‘World of Supa’, which expanded into a national competition, delivered explosive dopamine from its first broadcast, marking the beginning of a sensational hit.
The first episode of Mnet’s ‘World of Street Woman Fighter’ (hereafter ‘World of Supa (WSWF)’) aired on the 27th, featuring the first meeting of six crews gathered to determine the true global ranking, followed by a battle to identify the weakest member. With the competition expanded to five countries including Korea, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, and Australia, the scale and intensity of the dance battle increased, leading to overwhelming immersion.
The broadcast recorded a peak viewership rating of 2.0%, marking a successful start. (AGB Nielsen metropolitan area, based on paid households) Additionally, the target viewership rating for ages 15-39 ranked first in its time slot, including terrestrial broadcasts, proving the hot interest from the very first episode. A key indicator of buzz, the real-time trends on X (formerly Twitter) featured 12 keywords related to ‘World of Supa’, including ‘WSWF’, and four related videos entered the Naver TV TOP 100 immediately after the broadcast, drawing attention.
The opening scene of the broadcast was the face-off of the six crews. The Age Squad (AG SQUAD), centered around Kaia, Lucy Baby, and Kaea, who led the heyday of ‘Royal Family’, the American representative Motive (MOTIV) with old-school hip-hop dancer Mali and American breaking national representative Logistics, the collaboration (BUMSUP) of the leaders from ‘Street Woman Fighter’ Season 1 and Lip J, the Osaka Ojo Gang (OSAKA Ojo Gang) led by Ibuki and Kyoka, and the globally renowned choreographer Rie Hata leading RH Tokyo, along with the world-famous dance crew Royal Family (ROYAL FAMILY) entered the fight club, raising the tension with fierce psychological warfare.
With the pride of national competition at stake, the expected rankings for the win and the no-respect status for each crew were revealed, heating up the scene even more. Notably, unlike previous seasons, one leader received all the no-respect votes for the entire crew, which drew attention. Honey J, the leader of BUMSUP, ranked 4th in the expected rankings, received a total of 12 stickers, with 5 of them confirmed to be from Aiki, shocking everyone. RH Tokyo, which ranked first in the expected national rankings, received 8 no-respect stickers, while Royal Family, which ranked 6th, received a staggering 13 no-respect stickers.
The ‘National Competition Weakest Member Identification Battle’ that unfolded in earnest provided an immersive experience that was hard to take your eyes off. In the first half, which was held as a personal battle, BUMSUP's Honey J faced off against Motive's Mali, and Age Squad's Aliyah battled BUMSUP's Aiki, with Mali from Motive and Aliyah from Age Squad emerging victorious. Gabi showcased a heel battle against Age Squad's Danika in a crisis for Team BUMSUP, and after a fierce rematch, she celebrated her victory. Particularly, Gabi's showmanship, utilizing the entire space and presenting a trance-like dance, drew enthusiastic applause, being praised as “the star quality of the devil.”
Unexpected twists also occurred. Among them, the bloody battle between the Japanese crew and the old vs. new showdown of Royal Family was another highlight. The match between Kyoka from Osaka Ojo Gang, rooted in hip-hop and battle culture, and Rie Hata from RH Tokyo, known for choreography, defied all expectations as Rie Hata claimed victory. The old vs. new showdown of Royal Family also saw young blood Tasha defeat the red-haired Kaea, creating a dramatic reversal. Notably, Royal Family, which was considered the top candidate for elimination, defied the prejudice of being the weakest and announced the beginning of a rebellion by continuing their winning momentum.
The revenge match of the world’s strongest wackers, realized after 10 years, also delivered thrilling dopamine. Ibuki from Osaka Ojo Gang and Lip J from BUMSUP, who had faced each other on the world stage in the past, met again through ‘World of Supa’. Ibuki, who had a painful defeat experience against Lip J in the past, chose Lip J as her opponent in the weakest member identification battle, and the match, which could not be seen anywhere else, excited not only the crew dancers but also the judges. The protagonist who emerged victorious after the rematch was Lip J. The two, who showcased a stage like a team, shared a warm hug after the battle, providing a unique emotional moment.
Meanwhile, at the end of the broadcast, the second half of the weakest member identification battle, which carried the pride of the nation, and the rank mission, known as the flower of ‘Supa’, were previewed, heightening expectations for the next broadcast. ‘World of Supa’, which is expected to create another syndrome through national competition, airs every Tuesday at 10 PM.
[Lee Da-kyum, Star Today Reporter]
