Mnet collaborates with Big Hit Entertainment’s fan community platform Weverse to launch a new trainee survival program, Girls Planet 999 걸스 플래닛 999. A program that put together 99 trainees from 3 different countries, South Korea, Japan, and China, aims to debut 9 members at the end of October 2021.

This is unlike the past survival programs (the produce series), Weverse is a platform that allows international fans to vote for their bias.

Premiere on 6 August 2021, here are some of the trainees that really caught my attention with their striking performance on the first episode. Starting with an overall good performance that I really enjoy and will re-watch.

#1 Crazy by K-Group, Monster Baby

The magnaes (youngest) on the planet from the K team. All four of them are so powerful and match so well for the powerful song that contrasts with their image.

Trainees including Kim Sein, Kang Ye Seo, Lee Chae Yun, and Guinn Myah

#2 DUMDi DUMDi by J-Group, December girl

Trainees Sakamoto Mashiro and Hiyajo Nagomi challenge G(I)-DLE’s DUMBi DUMBi.

Some facts, Sakamoto Mashiro was a trainee from JYP and trained with ITZY before they made their debut. She came back to Korea motivated and wanting to try again after seeing ITZY debut.

#3 Kick It – by K-Group, Hot~Sauce

Definitely, some NCT stan here, giving their team name as Hot Sauce and dancing to Kick it. Trainees Seo Young Eun and Yoon Ji A really give us a really strong and powerful male group dance.

#4 Boombayah- by J-Group, Burn Crash

Trainees including the no.1 of J-Group Ezaki Hikaru, as well as Nonaka Shana, Kamikura Rei, and Kamimoto Kotone.

#5 Black Mamba – by K-Group, Cuties

Trainees including a popular ex-SM Trainee Kim Chaehyun, as well as An Jeong Min and Choi Ye Young

Of course, there are trainees that shine from their group performance but that does not mean the overall performance is good. So are some individual trainees within groups that I want to pull out because they did really well.

• J-Group, Kawaguchi Yurina that sang Twice’s Fancy with the Crystal Girls
• C-Group, Shen Xiaoting that sang Produce 48’s Rumor with Visual Killer.

This list is only from the performance that was aired in Episode 1 of Girls Planet 999, definitely looking for more solid performances next week.

Personal thought that South Korea especially Mnet bring back another idol trainee survival program after the produce series vote manipulation case is really brave. Let me know your thoughts as well!