Last week we reviewed episode five of BBC’s Made In Korea: The K-pop Experience Documentary series. Make sure to read the reviews for episode one, two, three, four, and five first. There’s six episodes in the series and each week will see us revisit the show with a summary breakdown and review on each episode.
Episode Six aired on Saturday 21st September 2024 on BBC One. We look back on the show that formed the group and the start of their journey.
If you haven’t already, read our ultimate guide on dearALICE here.
Made In Korea: Episode Six Summary
- This week sees the group perform the vocals and choreography to the upbeat and aptly named, Best Days of Our Lives.
- But the biggest challenge sees the group practice for two very different performances. One is performing at the British Embassy in Seoul, and the other is performing in front of an audience of dedicated K-pop fans.
- The most soul-defining moment in their journey so far follows the group to a Shaman who tells them the raw truth behind their personalities and futures.
- Meanwhile, the K-pop Cowboy takes them to a water park and teaches the band some content creation tips to help them go viral and create a strong social media presence.
- However, the most crucial part of their journey is creating a band name. We see them reel through a selection of potentials until they settle on a name with a very special meaning.
This is a path you must take on your own. I won’t be able to take you on this journey, but I wish you good luck.
Shindong on saying goodbye to dearALICE’s journey & leading them to the Shaman.
Made In Korea: Episode Six Review
Episode six of BBC’s Made In Korea focuses on putting all of the band’s training into action. They’re executing their practice. This is the conclusion of all their hard work. This episode manages to fit in plenty of content.
One minute the band are rehearsing for their biggest performance yet at the British Embassy in Seoul to performing in front of a K-pop-dedicated audience. And the next minute, they’re filming exciting content at a water park with the K-pop Cowboy for their social media training.
This week they perform to new song, Best Days of Our Lives. And most importantly, they decide on a band name. Whilst Olly focuses on his dance skills, Dexter takes in Hee Jun’s feedback and focuses on honing his vocals. Shindong than leads them to a Shaman who reveals what the group can focus on themselves personally and how they pull these factors together to become a strong and supportive band.
More Like Family
From strangers that came together in auditions to band members who have become like family for one another, we see the group blossom into a real family with true friendships. We see them now as brothers. But we can’t forget that they are quite lucky to experience such a one-of-a-kind training bootcamp from one of the best agencies in the world of K-pop, SM Entertainment.
Made In Korea episode six is slightly more memorable than previous episodes in the series. Arguably the most major events in the show happen here. Of course, their Embassy performance being the biggest round-up in their training. Everything they’ve trained for up until this point has been for moments like these. We see how they deal with last-minute challenges like the hot weather and performing outdoors.
Yet for James, this was his first performance in the band with a live audience. As he fell unwell before one of their previous performances. You can’t help but smile whenever they perform on screen. Although they are more of a family than a typical boy band.
We do miss seeing a slight build-up before their Embassy performance and instead see the ‘cooling down’ moments post-performance. But their other big challenge this week is facing a completely different type of audience – a sea of K-pop fans. With feedback being that Reese and Dexter caught the most attention.
Making a ‘Name’ For Themselves
The band finally settle on a name! A clever twist sees them appoint an acronym for their band name, which is often popular to create among K-pop groups. DearALICE stands for Dear ‘A Love I Can’t Explain.’ We see them draft potential names. But it only took a visit to their favourite restaurant in Itaewon, named ‘Dear Alice’ that inspired the band’s name.
As we’ve seen throughout the six episodes, I think the group do go very well together. There’s a synergy between them. It’s definitely an upbeat and buzzing vibe. We see them exhausted and depleted of energy from dance practice to James and Blaise helping Olly build confidence in his dancing.
Whilst Dexter is determined to take on Hee Jun’s feedback. Later we see Olly and Reese help Dexter with vocal training and breathing practice. It’s nice to see the different dynamics of friendships in the band and how they all help each other with different points of improvement, depending on their own strengths.
We get to see moments of their talents like Reese’s ‘one man’ performance of Best Days of Our Lives near the Han River in Seoul. Although sometimes the show could benefit from seeing more of the band. For example, Dexter has strong star power, but we need to see more of his personality shine through.
