Girls Planet 999 () is a 2021 South Korean reality competition show created by Mnet. It premiered on August 6, 2021, and was originally broadcast every Friday at 8:20 PM KST for the first eleven episodes until its finale on October 22, which was broadcast live at 8 PM KST. It was aired on the Mnet channel, IQIYI, AbemaTV, tvN Asia, or YouTube depending on the viewer's region.
A production by Mnet's parent company CJ E&M and its subsidiary Studio Take One, as well as in collaboration with game developer and publisher NCSoft, the aim of the competition was to debut a new 9-member K-pop girl group consisting of trainees and idols from China, Japan, and South Korea. Auditions for the competition were held from January to February 2021.
Out of 13,000 applicants, 99 final contestants were selected. These 99 contestants were split equally into three groups; the -Group, -Group and the -Group.
In the finale on October 22, 2021, which was broadcast live, the show announced the final 9 members who would debut as Kep1er.
A second season named Boys Planet featured an all male contestants premiered on February 2, 2023 featuring male trainees and idols.
Concept and format The "planet" theme of the show was derived from a new collaboration between Mnet and NCSoft's new platform called Universe which is centered around K-pop. It allowed votes from other countries outside of the participating three, and also hosted other promotional content for the show.
The show initially grouped the girls into groups of 3 which were called "cells." An entire cell of girls could be eliminated all at once, hence increasing the risk of elimination. To counteract this, the "Planet Top 9" is introduced. Contestants who are selected or voted to be the Planet Top 9 (designated P1 to P9) can reorganize cells to try and lower the chances of elimination. Cells were disbanded after the first elimination round. At the end of the competition, the top 9 most-voted contestants debuted regardless of nationality.
Promotion and broadcast
The show, as well as its auditions, was first announced on January 11, 2021, through Mnet. Yeo Jin-goo was announced as the show's presenter on June 8, followed by the reveal of the mentors and the name of the show's opening theme later that same month. More promotional clips from the show were broadcast that month on Mnet.
The show's premiere date of August 6, 2021, was confirmed through a teaser video released on July 6, 2021. Another teaser video showcasing the faces of the 99 contestants was released on July 8, along with a promotional poster.
The theme song, "O.O.O (Over&Over&Over)," was released on July 12, 2021, accompanied by a performance by the Korean group with Kim Dayeon as Center. Another version of the performance featuring the Chinese group was released on July 14 with Shen Xiaoting as Center. The Japanese group's version was released on July 16 with Hikaru Ezaki as Center. The full version containing all three groups was released on July 29 during M Countdown, preceded by the contestants' profiles which were released from July 17 to 19 at 10 AM KST for each group. More teasers were released in July and August 2021 leading up to the show's premiere.
The show was available through Mnet in South Korea, iQIYI in China, AbemaTV and Mnet Japan in Japan, tvN Asia in Southeast Asia, and YouTube in the rest of the world through Mnet's YouTube channel, Mnet K-POP.
Cast The series was presented by Yeo Jin-goo, dubbed as the "Planet Master." The rest of the mentors, also dubbed as "masters," were: K-Pop Masters: Lee Sun-mi Tiffany Young Dance Masters: Baek Koo-young Jang Juhee Vocal Masters: Lim Han-byul Jo A-young Rap Master (Episodes 6–7): Woo Won-jae
Contestants
There was a total of 99 contestants participating in the competition. 33 were Korean, and 33 consisted of Chinese, Taiwanese and Hongkongers, and the last 33 were Japanese.
The English names of K-Group and C-Group contestants are presented in Eastern order in accordance with the official website while J-Group contestants' names are presented in Western order.
Color key (In order of contestant's group rank on the show) Final members of Kep1er Contestants eliminated in the final episode Contestants eliminated in the third elimination round Contestants eliminated in the second elimination round Contestants eliminated in the first elimination round Contestants that left the show
99 contestants K-Group Kim Chae-hyun () Huening Bahiyyih () Choi Yu-jin () Kim Da-yeon () Seo Young-eun () Kang Ye-seo () Kim Su-yeon () Guinn Myah () Kim Bo-ra () Kim Do-ah () Yoon Ji-a () Jeong Ji-yoon () An Jeong-min () Lee Hye-won () Kim Hye-rim () Huh Ji-won () Choi Ye-young () Lee Chae-yun () You Da-yeon () Kim Se-in () Sim Seung-eun () Lee Yeon-gyung () Lee Ra-yeon () Lee Sun-woo () Kim Ye-eun () Lee Yun-ji () Choi Hye-rin () Ryu Si-on () Suh Ji-min () Joung Min () Kim Yu-bin () Cho Ha-eun () Han Da-na () C-Group Shen Xiaoting (沈小婷) Fu Yaning (符雅凝) Su Ruiqi (苏芮琪) Wen Zhe (文哲) Huang Xingqiao (黄星侨) Chen Hsinwei (陳昕葳) Zhou Xinyu (周心语) Cai Bing (蔡冰) Xu Ziyin (徐紫茵) Liang Jiao (梁娇) Li Yiman (李伊蔓) Yang Zige (杨梓格) Wang Yale (王雅乐) Zhang Luofei (张洛菲) Hsu Nientzu (許念慈) Chiayi (家儀) Wu Tammy (吴甜蜜) Leung Cheukying (梁卓瀅) Xia Yan (夏研) Liang Qiao (梁乔) Xu Ruowei (徐若惟) Gu Yizhou (顾逸舟) Chang Ching (張競) Ma Yuling (马玉灵) Lin Chenhan (林辰涵) Cui Wenmeixiu (崔文美秀) Chien Tzuling (簡紫翎) Ho Szeching (何思澄) Poon Wingchi (潘穎芝) Lin Shuyun (林書蘊) Liu Shiqi (刘诗琦) Wang Qiuru (王秋茹) Liu Yuhan (刘钰涵) J-Group
Ranking
Planet Top 9 The Planet Top 9 was either selected by the mentors (Episode 2) or voted by viewers of the show; those selected to be the Planet Top 9 in Episode 2 were given the ability to reshuffle and organize cells.
