The globally expanded 'Boys II Planet' is unveiling its secrets.
On the morning of the 16th, a production presentation for Mnet's 'Boys II Planet' (BOYS II PLANET) was held at The Saint in Guro-gu, Seoul, attended by 10 masters including Lee Seok-hoon, Lim Han-byeol, Hyorin, JUSTHIS, Baek Gu-young, Kinky, Kany, Kim Jaejoong, Xiaoting, and Jayrik, along with the production team.
'Boys II Planet' is a global survival program depicting the challenges of boys aiming to reach the top of K-POP, featuring a record-breaking 160 boys who will showcase their abilities in fierce competition.
In particular, 'Boys II Planet' is set to feature a record number of 160 participants, promising an unprecedented scale in survival history. The participants are alpha boys equipped with evolved K-POP DNA in all areas such as vocals, dance, and rap, raising expectations for the birth of an all-rounder alpha boy group.
The production team stated, "We defined an alpha as an evolved being. As we conduct audition programs, we notice that the trends and participant characteristics have changed over time. There are many participants with evolved K-POP DNA, including not just vocals but also performances, which is why we defined them as alpha boys."
Lee Seok-hoon, who participated as a master again in Season 2 following the last season, said, "We are surprised to see the standard rising. I feel proud, and although they are young, I have a sense of respect for them. While training, I felt that in the past, I often provided quick answers to the kids, but now I have instilled a sense of autonomy by telling them that what they are doing is right, even if they lack experience."
Kinky mentioned, "Whenever I watch audition programs, I always feel grateful. It is a precious experience to be able to embrace the intense energy of the participants' dreams, and I did my best not to hinder the size of those dreams. I tried to guide them to realize their unique charms and show them confidently."
Jayrik also shared, "I was really looking forward to being able to share the know-how I gained while training active idols, and the friends followed along passionately as I had hoped. I felt proud that they caught on smartly and grew."
In particular, 'Boys II Planet' is an ambitious project that consolidates Mnet's unique influence and production know-how, which has continued to take on new challenges for 30 years as a representative music channel in South Korea. This time, boys from two different planets, K Planet and C Planet, embark on a journey towards the sun.
The production team pointed out, "From the planning stage, we have differentiated global expansion as a key point. In the last season, Season 1, we divided participants into K and G. This season's differentiation point is that we are starting with K, produced in Korean, and C, produced in Chinese. As far as I know, this is a differentiation point that no one has attempted before."
Baek Gu-young noted, "I knew that 160 participants would be involved, but it really hit me how much time it took and how many friends with diverse thoughts, personalities, and charms there are. I lost track of time while watching and listening to their charms, and when we recorded the signal song stage later, it was so grand. I have a really cool memory of that moment, and it made me realize the scale."
Regarding the production devices, he explained, "After the last season ended and while preparing for this season, we thought a lot about whether we could provide new fun with unexpected compositions or developments. By having two differentiated programs, we aimed to showcase improved skill levels and the unique, free-spirited aspects of participants from C Planet as two key points. I hope viewers will see the process of merging into one planet as a source of tension, new fun, and new relationships that can immerse them."
In 'K Planet', there are also many participants challenging for re-debut. Regarding this, Lee Seok-hoon said, "The kids who have debuted have more experience, so they may be more skilled, but since they came as participants of Voice Planet, I tried to view them from the same position. Just because they have more experience doesn't mean they are outstanding. I think the perspective of the participants who have not debuted and are still trainees is different from ours, and we are in the same boat."
'Boys II Planet' focuses on how boys from different starting points grow and move towards the center of the stage. Above all, this season, as the planets expand into K and C, there is a coexistence of diverse backgrounds, from participants who are experiencing K-POP for the first time to those who have already had debut stages. The efforts, conflicts, and narratives of overcoming challenges they show as they move towards the single goal of 'debut' aim to provide an immersive experience beyond mere competition, which is also the production team's goal.
Lim Han-byeol expressed, "While filming this season, I felt the differentiation between Planet K and C. It was really fun because they were so different during our recordings. The friends from K were those I had always seen, while the friends from C were really free-spirited and had strong personalities, which I think will be an attractive viewing point when seen on broadcast. I believe the fusion of two worlds, like water and oil, will also be a point of interest."
[Sindorim (Seoul) = Son Jin-a, MK Sports Reporter]
