With that group intro, young talents, and bubbling drama, Dream Maker is so far living up to the P-pop-meets-K-pop hybrid series it was hyped to be.
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When Dream Maker first entered our radar earlier this year, the show immediately got our attention with its unique take on the survival program. ABS-CBN and MLD Entertainment came together for this Filipino-meets-Korean reality series that’s looking to form the next big global boy group. 62 young contestants, called Dream Chasers on the show, compete every week until a final seven are determined who will then be flown to Korea to undergo further training before debuting. And along the way, they would be mentored, trained, and judged by a stellar group of Filipino and Korean talents.
With the show’s premiere last November 19 and 20, Dream Maker has so far not disappointed as it aims to give us the next stan-worthy group and highlight local talent. While it’s still early days for the show, it’s already giving Produce series vibes, but with that Filipino touch, which is more than welcome. Here are just some of our favorite highlights from the premiere week.
THE OPENING PERFORMANCE
Anyone who’s seen an idol survival show knows that most began with a group performance featuring all the contestants. And that was present with Dream Maker when all 62 contestants came together dressed in their official uniforms ala Produce 101 to perform the show’s theme song, Take My Hand. Aside from the impressive feat of having all of them together in one stage, the production, set design, and camera work were all top notch. It all made for a fun opening. And given that Vinci was the center of the performance, we definitely will be keeping an eye out for him.
WHO’S YOUR BIAS?
With a show like Dream Maker, some viewers would inevitably start to have biases or people they would like to see make it to the end. And in the first two episodes, we already spotted some young talents who look to make it far. And both so happen to be just 13 years old. The first is Marcus Cabais, the 13-year-old all-rounder from Bataan who is already a seasoned pro compared to most of his peers. He came prepared for his first performance with his song and dance number to Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat, complete with a dance break. It impressed the judges as his score got him the top spot in that episode.
In episode two, we met Jeromy Batac, yet another talented member of the maknae line who did well. He did the same song and dance as Marcus and also received positive critiques from the judges. It’s still the beginning and we have more to see of the contestants, but so far, we have our early favorites.
QUEEN BAE YOON JUNG KEEPING IT REAL
I highly recommend watching Dream Maker 🤍 it’s the produce 101 of PH. Let’s support our local trainees and talents. They deserve it so much 💖
— KY ✨ Semi QS (@hwangbokkie) November 19, 2022
I’m using this picture since mukang mag sisimula na mag paiyak ng trainee si madam ep 1 palang 😭 HAHAHA.#dreammaker #DREAMMAKER pic.twitter.com/kP1xQFQn0d
When we saw the lineup for the show’s judges, our eyes immediately turned to noted Korean choreographer Bae Yoon Jung. Viewers of the Produce series know that she’s as talented as she is blunt. And in the first couple of episodes of Dream Maker, we got a taste of that. She isn’t afraid to give the contestants real talk when they need it, even if she needs an interpreter (which so happens Ryan Bang) to do so. And by the looks of things, she’s just getting started so prepare to see more of her tough talk and icy stare that can bring down even the most confident of contestants.
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