How can we wait another week? To catch Bumjeop's victory (?) live, sighs continued from those who awaited the 10 PM broadcast of 'World of Street Woman Fighter' on June 24. This was because the reaction to the Mnet 'World of Street Woman Fighter' (hereafter 'World of SWF') Mega Crew Mission video, released on the YouTube channel 'The CHOOM' on the 18th, was truly hot. It was expected that the winner of that Mega Crew Mission would be revealed through the broadcast that day, but it was a miss. On SNS, reactions like 'I'm watching live, when will the results come out?', 'Everyone is wearing thick clothes, when was this filmed?', 'If I knew only resting videos of the crews would come out, I wouldn't have watched, it's a shame' continued. As a result of watching live until midnight, nothing could be known.
'World of SWF' is the third season of Mnet's mega-hit 'Street Woman Fighter', currently being held as a national competition across five countries including Korea, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, and Australia. From 'Team Korea' Bumjeop (BUMSUP) to the globally renowned dance crew Royal Family, Australia's representative crew AG Squad, America's representative Motiv, Japan's Osaka Ojo Gang, and RHTokyo participated, but Royal Family has been eliminated.
After Royal Family's elimination, episode 5 captured a special time for the five global crews who finished the intense mission. It included a Namsan tour, a visit to Seochon Tongin Market, and a jjimjilbang, experiencing K-culture. Fortunately(?), as all teams gathered to enjoy a pool party towards the end of the broadcast, new Mega Crew Mission rules were revealed. Regardless of gender, a minimum of 30 members must be formed, and a 'High Angle Challenge section', which can be called overhead shooting, was included. This is a 20-second top cam judging section, with the condition that choreography must be created to be well visible from the top cam. Finally, as it is a kind of national competition, the rule was added that it must contain the energy, story, and identity of one's country. The crews, who were leisurely enjoying the pool party, immediately entered the Mega Crew Mission meeting. It raised expectations that a different Mega Crew Mission would unfold.
In fact, those who watched each team's choreography through the YouTube channel 'The CHOOM' (@TheChoomofficial) and participated in the global public evaluation of the Mega Crew Mission would think 'the game is over'. That's how overwhelming 'Team Korea' Bumjeop's performance is. <Dreamscape - At the Boundary of Dreams>, which should perhaps be called a 'work', surpassed 10 million views in just three days after its release, and on the 24th, it surpassed 13 million views. It surpassed the 12 million views of the legendary performance of One Million's Mega Crew Mission from 'SWF' Season 2, which aired in 2023, in less than a week. Thanks to this, 'World of SWF' has been ranked 1st for four consecutive weeks in the TV-OTT non-drama category of the FUNdex announced by Good Data Corporation, and again ranked 1st in the TV-OTT integrated popularity ranking as of the third week of June, showing hot popularity. The combined views of the Mega Crew Mission videos of the five teams, including Bumjeop, surpassed 33 million views as of the 24th. Various domestic and international experts are pouring out their impressions through YouTube, and the reaction video of Bumjeop crews held at a certain theater is also recording tremendous views.
The concept of <Dreamscape - At the Boundary of Dreams> (hereafter <Dreamscape>) is, according to the pre-performance subtitle, "centered on a girl's journey in a dream, it unfolds the Korean sentiment and collective unconsciousness through performance, expressing natural images such as willow, wind, and vines through dance." Just when you think it's somewhat puzzling, Honey J's neck isolation, swaying like the 'willow' leaves in the 'wind', makes you think 'game over'. And actress No Yoon-seo appears as the girl embarking on a journey in a dream, and according to Bumjeop's explanation, "Grim Reapers appear as gatekeepers of life and death, and the girl wants to wake up from the dream, but the dream endlessly varies and draws her back in. Ultimately, the entity that cannot escape this dream may be ourselves." From the perspective of this narrative and filming technique, the virtually one-take shooting continues like 'vines'.
All I can think is that it's insane. If I had to compare it to a movie, it surpasses the Mega Crew Mission of <Sinners: The Guilty> I watched recently. Not only the presence of actress No Yoon-seo, who decorates the beginning and end, but also Bada, the leader of BEBE, the final winning crew of SWF Season 2 in 2023, appears as a general fighting fiercely with Grim Reapers holding a blue fan, capturing attention. Regarding the directing intention of the high angle section, which is being said to be 'worked on by AI', it is explained as follows: "The black and white inside and outside of the hat symbolize Korea's unique yin-yang ideology and dual identity. The repeatedly flipping movement of the hat signifies 'flow', containing dynamic movements where light and darkness, life and death, past and future coexist. The figure of a girl trapped in a dream, wandering in familiar chaos, is our own self-portrait."
At the beginning of the broadcast, there was concern that Bumjeop might be eliminated. Since only the leaders of renowned teams gathered, the styles were different, and the average age of the members was inevitably higher compared to the opposing crews. In fact, in the early episodes 1 and 2, scenes that could be called 'humiliation' in light of their reputation were quite produced, but in the end, they succeeded. The competing leaders came together as female Grim Reapers to create the best Mega Crew Mission. Above all, in the previous episode, many fans were angry when Riehata pointed out Honey J, and although she seemed slightly discouraged, saying she was not proficient in foreign languages and less famous, the general director Honey J proved to be a person who always turns the tables.
Along with the tremendous views, the comments are also a hot topic. Was it because it was a stage filled with 'national pride'? Various cultural and art-related organizations and groups swarmed in to leave comments, becoming a kind of trend. The Korea Creative Content Agency declared, "We officially declare the promotion of Bumjeop. Even if it's the afterlife, with Bumjeop, it's heaven", the Cultural Heritage Administration said, "We came because we heard a performance of national heritage level was uploaded", the National Museum of Korea commented, "As soon as the national treasure finishes its business trip, please return to the National Museum of Korea immediately", Gugak Broadcasting Radio said, "Admiring the wonderful stage where our music is harmonized, watching again and again in infinite repetition", and the National Intangible Heritage Center commented, "A wonderful harmony of tradition and modernity, admiration comes naturally. Thank you for showing the fresh and hip appearance of intangible heritage."
Various other organizations also participated in this delightful comment relay. The Gangwon Fire Department said, "A stage hotter than fire, at this level, it's time for the fire truck to be dispatched", ENA commented, "Bumjeop, a new performance every day. Shall we prepare a special for solo dancers?", Harim TV said, "We were late calming our chickens after watching Bumjeop's stage. My heart is swelling!", Dongdaemun-gu commented, "I was watching Bumjeop's video and missed the Dongdaemun-gu Office stop, 'dongdong', and was late", and even the YouTube Korea channel commented, "We came running after hearing a tiger appeared in Ingeup-dong! The tiger energy is Bumjeop." The real winner of the Mega Crew Mission will be revealed at 10 PM on Tuesday, July 1.
