Global band-making survival show 'Steal Heart Club (STEAL HEART CLUB)' is generating buzz with an all-time best lineup of contestants the moment it opened. What immediately captured viewers' eyes and ears after the broadcast was the contestants' "real band power (力)," showing skills and personalities beyond expectations.
'Steal Heart Club' is a global band-making survival show in which 50 domestic and international prospective musicians who entered positions such as guitar, drums, bass, keyboard and vocal compete for the spot of "the final headliner band." Rather than a format where completed bands face off, the process itself—musicians meeting for the first time and forming teams together—unfolds as a drama. Through the "team-up (TEAM-UP)" mission that goes beyond individual competition and aligns each other's music, it portrays the value of "music completed together."
◆ various generations, genres and countries square off for pride
From the first mission, the contestants' charms were fully revealed. Drummer Hagiwa, a Japanese influencer acknowledged by G-Dragon, instantly became the center of attention with a flashy drum performance, and former idol Jung Woo-seok, actor Yang Hyuk, and model Choi Hyun-joon each revealed surprising charms as they challenged band music for different reasons. In addition, generation-by-generation matchups from fresh teenagers to vibrant people in their 20s and stages that put national and regional pride on the line continued, exploding with the tension befitting a global band survival show. In particular, the direct clash between the Japanese team, whose raw energy stood out, and the Korean team, armed with precise completion, offered an overwhelming immersion. Added to this were the hard rock that showcased headbanging and growling and the indie band that reinterpreted 1990s Korean punk rock with a unique color, awakening new fun in band music.
◆ united by nothing but dreams and passion for music
What binds contestants from different backgrounds into one is only their sincerity toward band music. Kenten, a student at Berklee College of Music, said, "I decided to take a leave of absence for this stage," and nonmusic majors such as those in trade, spatial design and fashion styling confessed, "I wanted to perform the music I had only done as a hobby on a real stage." Participants' sincerity and longing—"I dreamed of one day standing on stage while playing guitar alone," "I always play as a session behind the scenes, but this time I want to put my name on it and stand at the center of the stage"—are creating a "coming-of-age story of youth growing through music" that goes beyond mere competition.
◆ now an era when everyone is the star in a band
The biggest distinction of 'Steal Heart Club' is a stage where every position becomes the protagonist. Stages created by contestants forming teams themselves—from one-person bands completed by a single drum to bands composed only of sessions without a vocalist, small bands of two to four members, and fully formed five-member bands—are expanding the spectrum of band music.
In the previous broadcast, director Sunwoo Jung-a was captured admiringly saying, "It seems the era has come when every member of a band is spotlighted." This heralds the start of a new era of "bands" in which a band is not simply "backup" but every position shines at the center of the stage.
The producers said, "We hope the stories of contestants expressing their own colors from their respective positions will show the diversity and authenticity of band music," and added, "We hope the unpredictable team combinations and stages will deliver a fresh thrill to viewers as a new 'band drama'."
Meanwhile, the global band-making survival show Mnet 'Steal Heart Club,' where the romance of youth and raw sensibility coexist, airs every Tuesday at 10 p.m.
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