Star Creators, assemble! Welcome to your favorite — ‘Boys II Planet’!
Last week’s episode was a tough one. No one expected to see so many eliminations. While many fan favorites earned their spots, it was hard watching so many contestants leave. With 36 trainees eliminated from Planet C and 17 from Planet K, one thing is clear — contestants should buckle up, the show is only going to get more intense.
Just when it seemed like the storm had passed — amid eliminations and backlash surrounding a few trainees — the show took a surprising turn. As the show’s MC, Ong Seong-wu, announces a new and interesting phase, the drape falls, and trainees from Planet K and Planet C finally come face to face.
That’s right — moving forward, all the remaining contestants from the two planets will now form one big planet, performing each mission side by side. What an unexpected twist by Mnet!
1 vs 1 Class Battle Mission
After the Signal Song test, the boys’ very first mission is the 1 vs 1 Class Battle Mission. All contestants are ranked based on their Signal Song performances. The highest-ranked members get to choose their fellow group members and the song for the mission. The songs chosen for this mission are as follows:
- TWS’ ‘Plot Twist’
- Stray Kids’ ‘S-Class’
- ZEROBASEONE’s ‘Kill the Romeo’
- aespa’s ‘Whiplash’
- TVXQ’s ‘Rising Sun’
Team Formation and Song Choice
A total of five teams were formed to perform the above five songs. The first team was created by the No.1 ranked trainee — Yumeki. He selected the most talented and top-ranked trainees like Zhou An Xin, Lee Leo, Yoon Min, Hsu Ching Yu, Kim Jun Seo, and Lee Sang Won. And just like that, the “Avengers Team” was formed.
When it came to this particular group and their song choice, I had a feeling they would choose aespa’s ‘Whiplash’. Boys covering a boy group song is quite common and expected. However, opting for a girl group song and performing it with a sexy vibe and fierce aura will make the stage an unforgettable one. In the previous season, during one of the first missions, Zhang Hao’s team chose BLACKPINK’s ‘Kill This Love’ and aced it — same with Sung Hanbin and his team’s cover of I-DLE’s ‘Tomboy’.
The second turn to choose was Yoo Kang Min, and he picked Stray Kids’ ‘S-Class’ to perform, along with Jo Gye Hyeon, Kim Jun Min, Kim In Hu, Park Dong Gyu, Kim Si Hwan, Seo Won, and Zhang Jia Hao.
The third team, formed by Jung Hyun Jun, chose to perform TWS’ ‘Plot Twist’ and included Na Yun Seo, He Xin Long, Nian Bo Heng, Chen Bo Wen, Hong Zhi Han, Kim Tae Jo, and Non Hui Jun.
Next, team Sun Heng Yu selected TVXQ’s ‘Rising Sun’ and selected Mun Won Jun, Park Jun Il, Masato, Lee Dong Heon, Han Harry June, Andrew, and Dang Hong Hai.
ZEROBASEONE’s ‘Kill the Romeo’ was chosen by Xue Su Ren’s team, which composed of Reeonn, Zhang Shun Yu, Sen, Yang Heuil Chan, Oh Jun Ho, Tatsuki, and Li Zi Hao.
Each of these five teams had an opposing team to face off against, with both sides performing the same song.
The Performances
This week, we got to see three of the performances, along with a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes struggles each of the three groups faced during their preparations.
TWS’ ‘Plot Twist’
Honestly, I understand why the group’s founder received some backlash for choosing this song. While Jung Hyun Jun and Na Yun Seo could easily pull off this style of performance, I fully agree with He Xin Long’s initial response: “We have to sing too.” While versatility is important, playing to your strengths at the beginning of the show is more crucial. And everyone knows that members like He Xin Long, Kim Tae Jo, and Nian Bo Weng would have been better suited for a Stray Kids song. Moreover, within a group, when it comes to choosing a song, I think every member’s opinion should count.
Nevertheless, one thing that really shined for me was the bond between He Xing Long and Na Yun Seo. Despite Yun Seo’s young age, you could see his maturity — and it was super sweet. As for the performance itself, I don’t know if you’ll agree, but I found that Jung Hyun Jun may not have delivered as strongly in the killing part. Overall, it was a nice performance and you could definitely see the noticeable efforts of He Xing Long, Nian Bo Weng and Na Yun Seo.
However, the rival team’s performance hasn’t been aired yet, and with their refreshing visuals and youthful energy, it’s hard to predict who would win.
Stray Kids’ ‘S-Class’
I was rooting for Yoo Kang Min’s team because I wanted to see if Park Dong Gyu — a very talented but underhyped trainee — would stand out in this performance. While the opposing team didn’t deliver a flawless stage (sure, I know you can point out how their main vocalist struggled, which even the judges mentioned), in the end, it’s the survival of the fittest, and no mistakes can be justified.
In the other group, you could see it was a team effort. However, despite the noticeable vocal struggles and not-so impactful members, Song Min Jae elevated the entire stage on his own, giving off the aura of a true K-pop idol.
Yet , we all know that one trainee alone can’t carry an entire performance. So in the end, with the live voting from the Star Creators, Yoo Kang Min’s team won the top spot.
Next Week’s Showdown
The trailer for next week’s episode is out, and everyone’s already losing it — will Team Whiplash, the most anticipated group, win or lose?
Well, no matter the outcome, I’m seated for killing part of Sang Won and main vocalist An Xin.
What about you? Which team are you rooting for?
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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