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Osaka Ojo Gang wins World of Street Woman Fighter Season 3 over AG Squad; fans cry nepotism as TWICE Momo's sister takes the crown

Osaka Ojo Gang wins World of Street Woman Fighter Season 3 over AG Squad; fans cry nepotism as TWICE Momo's sister takes the crown

Time of India22-07-2025
On July 22, 2025, Osaka Ojo Gang took home the championship title on World of Street Woman Fighter (WSWF) Season 3, beating out fierce competitors AG Squad and Motiv in a live finale aired by Mnet. Exuding stage-commanding energy, the Japanese crew captivated the judges and studio audience alike with their powerful final performance. The crew's artistry and charisma earned widespread praise as many highlighted how far they had come over the course of the season. For many viewers, their finale routine sealed the deal, but online, the debate was just beginning, with many alleging that AJ Squad was the real winner.
Fans rally behind AG Squad
The moment Osaka Ojo Gang was announced as the winner, social media users were left stunned, as many felt that AG Squad, who had consistently delivered technically flawless and emotionally gripping performances, had clearly earned the top spot.
One fan tweeted, 'Ag squad really carried the whole season just to end up like Jam Republic…' Y'all not tired of snubbing the real winners?"
ag squad really carried the whole season just to end up like jam republic… y'all not tired of snubbing the real winners 😭
"Honestly, I didn't need the AG squad to win 1st place because their superior performances and sheer work ethic during the show speak for themselves. They're a winner in my eyes, and that's all that matters," another wrote.
honestly I didn't need ag squad to win 1st place because their superior performances and sheer work ethic during the show speak for themselves, they're a winner in my eyes and that's all that matters! 🫶🫶 #WSWF #WSWF3
Some fans even speculated that the decision leaned into Mnet's push for global appeal and that Osaka Ojo Gang's international popularity might've tipped the scales. The sentiment wasn't universal, but it was loud and persistent.
Why are fans crying nepotism?
Adding to the controversy, some netizens are now crying nepotism, pointing to the fact that TWICE member Momo's older sister, Hana Hirai, is part of the Osaka Ojo Gang. The connection drew even more attention when several TWICE members, including Momo, Jihyo, Jeongyeon, Nayeon, and Sana, showed up at the WSWF finale in support of the crew. While their presence lit up the crowd and added star power to the event, some fans are questioning whether the group's K-pop ties may have influenced the outcome. '
"Wdym a crew who wins almost all missions got lost to a crew who never wins even one? Oh, I hate nepotism. If it's SWF 2, I get it since Bebe wins on some missions too, but this? Meh," said one user.
wdym a crew who wins almost all missions got lost to a crew who never win even one 🙂‍↔️ oh i hate nepotism. if swf 2 i get it since bebe wins on some missions too, but this? meh
TWICE members and Daehwi spotted on the finale of WSWF. #WSWF pic.twitter.com/EWGJyu6M24
AG Squad vs. Osaka Ojo Gang: two very different journeys
AG Squad had one of the strongest track records this season. They came out on top in several missions, including the demanding Mega Crew challenge, and consistently impressed judges with clean execution and detailed choreography. Their elimination battle earlier in the show showcased just how fierce and prepared they were, making it all the more shocking when they didn't walk away with the title.
Osaka Ojo Gang, on the other hand, gained momentum later in the season. Their Dance Film Mission performance—which racked up over 2.5 million views and 330,000 likes—helped cement their status as crowd pullers. Led by Kyoka and Ibuki, their finale routine leaned more into stage presence and emotional impact than technical perfection. That choice clearly worked for the judges, who emphasised storytelling and transformation in their final evaluations.
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Completion through matrimonial union with an ideal other is transformed into the 'donation' of organs, which completes an unknown 'normal', whose life can continue as a result of the clone's death. Ishiguro positions us so that we are unwittingly aligned with the 'normal' population, whose 'overwhelming concern was that their own children, their spouses, their parents, their friends, did not die from cancer, motor neuron disease, heart disease'. What we want the clones to do (resist their fates) and the means of doing so (romance) are revealed as responsible for the donation system. If we want Kathy and Tommy to live because they love each other – and we do because Ishiguro has compelled us to care for them – then we are endorsing the logic that designates them as disposable in the first place. The anger Ishiguro has deliberately blunted returns, redoubled. Our care is transformed into complicity. We, rather than the clones, are the targets of Ishiguro's ire. Translating this into political terms, Ishiguro is giving aesthetic form to neoliberalism's eclipse of liberalism. It is no coincidence that Never Let Me Go takes place in England between the 1970s and 1990s, the exact period of neoliberalism's emergence and consolidation. But this is no simple transition. Never Let Me Go implies that liberalism is the ghost in the neoliberal machine. The novel is a representation of a vicious neoliberal class system, where those who can afford replacement parts can substantiate the fantasy of liberal individualism, while those who can't serve as replacement parts. In this sense, Ishiguro can be read as posing a series of incisive questions, not simply offering the platitude that we are all human. What are the costs of love? Why is there a trade-off between caring for those close to us and caring for those who are distant? How do our claims of shared humanity pave the way for domination? Why do we assume that our way of life is superior because it is predicated on liberal principles? How do we break from a callous system in which we too are complicit? Twenty years on, these questions are as relevant as ever. To begin answering them, perhaps we have to wipe the tears from our eyes and turn to anger. Matthew Taft is Course Coordinator in English and Theatre Studies, The University of Melbourne. This article first appeared on The Conversation.

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