Before you watch M Countdown episode 947 — six first performances, three special stages and where to watch

M Countdown returns tonight (October 1) at 6 PM KST with episode 947. It skipped September 24 for the Chuseok holiday and Asian Games coverage, so this is its first episode in two weeks. This week Music Bank (October 2) and Show! Music Core (October 3) are also off for Asian Games coverage. The official Mnet Plus lineup lists 16 acts, including a special stage for the 'Chiikawa' movie, and the running order hasn't been announced.

At a glance

Stage	Act	Song	Good to know
First performance	BOYNEXTDOOR	ANIMAL	September 28, 6 PM KST; repackage of the first full album, 'HOME: DELUXE'
First performance	NiziU	Sour Grapes	September 28, 6 PM KST; first Korean mini album
First performance	ALLDAY PROJECT	CRASH · TALK	Second EP 'CRASH' (September 28); 'TALK' came out first, on September 21
First performance	CLOSE YOUR EYES	Drop That!	September 30, 6 PM KST; fourth mini album '256th Note'
First performance	CRAVITY	LOUDER	September 30, 6 PM KST; ninth mini album 'sonorous'
First performance	EVAN	Twilight	From the first mini album 'DEATH OF ME'
Comeback	INI	You Know What To Do	Korean version; first track of the Japanese single 'ANTHEM' (September 16)
Special	TAEYONG × Bada Lee & Baek Gu-young	Wacka Wak	Released September 22
Special	BAILEY × Shimizu & Ingyu	CAN'T KILL ME	Released September 23
Special	The 'Chiikawa' movie	—	Opened in Korea on September 30

"First performance" is the label Mnet gave these stages in its official preview ('최초 공개'), meaning the stage is shown for the first time on this broadcast. MINZY, Parc Jae-jung, Woody × BORA, ONEUS, EASTSHINE and TIOT are also in the lineup. Woody × BORA and TIOT release new music at 6 PM KST, the same minute the show starts, but no songs have been announced for these six acts.
Sources: Mnet Plus episode 947 lineup · Mnet K-POP preview · eToday · Topstar News

Where to watch

• TV: live on Mnet at 6 PM KST (9 AM UTC).
• App and web: it also streams live on Mnet Plus. Mnet's flagship shows are available on Mnet Plus in some 250 countries and regions, though licensing rules leave some areas out.
• TVING: the official preview's description links to TVING streaming. It doesn't say whether that means live or on demand.
• Stage clips: on YouTube, the Mnet K-POP channel posts each performance and the M2 channel posts '[MPD직캠]' fancams. Last episode (September 17), performance clips started going up 30 minutes after the show began.
• Before the show: at 3:33 PM KST, BOYNEXTDOOR appear on Mnet Plus's '대.친.소 라이브', a live show that introduces friends from the waiting room.
  Sources: Mnet K-POP preview · Herald Economy

What to watch for

BOYNEXTDOOR 'ANIMAL' — In the music video, the members turn into animals. According to the label, RIWOO personally made the chorus choreography, so keep an eye on the chorus on stage. Hidden details in the music video · The repackage at a glance

NiziU 'Sour Grapes' — The title song of their first Korean mini album. At a glance · Finding the fox in the music video

ALLDAY PROJECT 'CRASH' and 'TALK' — Both songs are on the bill. Member BAILEY also has a special stage, so BAILEY takes the stage twice tonight. NONOL PICK: 'CRASH'

CLOSE YOUR EYES 'Drop That!' — The bass phrase that runs from 0:12 lines up with Yoon Si-nae's '이 밤을 즐겁게' ('Enjoy This Night', 1979). Listen for those first two bars on stage too. Hidden details

CRAVITY 'LOUDER' — True to the title, the sound gets louder all at once at 0:16. 10 new songs from September

EVAN 'Twilight' — A track from the first mini album by EVAN, a former ENHYPEN member: pop built on a UK garage rhythm (an electronic dance style from Britain with finely chopped, bouncing beats).

INI 'You Know What To Do' — The group formed through the Japanese audition show 'PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SEASON2' sings a song from its Japanese single in Korean.

TAEYONG × Bada Lee & Baek Gu-young 'Wacka Wak' — A stage with the two directors TAEYONG finally chose in the solo-artist mission of Mnet's 'Street World Fighter: Directors War'. Bada Lee leads BEBE, the crew that won 'Street Woman Fighter 2'.

BAILEY × Shimizu & Ingyu 'CAN'T KILL ME' — The two directors BAILEY picked in the same mission. For the mission they built a 'Hydra Queen' concept around red fabric, heels and krump (a street dance of hard, forceful hits).
Sources: TenAsia · Star News · INI official site · Marie Claire Korea

No. 1 candidates and voting

As of early October 1, the No. 1 candidates for episode 947 hadn't been announced. M Countdown's No. 1 is decided by adding up scores for digital sales, album sales, global social media, a global fan vote, Mnet broadcast and a live vote, and the live vote takes place on Mnet Plus during the show. Tonight also reveals the result of the 'September Monthly M COUNTDOWN PICK'. The show is hosted by its 24th set of MCs: So Junghwan (TREASURE), Park Gunwook (ZEROBASEONE) and Kyehoon (KickFlip).
Sources: Mnet Plus episode 947 chart · Mnet K-POP preview