I was struck watching last night/this morning's Gayo by a trend I've been seeing in awards season. For a group that everyone says is "flopping", there sure are a lot of big cheers in performances for them - and particularly around the concept that people complain the most about - the "NMIXX change up" which the audience cheered for in both Korea and Japan. I first noticed this during cb shows for Dice that there was a loud and vocal contingent of fans. Of course, that's the fandom but I was surprised to see them some loud and boisterous compared to other new or "less popular" groups.
In the case of MAMA, the bulk of that audience is not NSWRS (did I spell that right, fans?) nor were AAA nor was the recent Gayo (the last had an audience of Czennies, so possibly a more receptive group to the style. 
)
I've timestamped the change up reactions. In some the crowd starts cheering because they know it's coming, when they say NMIXX change up or once the change starts happening. They also sometimes cheer when the song goes back out of the change up and into the song.
KBS Gayo in Korea: (cheering at the beginning of the changeup - timestamped - and when the change up ends at 3:25 and 3:33, they are cheering again)
MAMA in Japan (again cheering at the beginning of the changeup - timestamped - and at the end of 1:38 ahead of Lily's big note):
Similarly on O.O and again at the beginning and end of the change up.
I'll be interested to see if I keep seeing this in awards shows and gayos but thought it was pretty interesting. (I chalked it up at first to maybe them being popular in Japan but heard the same thing last night).
