K-Show Review: University War – Elite League (대학전쟁)

Written by: Vedansh Varshney and Ayushi Verma, Delhi

Edited by: Jayati Bhardwaj, Delhi

University War: Elite League is a show full of fierce competition among top Korean universities’ most talented and brilliant minds. The participating universities are Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, KAIST, Pohang University of Science and Technology, and the top-rated Harvard University, which brings their unique combination of skills, strategies, and fighting spirit. The show is full of excitement and determination, making each team more intriguing to its audience. As each round continues, tension builds up, keeping the audience glued to their screens.

It is fascinating to see how these teams solve logic and number puzzles and other games in which simple concepts are modified into complicated ones. For example, the rock-scissors-paper game is converted into a game about memorisation and objects. The participants utilised their knowledge and skills to build strategies to solve these problems. The most exciting part was when the participants talked about their approaches, shortcut methods, and tricks, which made the audience gasp.   

The Rivalry Teams

Watching battles between the top 1% of brains from Korea’s top universities was nerve-wracking, to say the least.

_{Picture Credits: kcampus.kr}

It was a delight to see that Seoul National University, a prestigious university with a very high academic standard, assembled a team of hardened intellectuals who approached the challenges with precision and insight. With such a broad background in different fields of knowledge, they strategically used it to defeat the opponents and gain victory.

Yonsei University‘s team showed a genuine spirit of unity and cooperation. Their excellent teamwork was due to their strong communication and collaborative spirit. The way they discussed and realised their strengths and weaknesses made them formidable forces that overcame all obstacles with determination.

Korea University has a history of rich academic honours. The KU squad showed its intellectual power and strategic insight in each round. They left their trace on this academic contest with diligent planning and preparation for each task they faced and tackled it with precision and confidence.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is known as the most prestigious technological and engineering university in Korea. The team’s unique character is the fusion of technical professionalism and creative ideas used to approach the challenge. The team demonstrated that inventiveness and accuracy can win or solve the trickiest of riddles or mathematical problems.

The Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) team showed the peak of innovation when knowledge was blended with quick thinking and adaptation. Their sharp, analytical minds that could solve problems instantly made them formidable opponents who faced every challenge with a scientific mind and a great will to win.

The Harvard University team was globally and powerfully experienced, having a global academic perspective and a world-renowned education. They knew how to handle strategic thinking and adaptation, having various skills and experiences. They proved themselves worthy opponents and gave tough competition to other teams.

Unprecedented challenge

Each game presented a different challenge, requiring the participants to combine their technical capabilities, swiftness, and strategical approach to compete for mathematical supremacy. The various challenges and games presented are:

Ace Selection: Electronic Brain—In this game, the contestants are challenged with mental arithmetic problems involving the sum of ten three-digit numbers. The questions seem easy, but speed and accuracy hold sway. Notably, the contender Hyunbin excelled and exhibited extraordinary computational ability within the limited time frame.

Ace Match: Check Your Prime Numbers— This was another mental dexterity game in which contestants were asked to identify the prime number from a table with ever-increasing values. A secret prime number, worth three points, added a layer of strategy and danger. They won the task by observing carefully and quickly calculating how surprising it was.

Main Match: 300– The main match consists of 300 math questions for contestants. It was time-consuming and required fast problem-solving skills to get ahead of other teams and beat them. It was manageable, but the number of questions made the contestants plan and execute properly to avoid getting lost in the tangles of repetitive calculations.

Deathmatch: Formula Archery– Here, the contestants were required to try to hit a target number on a board using a limited set of numbers and operators. This is the ultimate test of mathematical prowess. The challenge is made more difficult by adding factorial operations, pushing the contestants to the limits of their mathematical ability. The contestants hope to hit the mark and win the thrilling death match through precision and strategic thinking.

