Korea, China and Japan audition ‘Girls Planet 999’

“Erase the shadow of ‘Produce 101’.” This is a task that CJ ENM music channel Mnet’s new idol audition program ‘Girls Planet 999: Girls’ War’, which is about to air its first broadcast, is facing. ‘Girls Planet 999’ is a program that depicts the process of 99 participants from three countries, Korea, China, and Japan competing to be selected as project girl group members. It is a format similar to the ‘Produce 101’ (hereinafter ‘Produce’) series that Mnet introduced four times from 2016 to 2019. ‘Girls Planet 999’ is drawing attention as the first idol audition that Mnet presents after the ‘Produce’ series was closed due to a ranking manipulation case. Although ‘I-Land’, which selected members of the boy group ENHYPEN last year, was introduced, it was different from the ‘Produce’ series because only trainees from the Belief Lab, which was established with HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), appeared in their own audition. In addition to the ‘Produce’ series, it was revealed that there was a ranking manipulation by the production team in Mnet’s other idol audition ‘Idol School’. 
Mnet, which is launching an idol audition for the first time in over two years, has won the game by allowing participants from three countries, Korea, China, and Japan to appear at the same time. How different the program is from the ‘Produce’ series is also the key to success or failure. A representative of agency A, who sent the singer to ‘Girls Planet’, said, “It’s a large-scale idol audition that has been going on for a long time, so we decided that it would have a topical and ripple effect, although not as much as the ‘Produce’ series.” However, he said, “The format is not very different from ‘Produce’, so I am worried that it will continue to be entangled with negative issues related to ‘Produce’ after the broadcast.” 
It has the advantage of being able to target China, a huge market, but it can also cause risks related to historical issues. Recently, Chinese idol singers who are active in the K-pop market have been the subject of controversy by posting SNS posts representing the Chinese government’s position. Even before ‘Girls Planet 999’ aired, some Chinese participants were known to have posted posts in support of anti-US aid on social media, causing noise. If a related problem grows or another controversy arises after the broadcast begins, a blow is inevitable. The CEO of agency B, who sent trainees to the program, said, “I thought there was a fresh charm in the fact that participants from three countries, Korea, China, and Japan were together. I think it will be important how well Mnet responds to history-related controversies.”

Source: starin.edaily.co.kr