“Weirdly unbalanced”: Queendom 2 lineup receives mixed responses

On February 21, Mnet announced the official lineup for one of its 2022 shows, Queendom 2, which broke all hell loose. The six confirmed participants are Hyolyn, Brave Girls, WJSN, LOONA, VIVIZ, and Kep1er.

The program is a sequel to the dance competition show Queendom, which raked in incredible success along with its male-equivalent spin-offs, Kingdom: Road to Kingdom and Legendary War.

Despite multiple predictions, the lineup received a mixed response. The biggest debut gap between the lineup is the whopping eleven years between veteran soloist Hyolyn and rookie girl group Kep1er. A fan even called the lineup "weirdly unbalanced".

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Mnet reveals Queendom 2 lineup, leaves many disappointed

Since the participants for Mnet’s Queendom 2 were revealed, the buzz around the show continues to grow. Fans of the artist announced they are gearing up for a head-to-head battle as the show heavily relies on fan voting. Fan votes and buzz eventually gave in to incredible exposure.

An entire side of Twitter can be seen creating strategies to ensure their favourite group wins and buckle up the seatbelt to avoid fan wars. Queendom 2 would bring an explosive exposure to the participants as it would give them a chance to showcase their skills and talent, unlike any other place.

The most experienced artist in the lineup is soloist Hyolyn, who debuted in 2010. She was a member of the prominent second-generation girl group SISTAR. Other professional groups include Brave Girls (2011 debut), WJSN (2016 debut), and LOONA (2018 debut).

The newly debuted group VIVIZ already carries an incredible domestic reputation as it comprises three members from GFRIEND, who debuted in 2015 and disbanded last year. However, what confuses many is the inclusion of Kep1er, who debuted last month.

Even so, fandoms of lesser-known groups such as LOONA, WJSN, and Brave Girls are excited to taste more success and grow more popular through Queendom 2.

On the other hand, netizens are disappointed as they believe groups with lesser reputations should be given preference and a chance to shine. These include DREAMCATCHER, fromis_9, and EVERGLOW.

While these groups aren’t in the mainstream even years after their debut, they have loyal fandoms and catchy concepts that make them stand out.

Both fans and non-fans discussed the lineup and expressed dismay at Mnet not including them on the show. Other groups that netizens predicted in the lineup were STAYC and Apink, considering they had a good-sized fandom domestically too.

Meanwhile, Queendom 2 will premiere on March 31 at 9:20 PM KST on Mnet’s YouTube channel.