“Queendom Puzzle” Promises High Budget Stages that Break Viewers’ Bias Despite Controversial Classification of Contestants
“Queendom Puzzle,” which left viewers with uncomfortable feelings due to controversy over classification, presents new combinations of participants.
On June 13th, Mnet held a press conference for “Queendom Puzzle” in Seoul. Chief Producer (CP) Yoon Shin Hye, Producer (PD) Lee Yeon Gyu, host Taeyeon, and 24 participants attended the event.
“Queendom Puzzle,” a sequel to the “Queendom” series, is a program that combines existing girl group members or solo female artists like puzzle pieces to create the “ultimate girl group combination.”
When asked about the planning intention, CP Yoon Shin Hye replied, “Girl groups receive a lot of love, and there are many active groups. However, the members move forward in front of the public according to the group’s direction, album concept, and activity plans. I thought it would be great if they had the opportunity to show personal identities that they couldn’t show in their affiliated groups and fully showcase their individual skills.“
Furthermore, CP Yoon added, “K-pop fans often imagine collaboration stages with members from different groups. Previously, such collaboration stages were mainly expected at year-end award shows. But if we could bring fans’ expectations to reality, it would be fun,” explaining the program’s concept.
“Queendom Puzzle” relies on the role of viewers. The “ultimate girl group combination” will be completed solely through 100% viewers’ votes.
Regarding this, PD Lee Yeon Gyu said, “The production team had discussions on what would be the best combination, and opinions varied in terms of talent, charisma, visuals, and other aspects. I think viewers watching until the final stage, trying to match their own perceived best combination like a puzzle, will discover hidden charms of the members.“
Of course, due to the nature of viewer voting, there are concerns about the fairness of the vote counting results, similar to the vote manipulation by PD Ahn Joon Young during Mnet’s “Produce” series. In response, PD Lee emphasized, “There are guidelines regarding viewer voting within Mnet, and there will be a process where external observers validate the data directly.”
PD Lee explained, “The production costs are quite high. Therefore, as long as the participants show their passion for the stage, which is supported by the production budget, it is enough.“
Regarding the plans for the project girl group once it is formed, PD Lee said, “Since they are currently active artists, we have no plans to sign exclusive contracts based on a specific period. As announced before, they will continue their activities as a project group. Details have not been determined yet.“
In particular, “Queendom Puzzle” sparked controversy as it divided the participants into four groups, known as Group 1 to Group 4, prior to the premiere. This classification was based on the Circle Chart data, which converted the number of music show wins (50%) and initial album sales (50%) into scores.
Regarding this, CP Yoon Shin Hye stated, “Since we have contestants with different seniorities and concepts, we thought that there might be preconceptions and biases among the audience. So, we use this system as a device to break those biases at the beginning of the show.”
Furthermore, CP Yoon mentioned, “I hope that by observing the personal charms of the contestants, regardless of their previous achievements, it can be an opportunity to break those biases.“
Taeyeon expressed her thoughts as the host, saying, “The contestants preparing for the competition are the main characters more than me as the host, so I will provide a lot of assistance from the side.“
Taeyeon also addressed the contestants, “Although I have experience in units and project groups, there aren’t many opportunities to create great stages with members from other groups. I hope the members can make this precious opportunity their own.“
One notable point of “Queendom Puzzle” is the appearance of Yeoreum, a member of WJSN, the group that won “Queendom 2.”
When asked if there was any pressure as the winning team, Yeoreum said, “It has been a year since I appeared again, and it is true that there is pressure because we were the winning team.“
Lastly, Taeyeon raised expectations by saying, “Queendom Puzzle has invested a lot visually in the stage. You will be able to see how Mnet’s production costs burst.“
“Queendom Puzzle” will have its first episode aired on June 13th at 10 p.m KST.
Source: Daum.
