Boys Planet 2 Press Conference Reveals Major Format Changes and Global Debut Plans

Mnet survival show pivots from dual-group concept to single global boy group debut

Mnet's upcoming survival show "Boys Planet 2" held its press conference on July 16, 2025, revealing significant changes to the program's original format. The show, which premieres with Planet K on July 17 and Planet C on July 18, will now debut a single global boy group instead of the previously announced two separate groups.

Chief Producer Kim Shin-young explained the decision to merge what were originally planned as two distinct programs. "During production, we became curious about the synergy that could be created when participants from both planets, each with their unique personalities and talents, come together," Kim stated during the press conference. "So we changed our plans-or rather, we chose from among several options we had."

The show initially planned to create separate Korean and Chinese boy groups through "Boys Planet 2 K" and "Boys Planet 2 C" programs. However, Mnet later changed the format so that as the competition progresses, the two narratives will eventually converge into one, ultimately leading to the debut of a single boy group instead of two separate groups.

The show features 154 contestants total, with 80 participants from Korea and 74 from China. It was speculated that 6 contestants dropped out before the show started, bringing the total down to 154 from 160. This makes it one of the largest survival show casts in K-pop history.

Many familiar faces will appear on the show, including members from active groups like VERIVERY, DKB, WHIB, WEi, BOY STORY, and DRIPPIN, as well as former survival show contestants.

The show features 13 masters across both programs:

K Masters: Lee Seokhoon (vocal), Kinky (dance), and Kany (choreography)

C Masters: Kim Jaejoong (overall), Xiaoting from Kep1er (performance), and Jrick (choreography)

Common Masters: Hyolyn (vocal), Baek Kooyoung (dance), Justhis (rap), Onestar (vocal), and Lim Hanbyul (performance)

Additionally, ZEROBASEONE members Sung Hanbin and Zhang Hao will serve as special "Idol Masters."

Unlike previous survival groups that typically had 2.5-3 year contracts, the group formed through Boys Planet 2 will have a 5-year contract. This represents a significant change from the industry standard for survival show groups.

Vocal master Lee Seokhoon praised the contestants' continuous improvement: "Every time I encounter this program, I'm amazed by how these young participants continue to raise the bar. It makes me think that K-pop in our country is continuously developing."

Hyolyn, making her debut as a survival show judge, reflected on her perspective: "I've appeared on survival shows many times as a contestant, so when I look at the participants, my heart aches and I feel various emotions. However, I felt grateful that they came to this place with desperation and courage to achieve their desired goals."

Kim Jaejoong emphasized the broader opportunities the show provides: "This is a program where participants can make their existence known, and where third parties can discover charms they haven't fully shown yet, leading to opportunities in other places and dream realization."

Producer Kim Shin-young addressed concerns about potential favoritism toward specific agencies: "Many trainees from various agencies are participating, and viewers can see this clearly, so we couldn't and wouldn't want to do that. If participants don't have sufficient charm and we artificially enhance their narrative and appeal, we would gain nothing from it."

The dual-language approach stems from lessons learned during the first season. Kim explained that Chinese participants in season one "couldn't fully demonstrate their potential" due to the Korean-language format, leading to the decision to create a Chinese-language counterpart.

Boys Planet 2 K premieres July 17, 2025, at 9:20 PM KST on Mnet, followed by Boys Planet 2 C on July 18, 2025, at the same time. Both programs will be available on Mnet Plus with global streaming options expected.

The show's innovative format represents Mnet's most ambitious survival project to date, combining the competitive elements that made the original Boys Planet successful with expanded global reach and cultural integration.