Four Idol Powerhouses, One Unforgettable Stage
K-pop met chaos in the best way possible when “M:ZINE LIVE” took over Saitama Super Arena for its very first live event. Fans were treated to a mega-lineup featuring NCT DREAM, THE BOYZ, BALLISTIK BOYZ, and IMP., making it a dream-come-true for multi-fandom stans. The night was packed with show-stopping performances, game-show madness, and dance-offs you’d usually only catch during variety show fever dreams.
Starting Strong with Surprise Hosts and Killer Visuals
Things kicked off with a surprise entrance from hosts Wakai Hiroto (Mrs. GREEN APPLE), comedian Matsuinji Taiyu (Pekopa), and announcer Hayashi Mio. Walking through the crowd like K-drama leads on a mission, they hyped the crowd before a dazzling roll-call of idols took the stage.
“I just casually suggested we do a live show,” Wakai joked. “I didn’t expect it to blow up this big!”
Game Time: Strike a Pose (Again and Again)
The games were peak variety-show chaos. First up: the “Who’s the King of Killer Looks?” challenge. Two squads—NCT DREAM’s Renjun, Jeno, and Jaemin vs. IMP.’s Kanade Matsui, Taiga Suzuki, and Arata Sato—had just 30 seconds to lock eyes with a moving camera and strike as many kimegao (camera-ready poses) as possible. Jeno and Suzuki crushed it, while Sato charmingly flopped despite claiming, “Looking at cameras is like breathing for me.” Relatable, right?
Enter the Tarai: Slapstick, Idol Style
Then came the “Falling Basin Face-Off”—yes, you read that right. THE BOYZ and BALLISTIK BOYZ stepped up to keep their composure as a basin (tarai) dropped toward their heads. Somehow, THE BOYZ’s Younghoon managed to stay stone-faced enough to snag first place, while BALLISTIK’s Kanou hilariously failed—with bonus meme-worthy derp faces.
Let the Dance Battles Begin
DJ Wakai returned, gold chains and all, for the “Enjoy Dance Battle,” a showdown where idols had to out-cute, out-quirk, and out-dance each other to pop hits. BALLISTIK BOYZ busted out muscle-flexing cuteness, NCT DREAM’s Jisung blended shyness with breakdance finesse, and THE BOYZ + IMP. threw in everything from otagei to BLACKPINK hits. Eric (THE BOYZ) gave it his all, delivering a performance fans won’t forget anytime soon.
Epic Collab Stages & Dance Monster Energy
Wakai wasn’t done showing off. He hit the stage with each group for mega-collab dance numbers like “HIGHER EX,” “BAM-BOO,” and “BTTF.” Spoiler: he nailed them, earning the unofficial title of “Dance Monster” by the night’s end. “Guess I’ll have to become a different kind of monster next!” he laughed. Godzilla, beware.
Live Sets That Had the Arena Shaking
- BALLISTIK BOYZ: High-energy tracks like “Stardust Forever” and “PASION” lit up the stage—plus a surprise birthday shout-out for Kanou!
- THE BOYZ: From seductive hits like “Stylish” to mic-drop bangers like “breaking dawn,” they took fans on a full sonic journey.
- IMP.: Kicked off with Sato shouting, “Follow me—it’s a ROCKIN’ PARTY!” and kept the hype going with “Go Higher” and “Reckless Love.”
- NCT DREAM: Celebrating their 9th debut anniversary, they closed the show with polished vocals and pretty harmonies in “CHILLER” and “Moonlight.” Fans especially swooned over Renjun’s high notes—chef’s kiss!
Coming Soon to Your Screen
Couldn’t make it? Good news: the whole event, including behind-the-scenes interviews, airs November 15 on CS TV Asahi Channel 1. Definitely set a DVR alarm—you won’t want to miss these moments of pure K-pop joy.
