‘Rigged’? BABYMONSTER’s Defeat To ILLIT Sparks Controversy

Despite initial indications favoring BABYMONSTER’s performance on “M Countdown,”fans were taken aback by the unexpected outcome and left in a state of bewilderment. The final results revealed a surprising turn of events.

The excitement was tangible as BABYMONSTER demonstrated their skills with a captivating performance of their popular song “Sheesh”on the music show. The members’ extraordinary abilities, stunning appearances, and captivating stage presence received widespread praise from audience members.

However, what was the reason for their defeat?

BABYMONSTER’s Pre-Show Predictions and Rivalry with ILLIT

The competition for first place escalated as BABYMONSTER and ILLIT, two up-and-coming rookie groups, battled for the highly sought-after trophy.

In anticipation of the airing, forecasts from KshowAnalysis’ X account suggested a close race between the two competitors.

Baby monster/ILLIT — BABY MONSTER, ILLIT

Although ILLIT exhibited strong digital metrics, BABYMONSTER excelled in pre-voting and social media engagement, particularly in terms of music video views.

Unexpected Turn of Events

Despite initially holding a strong lead with an impressive 92% support during live voting, BABYMONSTER ultimately suffered a shocking loss when ILLIT secured victory with 6676 points, surpassing BABYMONSTER’s 5371 points.

✅ 240418 – M COUNTDOWN – FINAL#ILLIT / #BABYMONSTER Try to win Live Voting by a big gap and hope your Broadcast and SNS Shorts scores are higher than your opponent’s. Fighting! ✊ pic.twitter.com/bR5zpZfK81

— KPOP Music Show Analysis (@KshowAnalysis) April 18, 2024

The disparity was especially noticeable in the digital points category, where there was a significant decrease from the initial forecasts, causing both fans and industry observers to question the results.

✅ 240418 – M COUNTDOWN – FINAL#ILLIT / #BABYMONSTER Try to win Live Voting by a big gap and hope your Broadcast and SNS Shorts scores are higher than your opponent’s. Fighting! ✊ pic.twitter.com/bR5zpZfK81

— KPOP Music Show Analysis (@KshowAnalysis) April 18, 2024

How Fans Reacted to BABYMONSTER’s Defeat to ILLIT

BABYMONSTER’s unexpected departure from the show left their fans disheartened and perplexed. Many expressed disappointment and accepted the group’s early exit as a sign that their chances of winning were slim.

they fcking knew already that they wont win https://t.co/2B5rJJvrDU pic.twitter.com/5sbCCxSWt8

— JACY 🖤 (@ahyeoniv3rse) April 18, 2024

all the other predictions being true except the digitals. rigged ass show. pic.twitter.com/hJfbLcPZXh

— a is tannies lover ⁷ 💜🥢 (@roravines) April 18, 2024

a WHOLE 1k of our digital score just disappearing wtf…. https://t.co/yDybQFqE5o

— ‘s 🎀 (@jnkdomination) April 18, 2024

You can not convince me that 1000+ digital score for BABYMONSTERS just got erased just like that, unless it’s not Hybe manipulation damn. https://t.co/rEjuu3wEZP

— •` (@ladlovesick) April 18, 2024

babymonster’s score for digital went down? I WONDER WHY https://t.co/40ivEOt5cA pic.twitter.com/83wWuPRxjq

— 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙖’𝙨 ♪ (@moon_bliink) April 18, 2024

There was speculation surrounding the significant decline in BABYMONSTER’s digital score, particularly due to the accuracy of previous forecasts.

A worried supporter commented:

“The saddest part of all this is BABYMONSTER knew they won’t win so they went home early. That just broke my heart.”

Some also shared similar feelings of shock and dissatisfaction, raising doubts about the credibility of the ultimate outcome due to the inconsistencies in the scoring process.

Despite ILLIT’s celebration of their victory with the track “Magnetic,”the baffling defeat of BABYMONSTER has left both fans and observers perplexed.

The debate surrounding the influence of digital points on overall rankings remains a hot topic within the K-pop community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wA_b6YHjqQ