While the trainees were out in Switzerland—laughing, skiing, healing, living their best snow-globe lives—the rest of the world did what it always does.
It tuned back in.
Another episode of LEAVEN aired that night, this one highlighting the third evaluations. And once again, the show didn't just trend.
It dominated.
Ratings spiked to an all-time high, fueled by sheer curiosity and outrage. People who had never heard of LEAVEN before—who had only seen headlines about an "Audition program scandal" on the nightly news—now wanted context. They wanted receipts. They wanted to see if the show was really as real as everyone claimed.
And LEAVEN delivered.
Since Louie had already blown the lid off the situation during his livestream—naming names, speaking with raw emotion about how Kang Ian had been treated—Foca approved Luca's proposal.
This time, they wouldn't soften the edges.
Normally, scenes like this would've stayed on the cutting room floor. Too uncomfortable. Too real. Too close to "drama farming," something Foca had always refused to indulge in.
But the truth was already out there.
So why hide it?
And thus, for the first time, viewers were shown exactly what Louie had been talking about.
The screen cut to the practice room.
Akesh.
Adel.
And Kang Ian.
The atmosphere alone made people uncomfortable.
Akesh and Adel crowded Kang Ian, their words sharp, relentless. Every suggestion Kang Ian gave was met with resistance. Every correction twisted into an accusation. They spoke over him, dismissed him, undermined him—again and again—until the tension became suffocating.
Kang Ian's jaw clenched. His shoulders stiffened. But he didn't raise his voice. He didn't snap.
He endured.
@Hyouka_Icecream:
Kang Ian my baby 😭😭😭😭 I can't believe you went through this with those two low-lives.
→ @Yoyo:
Louie was right. Kang Ian is actually a saint. Because I would've thrown hands by minute three.
→→ @Rumi:
Better person than me FR. I would've ended my career and started my criminal arc.
The camera lingered on Kang Ian's face—frustration flickering in his eyes, his fingers tightening at his sides.
Then it happened.
He turned away, barely above a whisper, muttering in Korean—
"아… 진짜?"
Ah… really?
That was it.
That single breath of exasperation snapped something in Akesh and Adel.
They lunged verbally.
"What did you say?"
"If you have something to say, say it to our faces."
"Say it in a language everyone understands."
"Show us who you really are."
"So much for the leader, huh?"
The words came fast and cruel, dripping with insecurity and venom.
The room froze.
Even their own teammates stared, stunned. Brows furrowed. Eyes darted between them. This wasn't leadership conflict—this was bullying, plain and ugly.
Kang Ian's breath hitched.
And just before he could respond—before he could say something that might follow him forever—hands gently pulled him back.
His teammates stepped in.
They guided him out of the practice room, shielding him, murmuring reassurance as the door closed behind them.
@overcaffeinated:
He didn't even say anything bad. HOW insecure do you have to be to react like that???
→ @Totoro:
Already called the psych ward. They said even they can't handle this level of delusion.
The episode didn't dwell.
It moved forward.
Straight into the evaluation performance.
Kang Ian's team took the stage.
And despite everything—despite being emotionally drained, unsupported, and actively sabotaged—Kang Ian delivered.
Clean vocals. Controlled movement. Commanding presence.
Professional to the core.
@GoldenHamster:
I'm with the evaluators. Kang Ian is THAT guy. Even severely nerfed, he still shined brighter than those two insecure mfs.
@Hyouka_Icecream:
You did so well 😭😭😭 Please be proud of yourself, Kang Ian.
@CaliforniaMaki:
DID Y'ALL SEE THEIR FACES WHEN HE GOT COMPLIMENTED??? The bitterness JUMPED OUT 🤣🤣🤣
→ @RokuRoku:
Caught in 12K. No filters. No mercy.
The final nail came quietly.
A slow-motion shot of Akesh and Adel standing stiffly, smiles forced, eyes twitching as Kang Ian was praised by the evaluators.
The internet noticed.
The internet remembered.
@LegalEagle:
Imagine fighting for your life in court while your dirty laundry airs on global television 🤭 Karma really said "streaming now."