Together as a team

Seoul National University (SNU)

The SNU team was undoubtedly the most well-balanced out of all the competing teams in the University League. Each member’s strengths immensely contributed towards their success in many challenges. Most of their team members possessed exceptional mathematical abilities and problem-solving skills, with Hyun-bin being the fastest and handling extensive calculations like a genius. Hyun-bin and Hyun-min’s remarkable memorisation skills enabled them to remember random 4-digit numbers effectively, which resulted in many challenges becoming more accessible to solve. Do-hyun’s mastery of creating strategies and utilising shortcut methods for rapid calculations was awe-inspiring and knowledgeable. 

Korea University (KU)

The KU team maintained high rankings throughout the rounds in the Ace Selection challenges. With members majoring in Mathematics, Statistics, etc., challenges around numbers proved their forte. The Statistics major on their team, Seung-min, left everyone stunned by exhibiting phenomenal memorisation skills. Jung-min, who studied Business Administration, performed excellently in spatial perception challenges and Dong-kyu. The bold and confident mathematics major handled large numbers and solved equations like an expert.

Harvard University

As the unexpected newcomers to the game, team Harvard’s presence immediately posed a threat in the eyes of other teams, given their esteemed reputation. With members pursuing double majors, the Harvard team showcased some notable teamwork harboring each other’s strengths. Their diverse educational backgrounds and skills acquired through hobbies provided them with a competitive edge in specific challenges throughout the game, e.g. Ray’s hobby of playing chess proved to be exceptionally helpful in the challenge of “Human Chess” involving strategizing while Janice cleverly utilized the “Binary Search Method” (used in Computing) in one of the challenges.

Yonsei University

The Yonsei team excelled in challenges that demanded quick mental calculations and sharp visual perception. Ki-hong, their member majoring in Pharmacy, took the spotlight for the team with his exceptional performance in some Ace Selection challenges. Another member, Hyun-jun, contributed significantly to his team with his quick-witted mind and strong belief in his mathematical abilities.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

The KAIST team exhibited impressive teamwork on the show, dealing with challenges involving numbers and equations. Team members with robust mathematical skills like Sung-bum and Jun-hyuk enabled them to navigate challenges involving rapid calculations and mathematical equation formation easily. Meanwhile, Hyun-ji showcased outstanding performance in Ace Selection challenges. Sung-bum, in particular, led their team strategically, hence playing an essential role in solving challenges, utilising his agile problem-solving skills. 

Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)

The POSTECH team, with their exceptional intellectual prowess, left a lasting impression while participating in mental mathematics challenges. Notably, three of their team members secured a spot within the Top 10 in the first round of Ace Selection, a feat that required quick mental calculations for the correct answer. Their ability to adapt and strategise on the spot, creating a thrilling rivalry, was a sight to behold.

Why Should You Watch The Show?

“University League” is a perfect 8-episode binge-watch-worthy series for content enthusiasts involving IQ, mind games and strategy. The series features students from diverse academic backgrounds from prestigious universities in South Korea like Seoul National University (SNU), Korea University (KU), Yonsei University, etc., allowing the viewers to witness a riveting battle of intellectual minds. Beyond mere intelligence, participants must also utilise their creativity to devise innovative strategies to outsmart their rivals and claim the winning prize. The series can be deemed an educational and motivational watch, especially for students from various academic levels, as getting rewarded with hefty prize money for utilising your intelligence, knowledge, and skills can be inspirational. University League offers captivating challenges that challenge participants to use their abilities in mathematics, memorisation, strategising, and spatial and visual perception. Unfortunately, this series isn’t available to stream on a popular global streaming platform like Netflix, as it is undoubtedly worthy of broader appreciation and recognition amongst viewers.

Conclusion

Overall, University League is an engaging and thrilling watch for enthusiastic problem solvers fascinated by brainteasers and puzzles. It showcases students from renowned South Korean universities competing with pride and intellect. The series presents various intriguing challenges, prompting participants to opt for innovative approaches and strategies to outperform rival teams and advance towards victory. We need more captivating educational competitive shows similar to University League that spotlight individuals utilising their intelligence and creativity to navigate hurdles smartly and efficiently. Our team strongly encourages all the readers to try watching this show for an engaging experience.

Did you watch “University war: Elite League” yet? How was it? Leave a comment down below.