The search for the next big 5th gen boy group is on!
‘BOYS II PLANET’ has been generating significant hype and attention long before its official release. Last week’s premiere was a huge blend of several contrasting elements. On one hand, a surge of new fandoms rose to support trainees, and on the other, recurring controversies and scandals continued to surface. It is likely that you may have come across news of trainees being embroiled in controversies about lying about their background, being a previous bully, or having made derogatory posts about many popular K-pop idols.
In spite of all the surrounding negativity, the show continues to resonate with viewers, and several of the audition performances were recognised and praised. So, let’s move on and explore key moments of this week’s episodes.
New Audition Performances (Planet K + C)
As I previously mentioned, this season’s strong performances felt on par with the average/weak performances from the previous season. And, here are some new audition performances that are worth mentioning.
P1Harmony’s ‘Back Down’ Cover
Heechan and Harry June, members of the boy group DKB under BRAVE Entertainment, delivered a strong performance. Personally, having seen Harry June on a previous survival show, I knew he’d be a great dancer and he lived up to expectations. During their performance, their stage presence and experience clearly shone through.
Stray Kids’ ‘Back Door’ Cover
Boy Story, a Chinese boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. Three of its members He Xin Long, Zihao, Hanyu are participating on the show, and words fell short in describing their captivating performance. If I had to choose the number one performance, not just from Planet C but including Planet K as well, this would have been my pick. Felix of Stray Kids is instantly recognizable due to his naturally deep voice. That said, I understood why He Xin Long stated that he was originally meant to be part of that iconic group. His vocal tone and stage presence strongly reminded me of the Stray Kids members.
Rain’s ‘Rainism’ Cover
This performance isn’t mentioned for being memorable, but more because of how poorly it was executed. Although Yumeki is a well-established choreographer and his dance sequence was amazing, singing isn’t his forte. Hearing him sing the very first part — “I’m gonna be a bad boy” — was very difficult and makes you wonder how he was able to pass the interim evaluation.
The Signal Song Test (Planet K + C)
The main theme of this week’s episodes was the signal song test. All the contestants who were labeled as “All-Star” gained the benefit of watching special masters Sung Hanbin and Zhang Hao from ZEROBASEONE perform the signal song, while the remaining contestants had to turn their backs to the screen.
Personally, in comparison to last season’s signal song, ‘Here I Am’, ‘Hola Solar’ fell short in terms of its addictive and refreshing quality. Additionally, while some trainees were clearly talented and fully capable of delivering a strong signal song performance, they seemed to lack the passion and conviction seen in BOYS PLANET Season 1.
One aspect worth mentioning is the insightful feedback from judges like Lee Seok Hoon, Back Koo Young, Hyolyn, Kany Diabate, and Im Han Byul. They identified trainees’ areas of weakness and gave tips on how they could improve. Nonetheless, some of their comments may have appeared to viewers as excessively blunt and harsh. However, considering the high number of less proficient performers, such frank feedback was perhaps essential and ultimately helpful for the contestants’ growth.
Amidst all the competitive atmosphere, it was also heart-touching to see trainees from different classes helping each other out. For example, Yumeki, a “One-Star” trainee, helping “All-Star” contestants with the choreography would definitely go down in the history books of Mnet’s survival show. Furthermore, there were trainees like Masato, who worked hard and aced the signal song test.
After the voting rounds, contestant Kim Geon Woo was chosen as the K-Center, while Zhou Anxin was chosen as the C-Center. Once the filming for the signal song performance was over, the final class placement took place. The class placement was initially decided by the judges, however, the final class placement was decided by Star Creators. While some performers like Lee Sang Won and Nian Bo Heng maintained their positions, others were either promoted or demoted.
Naturally, the final class placement came with eliminations. In Planet K, 17 contestants were eliminated, while in Planet C, over half of the trainees were sent home. Among the eliminated trainees was Lim Jack. He was, in my perspective, the very first candidate destined to go home. During the signal song practice with the judges, his rude attitude and disregard for their feedback made his exit quite predictable.
The Twist
One of the most anticipated twists was the merging of both planets. While Mnet had announced it prior to the show’s release, the actual reveal on the screen was on a whole different level. When the drape fell off and trainees from both planets came face to face, you could feel the show taking a defining shift. However, like many viewers, I do wonder if the Chinese contestants were informed about this merger before they decided to take part in the show.
Final Thoughts
The upcoming episode promise a lot to look forward to, especially with the trailer offering several glimpses, such as contestant Yumeki selecting many “All-Star” trainees, Lee Sang Won taking the killing part in aespa’s ‘Whiplash,’ and Chinese trainees being criticized for language issues.
Make sure to stay tuned for next week’s spicy and detailed review!
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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