Before we get going with the dreaded Signal Song competition, we’ve got a few more introductory performances to get through.
We’re back with the second episode of the “Planet C” half of this season. Technically, though, it’s episode four of the season. Confusing? Of course!
PREVIOUS RECAPS: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three
Introductory Performance Highlights and Lowlights
Boys Planet Team
This is a team of trainees who were eliminated in the first season of Boys Planet. I don’t remember any of them, but that’s not saying much since that season was an entire two years ago. One guy has also committed the cardinal K-pop sin of “being old.” The performance itself was pretty meh.
Dang Hong Hai
This is another trainee from last season that I can’t remember at all. He’s pretty charming and I salute his use of razzle dazzle props, but I don’t see him going too far.
Boy Story
Here’s the group the producers have been hyping up – a JYP C-Pop act I’ve never been able to get into. Most of the songs I’ve sampled have been quite bad so I can’t say I’ve got a ton of anticipation for their stage. However, bad material doesn’t mean the actual performers are bad. They’re definitely more polished than most of the other groups and should be given a shot at redemption. I don’t know how big their fan base is, though.
This Season’s Dual Format
Running these dual Planet K and Planet C episodes is so weird because they’re even more repetitive than normal. Seriously… we have to hear them explain the signal song stage twice? Introduce the signal song twice? Go over all the rules and norms of the show twice?? Instant fast forward.
(At least Planet C’s outfits are a bit nicer looking than Planet K’s)
Trials And Tribulations
We get the usual behind-the-scenes of the guys’ rehearsals for the signal song. Some of the more “wild” trainees are chastised for being too free spirited and not listening to directions. Given the way the K-pop industry works, this makes sense. And though “free spirit” can easily cross over to “rude,” it also tends to be a quality that makes for interesting artists and interesting art. Not that this show is about art…
The deadpan “sexy” guy is back and I’m honestly starting to find his shtick pretty funny. His singing’s awful, though. I mean, the vocal teachers need some baseline of talent to start out with, right?
This shouldn’t be a controversial question to ask, but why are there even contestants at this stage of the show who are legitimately tone deaf? There are… a lot of them this year.
Zhang Hao Makes A Visit
He did not bring delicious tanghulu with him. Advantage: Hanbin.
Signal Song Test, Part Deux
You’ll have to go elsewhere for detailed analysis of these individual tests. Like last week, I just can’t put myself through hearing the same fifteen seconds of this song over and over again (often sung completely out of key). It’s bad. However, there were many flips and gimmicks and “Mr. Sexy” actually did pretty well all things considered.
In the end, the killing part/center of the Planet C signal song went to Zhou An Xin after a vote from the judges and trainees. Then, we had a tearful elimination as a bunch of the trainees were sent home. Fear not. “Mr. Sexy” is safe for now. Gird your loins, I guess.
We’re back to one episode starting this week, thank goodness. However, my recap will be delayed because I’ll be traveling over the weekend and I will not be watching this crap on the plane.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
i didnt know reading bitchy reviews would be this fun until this series
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Haha it’s the only way I can do it for this series! You all have to suffer along with me, though my suffering lasts hours longer each week 😭
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You’re a hero. I skipped the entire signal song segment on both episodes, it’s just not interesting to watch.
And is the signal song even important anymore? Isn’t it time to retire that for something else? It’s not like the final signal song video gets tens of millions of views like in the past.
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Psst you spelled Zhang Hao’s name wrong ;(
I was shocked by the sheer amount of trainees they eliminated in this episode. Wasn’t it like, more than half of the group? What was the point of all that?
The elimination criteria are remarkably unclear and this part of the show really had no stakes… like, they expect you to care about trainees going up one level or down one level and then half of them get eliminated anyway, after a deliberation process that we don’t get to see even a little bit of.
They keep saying that it’s based on votes from “star creators” which apparently means it’s based on fancam views from weeks ago, when we did not know anything about these trainees and had no reason to watch their individual fancams (for like 160 participants???), as opposed to how we feel about them NOW. it’s crazy that they’re eliminating trainees who are in the top rankings currently based on fancam metrics from like a month ago.
I’m very eager for the groups to merge next week. The signal song test is always the least interesting part of any one of these shows and they’ve truly shot this show’s momentum in the foot by making it twice as long. I have no idea what the hell is going on with the Chinese company or whatever, but it all seems like a mess. Hopefully the show pulls it together when we get to the actual interesting part (i.e performances with a live audience) but thus far I have to say it really doesn’t live up to the first season at all.
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Argh! I swear I know that spelling 😅
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then we got krystian wang, who after being eliminated decided to reveal his boyfriend and shade mnet lol
xuan hao then joined an omegaverse bl drama
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According to the eliminated trainees Zhang Hao brought doughnuts!
These first 2/4 episodes have been such a mess with multiple scandals, questionable judging, confusing elimination criteria, prison dorms, ugly uniforms, Jaejoong’s sizeist comment…it can only go up from here.
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Actually Zhang Hao brought donuts and coffee for the boys with his own money! The eliminated trainees already confirmed this on their lives. Hanbin’s tanghulu was sponsored so it was shown on the episode. Just sharing bc that has been a source of fanwar between akgaes in the fandom.
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Oh gosh it is so not serious enough for a fanwar 😭
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Yes seems like the fans are sensitive in those stuff. Btw have you watched the Be Mine auditions for both K grp and C grp? I think their auditions are among the strongest auditions in the show esp Drippin’s but I wonder why Mnet didn’t air even a single one of them? And LOUD/Pre-Kickflip’s Yoon Min also did well in his but his audition was also not aired.
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everything is a dick-measuring contest between those two fandoms unfortunately
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Oh I was about ready to defend teenage kids with changing voices but then a quick googled subreddit forum informed me that the average age is 19-20-21-22, at which age they really should know how to sing a fifth down viz G#4 to C#4 for SO LAR which repeats how many times in the song? A lot. If they can’t nail that, yeah, what.
As for the high note C#5 , they are essentially trying to pick out the high tenors who are usually given the position known as “Lead Vocal”. It’s high but not that high. A tenor should be able to hit a C#5. Someone in this competition has to hit it. anyone … anyone …. …. …. no one? They are all doomed.
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