It’s the Best Days of Their Lives… So Far
In six episodes of Made In Korea, we have seen the five members train, develop, and prove their places in the band. But if they want to be stars, the K-pop Cowboy encourages them to build their content creation skills through developing a strong social media presence. And to build a loyal fanbase that they appreciate. The group visit a water park and film the obstacle course to kickstart their social media practice.
But my favourite part in the whole series comes when dearALICE visit a Shaman which is their last outing with Shindong. Shaman Geul-Moon feels their energy and tells them great insight. It’s a path which is a very emotional journey for them, not just as a band but specifically as individuals too. For Olly has great energy, Dexter is the most courageous, and Reese is very passionate but can be impulsive.
However, for Blaise and James their paths are filled more with emotion and empathy. Blaise has a desire to be loved but he must believe in himself first. Although, since the show, Blaise has really grown into his own and he’s matured so fast that you probably would not guess that he was the maknae (youngest) of the group. I think this new-found maturity is working really well for him.
For James is very emotional, caring, and feeling. He’s someone that really feels the atmosphere, environment, and vibe. He has many identifiable and relatable features to his personality. As a group, there’s something about them that draws you to them. It’s the likeability above all else.
What impressed me the most is that you stayed composed and performed just as you’d practiced. Secondly, I could see that you’re truly starting to rely on each other as a team.
Hee Jun on the development of dearALICE.
Training Complete! What’s Next?
As the group leaves SM Entertainment’s headquarters, we learn that they are working on their debut album. Made In Korea shapes a certain ‘rooting’ narrative to encourage viewers to really support the group and ‘root’ for their success.
Even though at times, some lines are painfully staged by the producers. And there’s clearly plenty of footage that didn’t make the edits of the show. For example, Reese has different layers to his personality and it’s the subtle clever quotes from him in the show where we get to see his spark.
Overall, Made In Korea looked like a fun journey that was also filled with not just memorable moments but reflective times. Such harsh feedback although is tough to take is also making the band strive to be something much greater which they are clearly capable of achieving.
A Complete Team
On ‘Evaluation Day’, Hee Jun gives the group some final feedback in their training. She highlights how they silently encourage each other with fondness and have a great group energy. They each have a heartwarming final goodbye chat with Hee Jun. As she gifts them their signature seals written in Korean. Hee Jun summarises their journeys in one phrase, especially Reese who was her undeniable favourite throughout the training programme.
Hee Jun’s Phrases For dearALICE:
Olly: ‘You have a beautiful voice and a beautiful mind. Trust yourself.’
Blaise: ‘Don’t forget the story of the north, wind, and the sun. Be strong inside but gentle on the outside.’
Dexter: ‘You are a wonderful person. You deserve all the love.’
James: ‘You are a man who is not afraid of challenges. Your courage and hard work will not betray you.’
Reese: [Unspecified].
There’s clearly still a while to go – they’ve just started. But they’ve all truly grown into their journeys both physically and emotionally. They’re very lucky to have experienced such a training bootcamp and have developed an unconditional brotherly love for each other.
As Hee Jun points out, the group are much more of a team now. We’ve seen them progress over their 100-day training bootcamp not just in terms of their skillset but in their attitudes, bonds, and teamwork. Their improvements in previous episodes included such feedback as working together and less as individuals, being able to blend their vocals smoothly together, and performing as a more cohesive unit.
It’s clear to see that by the end of their training journey, they have accomplished all of these and so much more. Everything is written within their journey – from their beginnings and training to their newly-released album, and their future discography. But what continues to define them as a band is what they shape out in the future. Wherever that may take dearALICE…
Episode Rating: 3.5 Stars
Where To Watch?
For UK viewers, episode six of Made In Korea: The K-pop Experience is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer and on Roku TV for US viewers.
But luckily, we’re not finished with Made In Korea, quite yet! Our review of Made In Korea: The K-pop Experience series analysis is coming out next week. You won’t want to miss our review and analysis on the overall series!
Don’t forget to check out our ultimate guide on dearALICE here.
