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 1 And 2 Recap | PROJECT 7 Episode 3 And 4 Recap | PROJECT 7 Episode 5 And 6 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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K-pop survival shows thrive on heart-pounding drama, fierce competition, and jaw-dropping performances, and PROJECT 7 is no exception. Brand-new episodes, 7 and 8, are about to turn the heat up even more as we finally find out the results of the last mission and the show’s second elimination round, which will cut the group of trainees down to only 35.
Whether you love it or find yourself yelling at the screen, one thing is for sure: this is survival show chaos at its peak. Ready to dive into the highs, lows, and unexpected turns of these two new and surprising episodes? Let’s get started!
“PROJECT 7” Episode 7 Recap
Rival Match Results
After the “Rival Match” mission, it’s finally time to get the results. The stakes can’t be higher, especially as it was also announced that only half of the trainees will be staying after the next episode’s elimination!
As for the “Rival Match” results, after the A1 White Team’s performance of RIIZE‘s ‘Boom Boom Bass’, leader Kwon Yong Hyun scored highest with 75 points, followed closely by the performance’s center, Yoo Ji An, with 65 points. On the other hand, the Black Team’s performance of ‘Memories’ saw leader Kim Joo Hyun earn 107 points, beating Lee Geon Woo‘s 68 points as Geon Woo came in second.
As for A2, in the White Team’s performance of MONSTA X‘s ‘Jealousy’, Sakurada Kenshin stole the spotlight, earning 100 points, barely beating center Kim Hyun Woo (Muzin of BAE173)’s 98 points. Meanwhile, the Black Team’s performance of ‘GAMBLER’ had center Ma Jing Xiang win first place with 98 points, over double the amount of points earned by Woo Ha Jun, who came in second with 44 points.
On to A3, center Park Jun Seo (of BAE173) scored the highest after the Black Team’s performance of Stray Kids‘ ‘CASE 134’ with 46 points, followed by leader Kim Si Hun. As for the White Team, center and leader Jeon Min Wook (BAE17’s J-Min) won first place with a whopping 101 points, with Seo Kyung Bae coming in second with 73 points.
Next, in A4, Yoo Young Seo got the highest point count of the whole mission, scoring 157 points after the White Team’s performance of NCT‘s ‘Make A Wish (Birthday Song)’. Nam Ji Woon came in second with 81 points. Meanwhile, the Black Team’s performance of ‘TOUCH’ saw Oh Tae Hwan and Kim Tae Yu come in first and second.
Finally, onto A5, in the Black Team, Lee Ji Hun came in first with 100 points after their performance of TXT‘s ‘Deja Vu’—while Kim Jun Woo scored an impressive 134 points after the White Team’s ‘I’ll See You There Tomorrow’ stage!
Overall, it was a close competition with each team showing off their unique talents and earning impressive scores; however, the trainees couldn’t let their guard down yet because it was time for the dreaded second elimination.
“PROJECT 7” Episode 8 Recap
Second Elimination Results
But before the goodbyes, let’s first say hello to the brand new “Top 7.” In the last rankings, Sakurada Kenshin had claimed the top spot, but now, in these most recent rankings, Jeon Min Wook has climbed back up to number 1 again. It feels like the two of them are just trading places at this point! Seo Kyung Bae has managed to hold onto his third-place ranking; meanwhile, Jung Yeo Jun, Song Seung Ho, Kim Seong Min, and Ma Jing Xiang round out the rankings, kicking Nam Ji Woon back out of the “Top 7” as he becomes rank 8, followed by Kim Si Hun, Ahn Jun Won, and Bing Hua in ranks 9, 10, and 11. However, of course, the elimination also means that several trainees were sent home.
Among those eliminated were Korean-Spanish Yonsei University student Baek Ji Ho, Thai contestants Petch, Aom, and Santa, as well as Ukrainian trainee Sviat, who received a lot of attention for his nationality at the beginning of the show. The eliminated trainees also included experienced performers like Kang Wang Seok, known for choreographing for ENHYPEN, Stray Kids, and NCT DREAM, and Yoo Hee Do, a trainee with years of practice under his belt. Known trainees like Song Hyung Seok, a popular TikTok star with millions of followers, and Lee Ji Hoon, who is famous for being close friends with top idols like TXT’s Soo Bin and AB6IX’s Lee Dae Hwi, also left the competition.
Then, fans were also tasked with voting for the new team formations, setting the stage for the next round of performances.
First up is Team 1, featuring “Top 7” trainees Sakurada Kenshin, Seo Kyung Bae, and Song Seung Ho, as well as popular contestants like Kim Seong Min, Nam Ji Woon, and Andy (who has a growing international fanbase who want to see him break into the top rankings), among others.
Meanwhile, Jeon Min Wook, the current top trainee, is a member of Team 2 alongside dynamic performers like Jang Yeo Jun and Ma Jing Xiang, as well as BAE173 member Kim Hyun Woo.
Meanwhile, Team 3 is a blend of diverse talent, with members Fong Atilla, Kim Si Hun, Kim Jeong Min, Kim Jun Woo, Kim Joo Hyun, Chae Hee Ju, and Lee Gun Woo.
Team 4, with Bing Hua, BAE173 member Yoo Young Seo, and FANTASY BOYS member Lee Han Bin, among others, looks like a wildcard with the potential to surprise.
And, lastly, we have Team 5, which includes Abe Yura, Kang Hyun Woo, Kang Min Seo, Ahn Jun Won, Kwon Young Hyun, Asaka Korato, and Yu Ji Ahn. As the competition heats up, the pressure will be on each team to deliver their best and secure their spot in the final lineup before time runs out.
“PROJECT 7” Episode 7 &8 Review
Well, these last two episodes were a rollercoaster of emotions! On the one hand, we were super happy to see Ma Jing Xiang back in the “Top 7″—however, the “vote stealing” mechanic introduced during the “Rival Match” mission left us with mixed feelings.
While we understand the show’s intention to keep the competition suspenseful and unpredictable, penalizing lower-ranking trainees by deducting points felt unnecessarily harsh (plus it added this really unnecessary “guilt” aspect for the higher-ranking trainees). Instead of leveling the playing field, it seemed to widen the gap between the top and bottom trainees, making it even harder for underdogs to shine. It’s no wonder fans online are frustrated.
The elimination results were heartbreaking too! But the reveal of the new Top 7 was exciting—Sakurada Kenshin and Jeon Min Wook seem locked in a back-and-forth battle for first place. We also can’t wait for PROJECT 7‘s original song stages, which should be coming soon. With the voting now changed to three picks, things are bound to get even more unpredictable!
Who are you rooting for in the next round? Let us know in the comments!