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With the live broadcast of Mnet Boys II Planet (‘Boys Planet’) drawing near, supporters are increasing their efforts to help their favored trainees make it to the debut. The extent of independently organized events, which provide cash or gift cards in return for voting confirmations, is astonishing.

On the 25th, many messages regarding the ‘Boys Planet’ final event were posted on online forums. Most mentioned sharing evidence of voting for their favorite trainee during the live stream, where the debut members will be determined, in order to win rewards.

Even though these events are arranged via fan donations, they amount to hundreds of millions of Korean won. The biggest event is for Grid Entertainment’s trainee Lee Rio, estimated to be around 250 million Korean won. It features tickets to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix final, flight expenses, and hotel stays.

Lee Sang-won, who secured the top position in the previous ranking event, will be awarded a total of 130 million South Korean won in cash prizes. During the live stream, 1,000 voters who support Lee Sang-won will each receive 50,000 South Korean won, 100 individuals will get 100,000 South Korean won, 10 people will be given 1 million South Korean won, and one person will win 10 million South Korean won. Furthermore, the first 5,000 voters who confirm their vote will receive a 10,000 South Korean won Baedal Minjok gift card.

Other fan groups have organized similar activities. For Kim Gun-woo, the first 2,000 individuals who confirm their vote will be given a Naver Pay voucher worth 10,000 Korean won, while the following 8,000 voters will receive a 5,000 Korean won voucher. Additionally, seven randomly selected participants will win 1 million Korean won in cash.

Other posts feature: “Choose Kim Joon-seo and win prizes worth more than 100 million South Korean won,” “If Park Dong-gyu is chosen, AirPods will be given on a first-come, first-served basis,” “Join Yoo Kang-min’s live broadcast event and win Korean Air tickets,” “Select Yumei and claim the prizes,” and “If you choose Kim Joon-min, the ‘prize hotspot,’ 11,111 prizes are available.”

The only reason fans gather funds for these events is to help their favorite trainee make a debut. In Mnet’s audition shows, the final live broadcast vote has traditionally played the biggest role in determining who gets to debut. However, this season, the differences in votes among trainees are unusually small, making it hard to know who will ultimately debut. The increased tension—where any trainee could be eliminated at any moment—has led to more intense fundraising and competition among events.

At first, the debut group was announced to consist of eight members. However, during the production presentation, Kim Shin-young CP mentioned, “There are many talented participants, so the final number might be determined during the broadcast. The precise number of debut members could be disclosed through the show.” As the exact number remains uncertain until the live broadcast, fans’ competition to secure their preferred trainees in the debut team is anticipated to become more intense.

◇Forbes Highlights Audition Program

In the meantime, Mnet Boys II Planet, which debuted in July, included 160 contestants—the highest number ever seen in a survival show—vying for a chance to debut. The program’s main viewership consisted of females between the ages of 10 and 20, achieving a peak rating of 2.4%, securing the top position in its time slot across all channels, including over-the-air networks, on multiple occasions. Additionally, it remained at the top of the TV-OTT non-drama buzz index for nine straight weeks, as reported by Good Data Corporation’s Fundex.

International media organizations have continuously reported on the show, demonstrating its worldwide popularity. Prominent Chinese platforms such as Sina News, Sohu Entertainment, Tencent, and Phoenix Media, as well as Japan’s Oricon and Natalie, have covered it. Additionally, Forbes, an American financial publication, has recognized the program.