Summary

ROUND 2 is the second episode of the ALIEN STAGE series. It introduces Till, and shows a little of his background in Anakt Garden, as well as his one-sided relationship with Mizi.

In the episode, Till sings an original song he composed about his feelings for Mizi, instead of the agreed song that should be sung by him and his opponent, Acorn. Till then kills the Segyein Freddy as he wins the round, before being subdued. The video ends with a sneak peek of the next contestant, Ivan.

Commentary

To create na experience significantly different ROUND 1, ROUND 2 has a rock song. The episode is meant to portray Till's boyish unrequited love but also a genius unlike any other. Since this view was constant from the start, this round was easy to produce. ^[2]

Till is the ALIEN STAGE character with the widest range of emotions and expressions. With that in mind, the episode tries to show all the different sides of Till: his rebeliousness, his obsession with music, and his love for Mizi.^[3]

At the start of ROUND 2, it can be seen that Till and his opponent, Acorn, were meant to sing an entirely different song. Instead, Till chooses to sing his own self-composed song, "UNKNOWN", which translates to "MIZI^[a]". Till's actions are unheard of in Alien Stage, as contestants have always adapted to the performance as opposed to attempting to change the flow of it. Rather than expressing his feelings with words, he opens his heart to Mizi passionately through the song.^[4]

Till had a rough childhood, faced with Urak's abuse. Because of that, he often looked at Mizi's favorite flower, the Anakt Flower, to continue going, and thinking of Mizi often fueled his explosive emotions.^[5]

A chronic light sleeper, Till's head became filled with many kinds of thoughts when he reached adolescence, leading him to developing imsonia. When he couldn't sleep, he often used up his energy with creative endeavors. He often doddles everywhere, and sometimes writes poetry when his emotions are at their highest (mostly about Mizi).^[6]

With Round 2, Alien Stage's viewership skyrocketed thanks to Till's performance, dubbed the "Segyein Murder Performance". As a result, Till, who had originally been ranked quite high, dropped a lot in ranking because of this incident, yet quickly regained his high position after acquiring a dedicated fanbase.^[7]

Trivia

• Acorn's emotional intensity reaches its peak when Till suddenly changes the song, while Till's does so when he thinks of Mizi and then smashes his guitar.^[8]
• ROUND 2 has the smallest stage in the series.^[9]

Notes

↑ Mizi's name in Korean, 미지, means Unknown.

References

[1] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 46

[2] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 52

[3] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 55

[4] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 56, 57

[5] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 58

[6] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 59

[7] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 62

[8] Alien Stage Album VOL.2

[9] Alien Stage Official Artbook Pg. 317