill and a passionate fan base everyone is hungry to make it big.Įnter Korean Mnet competition show Road to Kingdom (and its girl group predecessor, Queendom), which premiered in April and pitted underrated boy groups-from newcomers like TOO to more senior squads like Pentagon-against each other in a series of extravagant performances to help grow their fan bases and, ultimately, crown a winner. With the industry’s rapid growth-due in large part to its international explosion-comes new groups, more talent, and thus, more competition. It’s difficult these days for young K-pop groups to stand out.
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