“Young and rich. Tall and Handsome. Baby, Ricky”
“I want you, I love you, Seok Matthew.”
“Sung HanBIN imnida”
“Modu uril chyeodabwaaaa.”
“Nuna saranghaeyo”
“Junhyeon is 5 years old.”
Do any of these iconic lines ring a bell? These legendary lines were peak ‘BOYS PLANET.’
Mnet’s boy group survival show, aired in 2023, introduced us to some insanely talented boys (and hotties). Fast forward to 2025, 9 of these good-looking and skilled trainees now make up ZEROBASEONE, one of the 5th generation’s best K-pop boy groups.
Given how the South Korean reality show sparked global hype and even managed to turn ZB1 into a famous group, it’s no big surprise that Mnet is back with a second season. Anticipation was sky-high way before the trailer dropped. But what got people hooked in the first place? The teaser posters, or more specifically…the handsome boys in them.
So, since it’s a twin K-pop project, the Korean version aired on 17 July while the Chinese version aired on 18 July. While the show does include two separate audition programs —Planet K and Planet C —at one point, trainees will be merged and will compete for a debut.
Episodes: 13
New Episodes on: Airs every Tuesday, Friday at 9:20 PM KST (5:50 PM IST)
Airing On: Mnet
Available On: Mnet Plus, TVING, ABEMA, VIKI
In the first episode, viewers were introduced to all the contestants and the ranking systems, where contestants would be placed under “All-Star”, “Two-Star”, “One-Star”, and “No Star” (which means direct elimination). The Korean version started with a narration by Special Master Sung Hanbin, while the Chinese version featured Special Master Zhang Hao.
So, while I do want to review every single performance, unfortunately, that’d be a never-ending scroll fest, I’ll narrow it down to the top 5 performances from each version.
K Planet
Enhypen’s ‘No Doubt’ Cover
The comparison of this season’s performances to the previous one has been circulating online, with many claiming that last season’s average and weak performers seemed stronger than the actual ones. Honestly, I don’t disagree. That being said, there are still some who stood out.
Topping the list are contestants Lee Leo and Lee Sang-won from GRID Entertainment. They delivered a powerful performance, and their vocals were good. Singing Lee Heeseung’s parts is a challenge, and yet they handled it with finesse.
NCT U’s ‘Misfit’ Cover
I’m quite surprised that IST trainees’ performance didn’t generate the level of hype I was hoping for. They delivered good vocals and strong stage presence. Throughout the performance, one member who particularly stood out was Park Dong-gyu. He has that charismatic aura and seems to be an all-rounder.
BTS’s ‘Boy In Luv’ Cover
Who would’ve thought 15-year-old contestants would steal the show? While there were many experienced participants, not many were able to match the impact these junior CUBE trainees delivered. Moreover, I’m still stunned that they chose to perform on BTS’s ‘Boy In Luv’.
These “manly men” truly slayed.
BoA’s ‘Atlantis Princess’ Cover
By performing this iconic track and delivering rich vocals, Kang Woojin has left a mark on viewers. His emotional delivery and soulful voice captured the judges, and his performance video went viral on X. Till now, no one could even come close to his vocals.
Stray Kids’ ‘Chk Chk Boom’ Cover
This season’s ‘Hot’ performance, I guess.
Just like in the first season, Baek Jae Hyeon’s performance wasn’t about great vocals or dancing, but straight-up comedy and entertainment. Surprisingly, some even claimed that he wasn’t that bad and even rooted for his debut.
P.S. Feeling a bit stressed? Watch this and thank me later!
C Planet
Produce 101’s ‘Never’ Cover
Who wasn’t moved by Sun Hengyu’s story? Through his performance, he truly proved he deserves to debut. Through his amazing performance, you could see and feel his desperation and how hard he worked for this. This was a stage that resonated deeply not only with the judges but also with the audience.
TAEYONG’s ‘Tap’ Cover
Honestly, this stage was such a treat! Nian Bo Heng and Lim Jack brought two very different vibes to the performance —one was cool and confident, and the other was charmingly cute — yet they balanced each other out and created a beautiful performance. With their vocals and chemistry, they made the whole stage come alive. It was a daring move to perform this song, but the result was a successful bet.
ZEROBASEONE’s ‘Devil Game’ Cover
For those who are unaware, this song was actually choreographed by none other than the famous Bada Lee, and is all about body popping and hitting the right beats. I didn’t expect this team would pull it off, but here I am, still shocked.
Contestants Fan Zhe Yi, Chen Bo Wen, Hu Han Wen, and Yang Jia Peng didn’t just cover the song; they did it justice. And, I have to mention that Zhe Yi has the charm of an idol and deserves to be ranked as an “All-Star”.
ENHYPEN’s ‘Fever’ Cover
Everyone knows this was the most anticipated performance for C Planet. From the very beginning of the episode, the moment Zhou Anxin appeared on screen, everyone was awaiting his stage. In addition, dancing to ‘Fever’ just amped up that excitement.
Honestly, I felt a bit let down. It seemed as if Anxin got most of the camera time during the performance, while Jiaho might have delivered a little stronger overall presence.
BIGBANG’s ‘Bang Bang’ Cover
Again, this wasn’t exactly a ground-breaking performance, but it tops the list as pure entertainment and comedy. Dancing to this legendary song and getting the entire judge panel, as well as the contestants, laughing and dancing along, is not easy. Yet, you can’t deny it— Yeung Yuk Him has got some charm.
I have to give this guy credit for having the courage to come out on this popular show and to give such an entertaining concert — that’s how it felt to me, at least!
Final Thoughts
So, that’s it!
Maybe there are two or three more good performances, but overall, I feel like the performances that have been broadcast so far haven’t lived up to our expectations. Fingers crossed for some stronger performances in the upcoming episodes. Until then, drop your comment below and tell us who’s your one pick trainee?
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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