'World of Street Woman Fighter' finale sparks backlash for focusing on J.Y. Park's comeback stage

The finale of Mnet’s global female dance competition 'World of Street Woman Fighter' has sparked criticism for centering on J.Y. Park’s performance of his new song 'Gatsby', prompting viewers and even contestants to question whether the show stayed true to its original purpose.

The final episode aired live on July 22 (KST), featuring a three-part mission. The last segment, dubbed the “JYP Mission,” challenged the top three crews to create choreography for J.Y. Park’s latest single. Prior to the performances, J.Y. Park reviewed each team’s concept together with judges Bada and Bata.

MOTIV opened the round with a nostalgic routine blending tap, hip-hop, and jazz. Leader Mali said the team aimed to evoke a sense of familiarity. “The chorus was so catchy, it made me want to dance immediately,” said J.Y. Park, while Bada praised the crew for staying true to their identity and syncing well with the music. Bata offered a more measured take, noting the performance lacked dynamic variation.

Osaka Ojogang followed with a bold, gender-fluid party concept, incorporating neckties as props. J.Y. Park commented that the performance aligned well with his style, while Bada suggested that a more powerful dance break would have enhanced the routine.

Closing out the round, AGE Squad delivered a fan-based performance with a theatrical, musical-style narrative. “Incredible,” said J.Y. Park, with Bada applauding the crew’s expressive storytelling. AGE Squad was ultimately declared the winner of the final mission.

After the mission, all three crews participated in a collaborative performance with J.Y. Park, who sang from the back of the stage while the dancers performed in front. He later joined the choreography, and at one point, AGE Squad leader Kaea kissed him on the cheek—a moment that quickly circulated online and drew criticism.

Many viewers expressed frustration that the finale emphasized J.Y. Park’s comeback over celebrating the accomplishments of the female dance crews. Comments included: “Why bring world-class dancers only to turn them into backup performers?”, “Even if he’s not the producer, agreeing to this setup feels wrong,” and “The finale became a promotional stage for his song instead of honoring the dancers.”

Tensions escalated after a fan asked MOTIV about the performance on social media, to which the team responded with the cryptic phrase: “We don’t speak of Gatsby…” The comment was seen as humorous by some, but also interpreted as a subtle sign of discomfort with the final mission.

Further attention was drawn to an online post claiming to transcribe comments from MOTIV member Marlee Hightower during a livestream. Although the original video has not been independently verified, the shared post quoted her as saying:

“Everyone kept saying we looked like we were having fun on the show. But once the JYP mission started, reality hit hard. Honestly, we weren’t giving it our all before that. We were just trying to get through the mission. But there was one team that was seriously giving it their all— and that’s when I thought, ‘Ah… their vibe is totally different.’”

She allegedly added “Still, it helped that Bada and Vata were there,” implying that their presence made the situation more manageable.

What was meant to be a celebratory conclusion has instead left many viewers questioning the show’s priorities, as the focus appeared to shift away from the dancers themselves and toward promoting a single artist—raising concerns about whether the purpose of the finale had been lost.

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