Drama Digest
The show Chuang 2021 is an idol survival show brought by Tencent Video. Ninety trainees are brought in from various countries and agencies to make an international boy group. This spin-off shows behind the scenes of the show. It includes what happens in the boy’s dormitory. It is available for WeTV VIP users.
The Feel-Good Part
There are many scenes that show behind the scenes of the show. Sina Entertainment visits them as well. We get a glimpse at the lifestyle of the trainees. We see the trainees rehearsing until the morning. This happens on the basis of the training room’s occupancy schedule. When one team has used up their occupancy time, they move on to practice in other areas like the basketball court. Due to the intense training schedule, there is difficulty getting the individual interviews done.
The Disappointing Factor
There is no disappointing factor, except being unable to console the sad trainees.
In-Depth Analysis
We get to know about the experiences of various trainees like Bo Yuan, an older trainee. Bo Yuan has a list of previous experiences. He had debuted in 2016 in the group ZERO-G, which according to him, had more members than fans. He had also competed on the “Idol Producer” but had come in thirty-fourth place. His company had sent twelve other people to audition for “CHUANG 2021”. All of them were younger than him. He also reveals how all the trainees had name tags, but he didn’t. His name was somehow written on the spot at the last moment. But he was the only one who made it in. He was surprised about it and didn’t understand why. He also revealed that all those unsuccessful years of his career had made him accept that he has no appeal and he is not good looking. He felt at peace somehow because he thought no one would remember him. He was surprised to see supportive fans on Weibo because he didn’t feel the audience would remember him. But later on, he had felt that he wanted to be seen and heard. He felt that “CHUANG” isn’t popular enough, and that is why he might get taken advantage off. But after his public performance, he ranked seventh. We also get to see the relationship between Hu Ye Tao, Zhou Keyu and Zeng Hanjiang. We see the three of them helping each other out most of the time. We also get a glimpse of how Hu Ye Tao always tried to make Zhou Keyu smile on the stage. Hu Ye Tao also revealed that Zhou Keyu does not use expressions. But their theme song requires it, so he is always trying to make him laugh. Hu Ye Tao took a hard hit after getting into B class after the first performance. He believed the ranking to be fair, but his expressions showed he felt hurt. We also saw his vulnerable side. So, to change the public image, Hu Ye Tao cuts his long hair.
Star Power
We also get insight into the thoughts of other trainees like Rikimaru, who wanted to find the relationship between popularity and skills. Though he hasn’t seen his answer, he feels it depends more on looks. We also get to know more about Rikimaru. He wears sunglasses at night, so that people can’t see he’s tired. We also see a glimpse of Ichika chugging down his vitamins. He believes he won’t be accepted so he wants to eat dinner with his Chinese friends. We are shown the negative self-image these trainees have to accept and endure with. We are also shown how despite there being an official schedule, no one follows it instead most of the trainees stay up late, practising until the last minute. We also catch a glimpse of all the other trainees. There are some popular trainees who get to participate. It is a joy to watch them.
Overall Opinion
Overall, this spinoff manages to present the troubles and experiences of the trainees in-depth and is a must-watch if you want to relate to the trainees and get to know more about them. If you want to know the trainees more, rather than just watching them compete, then this show is for you.