Color key: New Planet Top 9 Returned to Planet Top 9 # 2 5 8 9 11 Special Live 12 Contestant Contestant Contestant Contestant Contestant Contestant Contestant P1 Hikaru Ezaki Yurina Kawaguchi Shen Xiaoting(1) Shen Xiaoting() Shen Xiaoting() Kim Chaehyun(10) Kim Chaehyun() P2 Kang Yeseo Shen Xiaoting(1) Yurina Kawaguchi(1) Kim Dayeon(8) Kim Dayeon() Choi Yujin(3) Huening Bahiyyih(3) P3 Shen Xiaoting Hikaru Ezaki(2) Mashiro Sakamoto(2) Hikaru Ezaki(1) Mashiro Sakamoto(1) Kim Dayeon(1) Choi Yujin(1) P4 Su Ruiqi Choi Yujin(3) Hikaru Ezaki(1) Mashiro Sakamoto(1) Hikaru Ezaki(1) Seo Youngeun(5) Kim Dayeon(1) P5 Jeong Jiyoon Mashiro Sakamoto Choi Yujin(1) Yurina Kawaguchi(3) Choi Yujin(1) Huening Bahiyyih(8) Seo Youngeun(1) P6 Seo Youngeun Su Ruiqi(2) Su Ruiqi() Choi Yujin(1) Yurina Kawaguchi(1) Kang Yeseo(6) Kang Yeseo() P7 Choi Yujin Cai Bing(1) Huang Xingqiao Su Ruiqi(1) Shana Nonaka(2) Kim Suyeon(10) Hikaru Ezaki(5) P8 Cai Bing Kang Yeseo(6) Cai Bing(1) Kim Chaehyun(1) Fu Yaning(2) Guinn Myah(17) Mashiro Sakamoto(6) P9 Ayana Kuwahara Kim Chaehyun Kim Chaehyun() Shana Nonaka(2) Seo Youngeun(3) Su Ruiqi(1) Shen Xiaoting(7)
Planet Pass Planet Pass was a vote by the mentors, in which eliminated contestants could be brought back to the show.
The first two elimination rounds included a Planet Pass for one eliminated contestant from each group. The third elimination round included only one Planet Pass which could go to any eliminated contestant regardless of group. 5 8 11 Ruan Ikema Kotone Kamimoto Guinn Myah Wen Zhe Zhou Xinyu Kim Hyerim Kim Suyeon
First voting period The first voting period took place from August 13, 2021, to August 28, 2021.
Voters (viewers and mentors) voted for three cells, as well as three girls of each group.
Eliminations were based on cell points, while the Planet Top 9 was based on individual points.
