'BOYS 2 PLANET' opens a new horizon for idol survival with its dual audition concept.
On the morning of 16th, a production presentation for Mnet's 'BOYS 2 PLANET' was held at The Saint in Guro-gu, Seoul. Executive producer Kim Shin-young, K Planet director Jung Woo-young, C Planet director Ko Jeong-gyeong, K masters Lee Seok-hoon, Kinki, Carni, C master Kim Jaejoong, Shaoting, Jrick, common master Lim Han-byeol, Hyorin, Back Kooyoung, and Just this attended to brighten the occasion.
'BOYS 2 PLANET' will depict the journey of 160 boys from two different planets, K Planet with 80 participants and C Planet with 80 participants, who meet on one planet called 'BOYS 2 PLANET' and move toward the 'sun.' It promises to focus on the personalities and stories of participants gathered from around the world, heralding an epic journey towards the birth of a single global boy group.
Director Jung Woo-young noted, "Participants show various appearances according to their tendencies. The alpha we defined is an evolved being. There were many participants with different charms and evolved abilities. These individuals with infinite potential and personality possessed the evolved K-pop DAN. Therefore, we called them alpha boys."
Lee Seok-hoon emphasized, "Every time I observe the program, I am amazed at how young friends improve themselves. I feel proud to see K-pop developing more and more. They are young, but they deserve respect. These days, the keyword in the global music market is individuality. Without it, I believe they won't be able to land. That’s why I wanted to instill individuality in the young friends."
The decision to broadcast 'BOYS 2 PLANET K' and 'BOYS 2 PLANET C' separately for two days is also a significant challenge for the production team. They have divided the program based on the languages used, Korean (K) and Chinese (C), creating an environment where participants can express themselves more freely and showcase their charms. This is the unique weapon that only 'BOYS 2 PLANET' possesses amid the flood of survival variety shows.
Kim Shin-young remarked, "In season 1 of 'BOYS PLANET,' there were many participants from the Greater China region. Since the program was conducted in Korean, the personalities and potentials of the friends I saw during the judging were not fully expressed. I thought it would be good to focus particularly on the friends from the Greater China region this time. I hoped for a start from the Greater China region and considered the expansion of 'BOYS PLANET' in the future."
However, there are not only Chinese participants in C Planet. He explained, "Initially, I planned for two debut teams to come from two separate programs. However, I was curious about the synergy when the participants from the two planets with different personalities and potentials met. Based on the judgment that it would be better if they debuted together, we created the current plan."
The master lineup for ‘BOYS 2 PLANET K’ includes Lee Seok-hoon, Kinki, and Carni, while Kim Jaejoong, Shaoting, and Jrick join ‘BOYS 2 PLANET C’. Lim Han-byeol, Hyorin, Back Kooyoung, and Just this will serve as common expert masters participating in ‘BOYS 2 PLANET K’ and ‘BOYS 2 PLANET C’. Additionally, Sung Hanbin and Jang Hao from ZEROBASEONE will take on the role of special idol masters.
Kim Jaejoong said, "There are many who have raised their skills more through self-study than major training on the C side. Many friends do not know what their uniqueness and charm are or what their potentials are, so I played a role in drawing them out. We even had Q&A sessions off-camera. There were many kids who couldn't show their true abilities out of fear of competition. I will ensure that through this program, they can announce their presence."
Kinki expressed gratitude for being able to engage in such evaluation programs. He stated, "It is a precious experience for me to be able to accept the dense energy of the participants’ dreams up close. I wanted to ensure I don't hinder their dreams. I aimed to help them recognize their unique charms more and show them confidently."
Hyorin shared, "This is my first time judging a survival contest. I've participated more often myself, so it feels a bit painful. However, I understand that they mustered up the courage to come to this event. I feel grateful that I can help them grow faster through the survival program," she said with a smile.
There are already participants who have debuted. Director Jung Woo-young indicated, "The key points will be revealed through broadcasting, a part of which will be taken by debut idols. Accordingly, the number of participants has increased. There were many applications from participants who had debuted, and we wanted to maximize their charm and skills, while making sure they could shine together. You will clearly see if debuted participants have joined when you watch the show."
Kim Shin-young strongly asserted regarding fairness suspicions and favoritism towards their own trainees, saying, "Viewers can clearly sense things, so we can’t do that, nor do we intend to. If there is no charm but we forcefully create narratives or try to make them stand out, it’s a belief that you lose more than you gain. This is an audition brand that will continue, so we won’t make such choices." He further added, "I ask participants to have overwhelming talent, charm, skill, or a sparkling character, which increases the likelihood of appearing on the broadcast. I emphasize that they should do whatever it takes. If they don't, it won’t be easy to get on air. However, there are broadcast limits, so we prepared various content to ensure that everyone is introduced without omission."
The boys who survive the intense competition will break down the boundaries of each planet and be reborn as one team. The number of members in the debut group, team name, contract period, and other detailed elements have yet to be determined. However, on the evenings of 17th and 18th at 9:20 p.m., 'BOYS 2 PLANET K' and 'BOYS 2 PLANET C' will receive their first evaluation from viewers, both separately and together, through Mnet.
'BOYS 2 PLANET' is expected to make a significant impact on the history of idol audition variety shows.
[OSEN]