Origin and release year: South Korea (2024 – PROJECT 7)
MC: Lee Soo Hyuk
Panelists: Ryan Jhun, Lee Hae In, Ha Sung Woon, Bada Lee, RYUD
Guests/Special Directors: (G)I-DLE MiYeon, MAMAMOO Moon Byul, AB6IX Lee Dae Hwi, INFINITE Nam Woo Hyun, PENTAGON Hui, N.Flying Yoo Hwe Seung, Shin Youme
Warning! This article might contain spoilers!
Premiering on October 18th, 2024, PROJECT 7 is a high-stakes competition that invites 200 diverse contestants from around the globe to showcase their talent in hopes of forming a new K-pop boy group to be managed by a brand-new label created in partnership with SLL JoongAng, Studio Slam and YG Plus.
Other PROJECT 7 articles to check out: 13 Of The Most Anticipated “PROJECT 7” Survival Show Participants And Where You’ve Seen Them Before | “PROJECT 7” Episode 3 and 4 Recap | PROJECT 7 Episode 5 And 6 Recap | PROJECT 7 Episode 7 And 8 Recap | PROJECT 7 Episode 9 And 10 Recap
UPDATE; Here are the final 7 members of the “PROJECT 7” debut group called CLOSE YOUR EYES!
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The first two episodes waste no time raising the bar, as PROJECT 7 promises an intense and dramatic season to come. Ready to learn more? Let’s go!
“PROJECT 7” Episode 1 Recap: Zero Setting Round
The first episode plunges right into the action with the “Zero Setting” round. Setting the tone for the competition, this round allowed each contestant to showcase their unique talents and skills in front of a panel of judges.
Unlike usual competition shows where the contestants have to show off their skills in front of all their competitors, PROJECT 7 had performances held in rooms off to the side. Designed to be the ultimate test of stage presence and performance potential, the Zero Setting round presented a significant challenge: only half of the contestants would move onto the next stage, cutting the group down to a more manageable 100 participants and raising the stakes for those fighting to stay in the game.
The judging panel for PROJECT 7 brings together an impressive blend of industry veterans and popular K-pop figures. Alongside the primary judges— iconic K-Pop songwriter and producer Ryan Jhun, celebrated vocalist Lee Hae In, former Wanna One member and successful soloist Ha Sung Woon, famous choreographer and Korean dancer RYUD, and legendary dance queen Bada Lee— the first episode welcomed a variety of guest judges like Mi Yeon from (G)I-DLE, Moon Byul from MAMAMOO, and Lee Dae Hwi from AB6IX.
After an intense series of performances, 70 contestants secured their places with immediate passes. For the remaining contestants, however, the pressure was even greater, as they waited for a second assessment from the judges. Ultimately, 30 additional contestants earned spots in the next round, solidifying the lineup of 100 participants moving forward. At the end of the episode, they also announced the current contestant rankings based on viewer votes. Topping the list was Jeon Min Wook (better known as J-Min), a member of BAE173 and A SIX, known for his rap prowess and stage charisma. Other popular contestants included Sakurada Kenshi, who performed, with Fukuyama Sota, a cover of H.O.T./NCT DREAMʼs ‘Candy’, melting hearts with his cute charms, as well as former BDC member and Produce X 101 contestant Kim Si Hun, who instantly gave off pro-idol energy in his cover of NewJeansʼ ‘Supernatural’.
Next on the ranking was Thai-Korean model Kim Su Min, who went viral for his version of NewJeansʼ ‘Hype Boy’. Of course, we also have BOYS PLANETʼs Ma Jing Xiang who covered THE BOYZʼs ‘Maverick’ in a powerful performance that showed off his experience—as well as FANTASY BOYS‘ Kang Min Seo, who, along with fellow FANTASY BOYS member Lee Han Bin, covered BTSʼ ‘Save Me’, in a performance that was highly praised by fans for their stable vocals, despite the performance not making the broadcast.
The final contestant on this first ranking was Kang Hyun Woo, who drew attention for his impressive performance of ATEEZʼs “Wonderland.ˮ
“PROJECT 7” Episode 1 Review: Zero Setting Round
We thoroughly enjoyed the first episode of PROJECT 7! It was exciting to see the lineup of judges, especially with guest appearances from Mi Yeon of (G)I-DLE, Moon Byul of MAMAMOO, and Lee Dae Hwi of AB6IX. We were also really excited to see familiar trainees like BOY PLANET’s Ma Jing Xiang getting a second chance to shine. While some performances teetered on the edge of being iconically bad, thereʼs no doubt that there’s some serious talent among the contestants of PROJECT 7. Itʼs no surprise that K-pop fans are rallying around this survival show!
“PROJECT 7” Episode 1 Rankings
- Jeon Min Wook (BAE173’s J-Min)
- Sakurada Kenshi
- Kim Si Hun
- Kim Sung Min
- Ma Jing Xiang
- Kang Min Seo
- Kang Hyun Woo
“PROJECT 7” Episode 2 Recap: Center Battle
Onto the second episode of PROJECT 7, it’s time for the “Center Battle“! At the end of the first episode’s evaluations, the remaining 100 participants were divided into four skill-based ranks: Yellow is the S rank, Blue is the A rank, Pink is the B rank, and Grey is the C rank (with S being the highest rank and C being the lowest).
Now that their ranks were organized, the trainees were given their next challenge: the Center Battle. Designed to find the competitors who are best at commanding the stage and leading a group, the Center Battle had the 100 contestants tasked with splitting themselves into five large teams of 20 and then learning the choreography and lyrics to the title song.
Based on their team performances, the judges would then select the teams that will receive the best and worst stage positions for the theme song. These positions are crucial—a strong performance in a key position not only showcases a contestant’s skills but can also significantly impact their career trajectory and future opportunities (think about ZEROBASEONE Sung Han Bin and Zhang Hao‘s center performances in BOYS PLANETʼs title song). In short, it’s a big deal! First things first, the trainees needed to split themselves into five teams. The first team, known as P1, was led by Jeon Min Wook and included the strongest contestants, earning the nickname ‘the Avengers team’. Next, the P4 team was assembled by Sung Min, while P5 became the ‘foreigner’ group. As P3 found their groupmates, P2 formed the ‘dark horse’ team, mostly consisting of members from the lowest ‘C’ ranking. However, despite having low rankings, the ‘dark horse’ team ended up having good results by focusing on their strengths.
As the teams had to work together to get the choreography and singing ready, they faced a lot of challenges, from conflicting strategies to struggles with the song. For example, the foreigners had a lot of trouble with the pronunciation of the lyrics, while other trainees struggled with the choreography.
In the end, while being judged, some contestants definitely stood out, while others were critiqued for areas needing improvement. Although we have to wait for Episode 3 to see the updated rankings, it was already clear that Sakurada Kenshin had been chosen as the center for the signal song, titled ‘RUN (Up To You)’.
Ranking high in both of the first episodes, Sakurada Kenshin stands out as one of the most promising contestants and has quickly garnered a growing fanbase online, making him one of the most talkedabout trainees. We highly recommend checking out Sakurada Kenshin’s fan cam of the signal song—it’s definitely worth a watch!
Who are you rooting for after Episodes 1 & 2 of PROJECT 7? Do you agree with the rankings as they stand? Let us know in the comments!