Former BigHit Trainees Shine on Mnet's 'Boys 2 Planet'

Lee Sang-won and Lee Rio, former members of BigHit's debut group and now under Grid Entertainment, made a remarkable appearance on Mnet's 'Boys 2 Planet'.

The first episode of Mnet's survival show 'Boys 2 Planet K' aired on the 17th, featuring the debut of K-group contestants. This season is divided into Planet K and Planet C, with each group competing fiercely. The veil was lifted first for Planet K.

During the episode, contestants met for the first time. The atmosphere buzzed when Lee Rio and Lee Sang-won from Grid Entertainment entered. Both were part of the 'Trainee A' debut group under BigHit Music, which had garnered significant attention from fans. BigHit Music had been preparing a new boy group under the name 'Trainee A' since 2021, promoting through YouTube and social media. However, the project was abruptly halted in September 2022, and its cancellation was officially announced in December of the same year.

In the subsequent ranking battle, Lee Rio and Lee Sang-won performed as a team. Rankings are divided into All-Star, Two-Star, and One-Star, with those not meeting the standards being classified as 'No-Star' and immediately eliminated. Before their performance, Master Lee Seok-hoon asked, "You seem to have a long trainee history. Did you train at one company?" Sang-won replied, "I was with BigHit Music before." Hyolyn inquired, "What is Trainee A?" to which Rio explained, "Sang-won and I were the initial members of the Trainee A debut group."

When asked by the production team, "Did you not debut after all?" Sang-won candidly shared, "There were various circumstances, and I ended up leaving the company. I was so exhausted that I even considered quitting being an idol. I wanted to take a break, even working part-time at a cafe, and it was a time of deep contemplation."

Rio added, "One day, I called Sang-won and said, 'I'm going to join Boys Planet, let's debut together.'" Sang-won reflected, "Hearing that made me realize he still wanted to debut with me. I had regrets about not forming a team together in the past, and I decided to take this as my last chance."

Vocal Master Lim Han-byul commented, "Both of you seem somewhat gloomy and somber, likely due to your long trainee period. It's like a bird capable of flying high is trapped in a cage. I hope you can shake off that frustration and sorrow through this stage."

Sang-won confessed, "I was very nervous since it had been a while since I performed on stage. The pressure to show a better side because of the long preparation was immense." The duo performed ENHYPEN's 'No Doubt', impressing the masters with their solid skills. However, during the performance, Sang-won's shoe came off, and he humorously exclaimed, "Oh, shoot," causing laughter.

After the performance, Lee Seok-hoon laughed, "It's the first time I've heard someone say 'Oh, shoot' during a performance," and Sang-won knelt to apologize. Lee Seok-hoon reassured, "It's okay, I understand. I was worried about who would sing the chorus initially, but Rio did a great job. Sang-won also did well. Both are excellent vocalists." Dance Master Kinki added, "Their dancing was as good as their singing. Sang-won's mistake allowed us to end with a smile. I hope they smile and enjoy themselves more on stage." Hyolyn encouraged, "Move forward with the mindset that there's no turning back now."

Lee Rio and Lee Sang-won both received 'All-Star' ratings. They further impressed the masters with an additional performance of Seo Taiji and Boys' 'Come Back Home' for re-evaluation. Sang-won expressed, "I feel regretful enough to want to perform again. Despite the shoe flying off and making mistakes, I was grateful for even those moments. I'm not someone who usually swears... I'm thankful it was taken lightly. I'll work harder."

Towards the end of the broadcast, real-time voting results were revealed. As of 10 PM on the 17th, Lee Sang-won ranked first. The TOP10, including Yoo Kang-min, Jung Sang-hyun, Choi Rip-woo, Lee Rio, Masato, Kim Gun-woo, Kim Jun-seo, Seo Won, and Yumeki, was announced, heightening anticipation for the next round.