[EnterFocus] Pride More Valuable Than Competition in 'Street Woman Fighter'... The Sisters' Wonderful Solidarity

Mnet 'Street Woman Fighter'
Popular Female Dancer Survival Show

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "It's funny to see celebrities fighting in a program where dancers battle each other. Looks like I'll end up standing in the back here too. Don't they think about their identity as professionals?" ... "This is not 'Celebrity Women Fighter.'"

Dancers Monica (Shin Jung-woo) and Rihei (Lee Hye-in) reacted this way when some teams on Mnet's entertainment program Street Woman Fighter invited celebrities for the mega mission. In a survival mission, it would be advantageous to recruit celebrities with strong fandoms. However, they formed missions only among 'dancers' and rose to the top ranks. They chose 'pride' and 'won' with skill.

Street Woman Fighter (hereafter 'SwuPa') is a survival program to find the best street dancer crew. Female dancers compete in teams, showcasing their skills through dance and gaining popularity. Previously, the WayB and WANT teams were eliminated, while Proudmon, HolyBang, CocaNButter, LACHICA, YGX, and HOOK advanced to the semi-finals.

Through 'SwuPa,' dancers are revealing themselves as 'dancers,' not just 'backup dancers.' The choreography of 'Hey Mama' performed by the leader class has become a trend and gained huge popularity on social media. Various battle videos are also a hot topic. Since the 6th episode aired, the crews' choreography videos have recorded over 30 million views as of the 12th, sparking a passionate response. Why are we so enthusiastic about them?

It is truly a whirlwind. Female dancers compete with their pride to win. They do not seek popularity by asking to be adored or try hard to be loved with gentle smiles. They express themselves with heavier makeup and hipper outfits. They do not use excessive profanity or say embarrassing things to hurt their opponents while holding the mic. They simply express who they are and how much they love dance through their bodies. Dance is both a means to reveal themselves and their profession and strength.

Although female dancers gather, they do not enforce femininity. The most common phrase dancers say while watching each other's performances is not "pretty" but "cool." When a dancer loses narrowly, fellow dancers say, "It's okay. You were really cool." In episode 3, Honey J (Jung Ha-ni) showed enjoyment before her battle with Monica, saying, "Watch closely, this is a fight between unnis (older sisters)." Viewers responded emotionally, saying they were moved. This reminded them what it means to 'dance' rather than just 'compete' through dance.

Photo by Mnet

There is no old frame like "women are their own worst enemies." 'SwuPa' shows solidarity through dancers' competition. The situation is more desperate than anyone else's. Even under extreme competition, dancers prioritize their 'pride' as dancers. They do not waste energy on unnecessary mind games. They focus on choreography and what message to convey through their performance. Dancers give their best until the end even if they lose, surrendering their bodies to the music to show everything they prepared. They applaud the dances of those who lost and admire their efforts. Because they know how much they love dance and how passionately they have run toward this stage. They respect and support each other as dancers.

"I was going to shine the artist as a backup dancer. It wasn't my stage. I wanted to do my own thing." Emma (Song Hye-min) said this when leaving 'SwuPa.' It shows the earnest desire to stand tall as the main subject as a dancer. Beyond competition, the driving force is the desperate longing for a stage to showcase their own performance as dancers. While winning or losing battles is important, the fact that dancers gather in one place and confirm each other's dance holds meaning. The battle itself expresses solidarity beyond competition.

Some voices express disappointment. There was controversy over fairness because some judges called 'Fight Judges' were members of the same agencies, and there were reactions that limiting dancers' roles to 'backup dancers' again through missions involving choreography for specific singers. There were also criticisms of artificial directing focusing on 'battle.'

Additionally, the production team apologized for the controversy that the music used in the opening of episode 1 reminded viewers of the Islamic religious ritual 'Adhan.' On the 28th of last month, there were criticisms that immersion was disturbed by mistakes such as some participants' names appearing as 'Name Confirmation' in the broadcast subtitles.

We hope 'SwuPa' does not forget its planning intent and presents fair and healthy competition. There is a strong voice wishing that the dancers' sincerity is well conveyed to viewers until the very end.