Color key: Planet Top 9 + Cell Rank Rank Episode 3 Episode 5 Cell Members Points Cell Members Points K C J K C J 1 Choi Yujin Cai Bing May 1,328,882 Choi Yujin Cai Bing May 2,929,629 2 Seo Youngeun Shen Xiaoting Yurina Kawaguchi 1,176,035 Seo Youngeun Shen Xiaoting Yurina Kawaguchi 2,649,735 3 Jeong Jiyoon Su Ruiqi Hikaru Ezaki 1,065,592 Jeong Jiyoon Su Ruiqi Hikaru Ezaki 2,048,599 4 Kang Yeseo Huang Xingqiao Mashiro Sakamoto 843,274 Kang Yeseo Huang Xingqiao Mashiro Sakamoto 1,912,854 5 Huening Bahiyyih Hsu Nientzu Shihona Sakamoto 534,755 Kim Chaehyun Li Yiman Ayana Kuwahara 1,153,957 6 Kim Doah Xu Ziyin Risako Arai 502,682 Kim Doah Xu Ziyin Risako Arai 1,134,128 7 Kim Chaehyun Li Yiman Ayana Kuwahara 351,067 Huening Bahiyyih Hsu Nientzu Shihona Sakamoto 1,025,869 8 Kim Suyeon Fu Yaning Shana Nonaka 286,390 Kim Suyeon Fu Yaning Shana Nonaka 640,747 9 Kim Dayeon Wu Tammy Miu Sakurai 223,105 Kim Dayeon Wu Tammy Miu Sakurai 589,272 10 Choi Yeyoung Chen Hsinwei Reina Kubo 209,637 Choi Yeyoung Chen Hsinwei Kubo Reina 490,970 11 Lee Chaeyun Leung Cheukying Ririka Kishida 183,342 Guinn Myah Yang Zige Kotone Kamimoto 485,596 12 An Jeongmin Wang Yale Ayaka Fujimoto 156,942 Huh Jiwon Chiayi Moana Yamauchi 467,491 13 Huh Jiwon Chiayi Moana Yamauchi 156,595 Lee Chaeyun Leung Cheukying Ririka Kishida 431,400 14 Lee Hyewon Liang Jiao Manami Nagai 148,979 Lee Hyewon Liang Jiao Manami Nagai 419,671 15 You Dayeon Xu Ruowei Rei Kamikura 122,428 An Jeongmin Wang Yale Ayaka Fujimoto 392,201 16 Guinn Myah Yang Zige Kotone Kamimoto 117,496 Kim Bora Zhang Luofei Hana Hayase 383,678 17 Kim Sein Wen Zhe Momoko Okazaki 110,687 Yoon Jia Zhou Xinyu Moka Shima 370,017 – colspan="4" Kim Hyerim Wen Zhe Ruan Ikema Planet Pass Results from 1st Global vote where viewers chose 3 contestants each vote. Benefits are included. Episode 5 - Planet Top 9#NamePointsGroupTotalKoreanGlobalP1Kawaguchi Yurina4,446,387342,1191,816,746JP2Shen Xiaoting3,919,277298,2121,620,685CP3Hikaru Ezaki3,138,429208,6761,471,455JP4Choi Yujin3,119,661218,2071,400,513KP5Sakamoto Mashiro2,784,657180,4741,322,567JP6Su Ruiqi2,598,795124,8361,494,945CP7Cai Bing2,361,224168,8871,038,526CP8Kang Yeseo1,744,198128,658744,635KP9Kim Chaehyun1,704,528142,258632,422K
Second voting period The second voting period took place from September 3, 2021, to September 18, 2021.
Voters voted for three contestants of each group.
Eliminations were based on individual points within K-Group, C-Group and J-Group.
Color key: Planet Top 9 Left the show
+ Surviving Contestants (by group) Rank Episode 8 K C J Name Points Name Points Name Points 1 Choi Yujin (–) 3,173,040 Shen Xiaoting (–) 5,517,873 Yurina Kawaguchi (–) 4,661,720 2 Kim Chaehyun (↑1) 2,665,915 Su Ruiqi (–) 2,912,831 Mashiro Sakamoto (↑1) 4,578,784 3 Kim Dayeon (↑4) 2,614,923 Huang Xingqiao (↑1) 2,816,654 Hikaru Ezaki (↓1) 4,176,316 4 Kang Yeseo (↓2) 2,475,538 Cai Bing (↓1) 2,682,114 Shana Nonaka (↑2) 2,563,703 5 Seo Youngeun (↓1) 2,015,176 Wen Zhe (↑6) 2,197,276 Manami Nagai (↑2) 2,363,513 6 Guinn Myah (↑3) 1,803,320 Chen Hsinwei (↓1) 1,751,753 Ririka Kishida (↓1) 2,221,061 7 Kim Bora (↑5) 1,662,629 Fu Yaning (–) 1,658,939 Ruan Ikema (↑7) 1,729,825 8 Huening Bahiyyih (↓2) 1,503,092 Xu Ziyin (↓2) 1,637,433 May (↓4) 1,696,554 – Kim Suyeon Planet Pass Zhou Xinyu Planet Pass Kotone Kamimoto Planet Pass + Planet Rank (Surviving Contestants) Episode 8 # Name Points # Name Points # Name Points P1 Shen Xiaoting 5,517,873 P10 Kim Dayeon 2,614,923 P19 Ruan Ikema 1,729,825 P2 Yurina Kawaguchi 4,661,720 P11 Shana Nonaka 2,563,703 P20 May 1,696,554 P3 Mashiro Sakamoto 4,578,784 P12 Kang Yeseo 2,475,538 P21 Kim Bora 1,662,629 P4 Hikaru Ezaki 4,176,316 P13 Manami Nagai 2,363,513 P22 Fu Yaning 1,658,939 P5 Choi Yujin 3,173,040 P14 Ririka Kishida 2,221,061 P23 Xu Ziyin 1,637,433 P6 Su Ruiqi 2,912,831 P15 Wen Zhe 2,197,276 P24 Huening Bahiyyih 1,503,092 P7 Huang Xingqiao 2,816,654 P16 Seo Youngeun 2,015,176 – Kotone Kamimoto Planet Pass P8 Cai Bing 2,682,114 P17 Guinn Myah 1,803,320 Zhou Xinyu P9 Kim Chaehyun 2,665,915 P18 Chen Hsinwei 1,751,753 Kim Suyeon
Third voting period The third voting period took place from September 24, 2021, to October 9, 2021. Voters could only vote for one contestant from each group.
Eliminations were based on individual votes regardless of group.