‘Boys II Planet’ has once again created a dramatic story filled with tears and cheers.
In the episode aired on the 28th, the 48 participants of the Mnet audition program ‘Boys II Planet’ poured all their passion into their performances, resulting in unexpected class changes where the All-Stars and Two-Stars swapped places. After fierce competition, the teams ‘Rose Between Buildings’, ‘FAMOUS’, and ‘Rock’ claimed the top spots in their respective vocal, rap, and dance positions, earning 50,000 benefit points and celebrating their victory.
The reactions from star creators watching the show were also enthusiastic. The program recorded a 2.4% viewership rating among teenage women, ranking first in its time slot including terrestrial broadcasts, and reached nearly 87% peak share on the OTT platform TVING. Real-time view counts on YouTube and Mnet Plus, which broadcasts worldwide, also increased by over 20% compared to the previous week, confirming the intense interest from global fans.
The global SNS platforms also reflected the show's popularity. On X (formerly Twitter), 11 search terms related to the participants entered the worldwide trend rankings simultaneously, dominating the top charts from 1st to 50th place in 10 countries including Korea, Japan, the Philippines, the USA, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. Additionally, on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the show appeared on the main and entertainment real-time charts, proving high interest in the position battle stage and participants.
Meanwhile, the third global vote to select the 24 participants who will advance to the semi-final stage is being held until 10 AM today (29th) on the K-pop content platform Mnet Plus. The final survivor among the participants will be determined through a real-time vote during the second survivor announcement live streaming at 3 PM on the same day.
On this day, all nine stages were revealed, excluding the stage released last week. The vocal position team ‘I’m Coming to Find You’ completed a perfect harmony under the tearful challenge of Sen and the stable leadership of Yoonmin. Master Baek Koo-young praised, saying, “It felt like watching an animation,” and as a result of the on-site voting, Yoonmin was promoted to All-Star, while Kang Woo-jin recorded the lowest score in the team and faced elimination.
Another team, ‘Rose Between Buildings’, faced repeated criticisms and crises during the practice process but overcame them with exceptional passion and teamwork to deliver a sweet performance. In particular, Park Jun-il burst into tears upon becoming an All-Star for the first time, touching everyone’s hearts. The ‘Sigh’ stage by Yoo Kang-min, Jo Gye-hyun, and Jo Woo-an-shin left a deep impression with its poignant expression of the participants' earnest feelings.
The final ‘Queencard’ team showcased an original performance with band sound arrangements and Iriho's guitar performance, receiving enthusiastic responses. Jung Sang-hyun, who had shown instability during the mid-check, transformed completely with Iriho's advice and the encouragement of his team members, achieving a successful turnaround. Both Jung Sang-hyun and Kim In-ho rose to All-Star status, but the anticipated leader Iriho faced a shocking lowest score and is at risk of elimination.
In the rap position, Lee Chen and Yeom Ye-chan stimulated viewers' dopamine with their fierce diss battle and real hip-hop performance in ‘Smoke (Prod. Dynamicduo, Padi)’, leading Yeom Ye-chan to successfully claim the All-Star spot. Additionally, in the ‘FAMOUS’ stage, after intense competition, Kim Jae-hyun perfectly executed the killing part and secured the All-Star position. Kim Tae-jo showcased his growth by incorporating his story into the lyrics during the performance, while the three of them received great responses from the audience with their unique styles.
In the dance position, Kim Jun-seo, Park Dong-kyu, and Masato exuded intense sexiness through their ‘Bad’ stage. Park Dong-kyu, who actively participated in choreography creation, also succeeded in class promotion by a narrow margin, providing viewers with a thrilling tension. The ‘Tambourine’ team overwhelmed the audience with perfect direction and flawless teamwork from the start, resulting in Chen Kai-won and Zhang Jia-hao rising to All-Star status. However, the team leader Yumeki recorded an unexpected lowest score, leaving his teammates in tears and creating a lasting impression.
Finally, the ‘Rock’ team dominated the stage with a unique concept borrowed from the storytelling of werewolves. Heo Sin-long demonstrated the essence of the killing part, firmly securing his All-Star position, while leader Kim Geon-woo led a stable performance with his growth. Pan Zhi also showcased his presence and completed the stage, but Zhao Guangxu and Chen Bo-wen recorded disappointing scores, finishing the stage without class changes. Moreover, against everyone's expectations, they achieved the honor of winning overall first place by defeating the ‘like JENNIE’ team.
Meanwhile, the 24 survivors who will advance to the semi-finals will be revealed in the upcoming broadcast of ‘Boys II Planet’ on September 4th. Attention is focused on which participants will continue to the concept battle and become the official rookie K-POP boy group of Planet in 2025.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
