Lee Chen, a contestant on ‘Boys II Planet’, recently ranked last (80th) in the C-Planet segment of the survival show—but despite the number, his appearance has sparked a wave of online support and vote encouragement. As it became widely known once again that he is a descendant of the Korean independence hero Ahn Jung Geun, many viewers have taken to social media to rally behind him.
On the July 31 episode of ‘Boys II Planet’, the final rankings of the first and second level evaluations were revealed. Among 80 contestants in C-Planet, Lee Chen was placed at 80th. However, viewers pointed out that the rankings were not based on fan votes but on in-show metrics. In fact, several netizens claimed that his actual vote rank was much higher, reportedly around 21st.
Lee Chen had previously introduced his family history on JTBC’s ‘Project 7’, where he explained, “My great-great-grandfather is Ahn Myung Geun, who was the cousin of Ahn Jung Geun and also fought for Korea’s independence.” His grandmother is Ahn Ki Jin, granddaughter of Ahn Myung Geun.
Following the broadcast, online communities saw an outpouring of discussion. Many users argued that Lee Chen’s singing and dancing skills do not reflect an 80th-place ranking. One user wrote, “Even without the Ahn Jung Geun background, Lee Chen doesn’t belong in last place.” Others criticized the disparity in rankings, pointing out the top-ranked contestant Yumeki seemed to benefit from viral popularity rather than objective evaluation.
Despite the drop in on-air rankings, many users pledged to vote for Lee Chen, sharing screenshots of their voting confirmations. Some also expressed regret that previous promises to vote for him during ‘Project 7’ may not have been fulfilled, leading to his elimination at the time.
A user remarked, “He should debut this time. He’s getting older, and while he made mistakes in ‘Project 7,’ he seems to have matured.” Another added, “Big companies would be lucky to have him. He’s got actor visuals, and being the descendant of a freedom fighter is far better than coming from a wealthy background.”
Ahn Jung Geun (1879–1910) is one of Korea’s most respected independence activists, known for assassinating Itō Hirobumi, the Japanese Resident-General of Korea, in 1909. He is remembered as a national hero and a symbol of justice and resistance.
Meanwhile, ‘Boys II Planet’ is a global audition program where contestants from Korea (K-Planet) and overseas (C-Planet) compete to debut in a multinational boy group. The most recent episode featured a 1-on-1 level battle between the remaining participants.
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