Mnet is facing backlash after a controversial claim about Lee Sangwon on the latest episode of BOYS II PLANET. Fans erupted in anger over Mnet Plus’s assertion that Lee is “the only participant who never missed Rank 1 in the history of survivals.”
This claim was made during the announcement of the final 16 contestants, just before the highly anticipated live finale. Lee Sangwon, a former member of BIG HIT Music’s defunct group Trainee A, reclaimed the top spot with a staggering 8,287,830 votes in the fourth global voting.
Fans quickly pointed out that this statement disregarded ITZY’s Ryujin, who achieved the same feat on the 2017 survival show MIXNINE. Many argued Mnet had “erased the history” of her accomplishment.
“the only participant who never missed rank 1 in history of survivals” exactly
— (@gongirenie)
Before debuting, Ryujin continuously ranked first in all seven interim rankings, leading to discussions on social media about respecting her legacy.
Criticism didn’t stop there; fans also noted that TO1’s J.You consistently held first place in World Klass in 2019. The backlash further extended to survival shows across platforms, including iQIYI’s Idol Producer, where Cai Xukun also dominated rankings.
As the countdown to the BOYS II PLANET finale continues, questions loom over whether Lee Sangwon can maintain his first-place title. This situation mirrors the previous iteration of BOYS PLANET, where ZEROBASEONE’s Hanbin, despite ranking first throughout, lost the top spot in the final rankings.
Fans are closely monitoring Mnet’s next moves as the controversy unfolds.
