This episode of Pop Star Academy, now tentatively being marketed as Dream Academy, was a make-or-break point for the production team, the investors, and everyone involved in the business aspect.
After repeated scandals, leaks, accusations of mistreatment, PD Ji-ho's firing, and the ongoing public backlash, PD Emily, who was now the sole PD in charge of the show, was aware that she was under a microscope and any little slip-up would be her undoing.
The interest in the show was currently unprecedentedly high, and she knew she didn't have the room or leeway to mess around or craft drama, yet she still had to keep the people entertained somehow because, for all the claims that they didn't want drama, stats and surveys proved that they absolutely did.
Thankfully, she had contestants who created drama themselves, including the king of drama himself, and more importantly, there was now a clear rivalry that she could play into, which she knew the public would eat up.