Kang Ian was crowned a symbol of resilience, professionalism, and grace under fire.
Akesh and Adel?
Reduced to memes, think pieces, and cautionary tales.
And somewhere across the world—while court documents piled up and reputations burned—the trainees in Switzerland slept peacefully, unaware that justice, both legal and digital, was clocking in overtime.
****
When the episode finally shifted to Yone and his group, something in the air changed. It was subtle at first—like a collective exhale—but unmistakable. For a brief moment, viewers forgot the cruelty, the tension, the bitterness that had stained the earlier segments.
This group didn't just perform.
They healed.
The footage showed them laughing between takes, syncing movements instinctively, checking in on one another without prompting. Their teamwork felt genuine, almost tender. Unity radiated from them so naturally that viewers couldn't help but smile, cheer, and emotionally latch on like their lives depended on it.
But peace never lasts long.
When Luca entered for the mid-week check-in, the mood shifted immediately. Shoulders stiffened. Smiles faded. The room grew heavy with anticipation.
And Luca didn't sugarcoat a single thing.
@DanceManiac:
I applaud Sir Luca for that critique. It sounds harsh, but he was absolutely right. That was NOT performance-ready. I adore the trainees, but as a choreographer myself? The piece was way too busy.
→ @Madoka-San:
Very well said. I'm more of a vocalist than a dancer, but even I could feel how disconnected it was.
@Corn⭐:
Babies, don't give up. You can do this.
@MoonBaby:
That critique was the reality check they needed. The potential is insane—they just need proper guidance.
Then it happened.
Jordan broke.
The camera didn't cut away when his breathing faltered. It didn't mute the shaking in his voice. Viewers watched as panic overtook him—eyes wide, chest heaving, hands trembling.
And the internet?
Immediately went into protective-parent mode.
@Sukunasbottombitch:
MY SHAYLAAAA 😭😭😭 JorJor please don't cry, my sweet cinnamon bun.
@RokuRoku:
It's not your fault, Jordan! Please stop crying, you're making ME cry.
@Lorena_MD:
Thank God Eli was there. He handled that panic attack so calmly—he must be experienced with this.
Eli's presence grounded Jordan. Gentle words. Steady hands. No spectacle—just care.
And with that, the episode pushed forward.
The audience stayed.
They hoped.
They believed.
When Yone's team finally took the stage again, there was electricity in the air. Focus sharpened. Movements aligned. Every beat landed with intention.
They didn't just fix the problems.
They transformed.
The moment the performance ended, the internet lost its damn mind.
@DanceManiac:
Best performance I've ever seen on this show. Hands. Down.
@Gilgamesh:
WHAT did I just witness??? Holy shxt!!!!!
@Rumi:
They ate and left NO crumbs. Actually—no—they devoured the whole table.
→ @Yoyo:
This team is full of bias wreckers 😭 HOW am I supposed to survive stanning?!
@SirenangGabun:
This is television history. Any wannabe idols watching—STUDY THIS.
→ @Malory:
Ragebait. Plenty of groups could do better. Y'all are delusional 🙄😮💨
→→ @FFonBio:
Someone call the mental asylum. This delulu is terminal.
→→→ @Malory:
Your mother was delusional for birthing you.
→→→→ @SirenangGabun:
REPORTED. Get the hell out of my comments, you deranged hater. GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN.
@Consumerism:
I bow to these legends.
@MikkoTan:
Watching this with Nikola here in Switzerland, and he won't stop blushing reading all your comments 🤭
[Candid selfie of Mikko and Nikola watching LEAVEN]
→ @Cake_Enthusiast:
Please tell him he did AMAZING!
→→ @BboyRightHook:
He made the b-boy community proud!
→→→ @QueenOfEngland:
Please congratulate him for me—truly outstanding.
@alpaca:
Albanian music on a global stage 🇦🇱 Thank you for representing us!
And just like that, the narrative shifted.
From pain to pride.
From anxiety to awe.
From doubt to devotion.