The highly anticipated survival show Boys 2 Planet K and C premiered on July 17 and 18, 2025, marking the start of a new journey to form the next global K-pop boy group. This season introduces a unique format with separate Korean (Planet K) and Chinese (Planet C) teams competing simultaneously before merging for the final lineup. The first episode featured intense auditions, eliminations, and standout performances from trainees aiming to debut.
First Episode Highlights
The premiere showcased trainees performing covers of popular K-pop songs, evaluated by a panel of judges. Planet K trainees performed tracks like NCTโs “Misfit”, Yeonjunโs “GGUM”, and Stray Kidsโ “Chk Chk Boom”, while Planet C trainees covered TXTโs “CROWN”, ENHYPENโs “FEVER”, and BOYNEXTDOORโs “Earth, Wind & Fire”.
The top eight trainees from each team were revealed based on live voting:
Planet K Top 8:
- Lee Sang-won
- Yoo Kang-min
- Chung Sang-hyeon
- Chuei Liyu
- Lee Leo
- Masato
- Kim Geon-woo
- Kim Jun-seo
Planet C Top 8:
- Zhou Anxin
- Cai Jinxin
- Fan Zheyi
- Yichen Sun
- Jia Yang
- Peng Jinyu
- Xuan Hao
- Chen Kaiwen.
Eleven trainees were eliminated after the first episode, including Baek Jaehyeon, Bang Suhwan, and Kim Wonbin.
Voting and Fan Engagement
The first Global Vote opened on July 18 and will close on July 25. Fans can vote for their favorite trainees via the Mnet app by selecting up to eight contestants. Voting certificates can be shared on social media with hashtags like #BOYS2PLANET for a chance to win extra voting power.
“I want to do it again. Even that moment, I want to relive it. My shoe came off and I slipped up with my wordsโฆ Iโm someone who swears a lot, but I didnโt mean it that way.”
โ Lee Sang-won, reacting to a mishap during his performance.
Former Trainee A Members Make an Impact
Two former Trainee A members, Lee Leo and Lee Sang-won, shared their emotional journey after leaving BigHit Music. Sang-won revealed he had given up on debuting before joining the show:
“I left the company and couldnโt debut. Honestly, I didnโt even want to anymore. I was doing part-time jobs at a cafรฉ, and I was in a period of deep reflection.”
Their performance of ENHYPENโs “No Doubt” earned them an All-Star rating despite a shoe mishap.
Judges and Mentors
The judging panel includes:
- Lim Han Byul (Vocal)
- Hyolyn (Vocal)
- Baek Koo-young (Dance)
- Justhis (Rap)
Special mentors Zhang Hao and Sung Han-bin, winners of the first Boys Planet, also guided the trainees.
Where to Watch
The show streams on Mnet, TVING, ABEMA, and Mnetโs YouTube channels.
Also read: Boys II Planet Announces First Voting Rankings With Surprising Eliminations and New Format
Credits: Sources include Sportskeeda, KStationTV, and ChosunBiz.
