I Sang-won and I Ri-o, both from the 'Big Hit debut team,' appeared on 'Boys Planet.'
On the 17th, the first broadcast of the Mnet survival program 'Boys Planet K' was held. In this 'Boys Planet,' participants are divided into two teams, Planet K and Planet C, and after fierce competition, only those who have proven their value can qualify for debut competition at 'Boys Planet.'
On this day, the first meeting of the Planet K participants was depicted. As participants gradually revealed themselves, the appearance of I Ri-o and I Sang-won from the group Grid began to stir the other participants. This was because I Ri-o and I Sang-won were members of the debut team 'Trainee A' presented by HYBE label Big Hit Music.
Big Hit Music unveiled the next boy group debut team under the name 'Trainee A' in 2021. At that time, they started promotions through YouTube and social media, but after halting all social media in September 2022, they officially announced the project termination in December, leading to the cancellation of their debut.
Given that, when I Ri-o and I Sang-won appeared, participants expressed their surprise, saying, "I was really watching the YouTube channel, and then you were suddenly gone. Where did you go?" and "When you appeared, I really got goosebumps. It felt like I was seeing a celebrity."
In the subsequent ranking decision battle, the two's stage garnered high expectations. The rankings are divided into All-Star, Two-Star, and One-Star, and participants receive ranks through team performances. However, those judged by the master to be unqualified will immediately be eliminated as 'No Star.'
When I Ri-o and I Sang-won took the stage, Lee Seok-hoon asked, "You have a long trainee history. Did you only train here?" and I Sang-won explained, "I was with Big Hit Music before that." Hyolyn expressed curiosity, asking, "What is Trainee A?" and I Ri-o explained, "It started with me and Sang-won, and we became the Trainee A debut team."
During the preliminary audition, the production team asked, "So, didn't you debut?" to which I Sang-won replied, "There were various circumstances, and I ended up leaving the agency, so I couldn't debut." He added, "To be honest, I didn't want to do it anymore. At that time, I was thinking of working part-time at a cafe and was in a period of contemplation. I really wanted to give up on being an idol and wanted to quit. I think it took me a long time, unexpectedly."
I Ri-o mentioned, "One day, I called Sang-won. I said, 'I'm going to go on 'Boys Planet'; let's debut together,'" which I Sang-won then recounted, "When Ri-o-hyung suggested that, I thought, 'He still wants to debut with me.' I feel like there's a lingering regret for not being able to work together as team members, and I think that applies to Ri-o-hyung as well. Once I felt like I had to do this, I wanted to put a period on it. I thought of it as my last chance and mustered my courage again."
Vocal master Lim Han-byeol noted, "I don't know if it's just me, but those two friends seem very gloomy and down. I think it might be because their trainee life has been so long. Being a trainee is not easy, is it? It's an uncertain wait. If a bird capable of flying high stays in a cage, it looks as though it won't be able to fly outside. It feels like being trapped. I sincerely hope they can shake off their frustration and sorrow today on this stage. Hang in there."
I Sang-won stated, "I was very nervous. Being an experienced trainee, I must show a better and cooler side, right?" Subsequently, the two performed ENHYPEN's 'No Doubt,' impressing everyone with their excellent skills. During this, I Sang-won's shoe came off, and an embarrassed I Sang-won reacted, saying, "Oh, no."
After the stage ended, Lee Seok-hoon laughed, saying, "It's the first time I've heard someone say 'Oh, no' in the middle of a performance," while an awkward I Sang-won knelt down. Lee Seok-hoon reassured him, saying, "It's okay. I can understand." He added, "We vocal masters were honestly very worried because no one appeared to sing the chorus. But then Ri-o came in. I was so pleased to hear him the moment I did. Sang-won is also doing really well. He has excellent vocal skills."
Dance master King Ki also praised, "There were a lot of compliments about the singing, but the dancing was great too. It was wonderful, and of course, it was due to Sang-won's mistake, but at the end, they made me burst into laughter, looking good while smiling. I hope they regain their smiles and enjoy the stage even more." Hyolyn also remarked, "I hope you show only the appearance of moving forward without any retreat from here."
I Ri-o and I Sang-won both received 'All-Star.' Taking advantage of the break, I Sang-won excellently completed the performance of Seo Taiji and Boys' 'Come Back Home,' which he had prepared for additional testing, stating, "I want to do it again. I want to relive this moment, and my shoes flew off and I made a slip of the tongue... I'm not usually someone who curses a lot, so I'm grateful that everyone passed over it nicely. I'll have to work hard."
Meanwhile, during the live voting revealed at the end of the broadcast, I Sang-won ranked first, while I Ri-o came in fifth, highlighting their popularity. However, in the preview for next week, there was a scene showing I Sang-won experiencing pitch issues during the second ranking decision signal song test, along with vocal master Baek Kooyoung's remark, "Why did we send him as an All-Star?" and an on-screen notification of 'I Sang-won rank pending,' drawing attention. In response, I Sang-won expressed, "I find myself quite annoying..." and lowered his head, furthering curiosity.
[Photo] Mnet
[OSEN]