Korea’s Next Top Model Recap: Episodes 1 & 2 – feat Jung Ho Yeon of Squid Games

Hello again!
Here’s a recap of episodes 1 and 2. I ran behind on the recaps due to moving from my apartment and vacationing in Japan but I’m back! Episode 6 airs this Thursday so I will post all the episode recaps before it comes on so we can be caught up. So let’s begin!’

*For KNTM Cycle 5 Guys VS Girls Click Here*

Episode 1

20 models are shown. These are the ones who made it past the first semi-final mission.

30 models were chosen to start off the show.
In no specific order: Hwang Hyun Ju, Im Hyun Ju (who’s 31 with a son), Jo Un Seng, Jung Ha Un (who’s known as the fashionista), Jung Ho Yeon, Kim Hye Ah, Kim Si Won, Kim Un Hye, Park Shin Ye, Seo Young Chae (who has a hearing disorder), Shin Hyun Ji, Ryu Yae Ri, Kwon Da Som, Park Seon Ha, Kim Yae Ji, Jung Jae Gyeong (former member of Kpop girl group Nine Muses), Gang Isul, Go Un Bi, Kim Ji Un, Park Kwe Yae, Suk Il Myeong, Jun Ji Hye, Jo Un Jin, An Hye Jin, Bae Yoon Jin, Park Bomi, Park Min Ju, and Park So Yeon. (I couldn’t figure out who the 30th person was.)

Episode one started with the 30 girls meeting for the first time at a salon then getting picked up by the KNTM bus. The were dropped off at Gwanghwamnun Square for their first mission which was a Semi-Final Runway challenge featuring designs from Yoni P & Steve J and more. The 30 girls had to do their best on the runway to fight for the 20 slots. After it was over, the girls had to find the portfolio binder with their name on it. If there was a photo inside of them then they made it, if no photo was present then they didn’t make it to the next round.

For the Semi-Final Mission part 2, the ladies had to film the program title shooting (photo shoot plus video shoot) along with this challenge cutting them from 20 to 15.

Click to watch Episode 1 Part 1 and Part 2

Episode 2

Mentor Han Hye Yeon judging the team leaders.

For Episode 2 the challenge was called “Styling Battle with Fashion Sense” at the H&M on Garaso-gil (Sinsadong area of Gangnam.) The girls were grouped into Team A and B with fashionista Ha Un chosen as Team A leader and Un Bi as Team B leader. Then from the team they had they could only choose 5 members to continue to be part of the team. The girls not chosen were made into a C Team (harsh right? Lol.) Their theme was “Fashion Week Model Street Look.” To add even more difficulty the girls could only go one at a time to find their clothing throughout the store and only had 15 to do so. They then had to be judged 3 at a time 1 member from each group. In the end Team A and B tied with 2 points each while Team C had 1. The final win was given to Team A winning a 300,000 won ($300) shopping spree at H&M.

Their next mission was a group photo shoot containing a Main Model Plus a Sub Model (they had to rotate between being the main model of the photo and the sub model in the background.) Since Ha Un’s team won the last mission she was able to choose her group for the photoshoot while the other models were teamed up with whomever was chosen for them.

Best Photo
The best photo and winner of this weeks group challenge was from Park Shin Ye (who seems to be the judges favorite for the season) of the striped team.

3 Models Cut
Unfortunately 3 had to be cut this week including one of my favorites Go Un Bi….sigh

Click here to watch KNTM Episode 2 Part 1 and Part 2

Check out the next post for episodes 3-6. I’m rooting for Hwang Hyun Ju, Im Hyun Ju, Seo Young Chae, Jung Ha Un and Park Shin Ye. I honestly think there will be a battle between Shin Ye and Ha Un for the winner. But we’ll see! And I really hope Seo Young Chae (the contestant who is deaf) makes it far. I really can relate to her struggle with communication as a lot of times it reminded me of my frustration in communicating in another country. Young Chae fighting!