K-Netizens react to trainee’s debut through Mnet's 'Planet C' after six survival program attempts

[Spoiler Alert: Episode Summary]

This article contains information from the final episode of ‘Planet C: Home Race.’

K-Netizens are reacting to a Chinese trainee finally debuting through Mnet's 'Planet C: Home Race,' marking his sixth and final attempt at survival programs.

On an online forum, netizens are actively reacting to the confirmed debut of Yi Chen, the 1998-born Chinese national who has drawn attention for his previous appearances on various survival programs in both China and Korea, including JTBC's 'Project 7' and Mnet's 'Boys II Planet.'

After consecutively failing to make the final debut lineup, Yi Chen appeared as a contestant on 'Planet C: Home Race,' Mnet's spin-off idol competition program derived from 'Boys II Planet,' and announced that this would be his "final attempt" after competing in survival programs six times.

Then, during the competition program's final episode, which aired live on December 27 KST, Yi Chen secured a spot in the final debut lineup alongside six other contestants. The group is set to promote as a new global Chinese boy group named MODYSSEY. The group name combines "Music·Move·Momentum" with "Odyssey," and the group is also set to promote as a brother group of ALPHA DRIVE ONE, with plans to carry out promotions in Korea as well.

Among netizens, Yi Chen also drew attention for being a descendant of Korean independence activist Ahn Joong Geun and has since been referred to as the "patriotic pick." Netizens further pointed out that his successful confirmation as a debut member of MODYSSEY coincided with the same date Ahn Joong Geun was arrested as part of what is known as 'the 105-Men Incident,' a 1911 event during the Japanese colonial period in which 105 Koreans were sentenced to hard labor.

He has also received attention for his fluent Korean skills, proving his proficiency by passing the highest level of the Korean exam at Busan University of Foreign Studies, and by sharing study tips with fans, including suggesting that they focus on learning Korean for a full four hours per day.

In addition to his background, Yi Chen’s repeated exposure through multiple survival programs, along with his steady growth in fandom driven by his efforts and visuals, has led to a strong surge in popularity. Many K-netizens have since congratulated him and voiced their support for his long-awaited debut after years of perseverance.

Reactions include:

"Congratulations on your debut! You’ve worked so hard all this time... things will go well from here!"

"Finally!!! ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ"

“K-Talk On Air completely taken over by ‘Joong Geun oppa, are you watching’”

"This is seriously a huge congratulations"

"Voting with the heart of a Koreanㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ congrats congrats"

"Debuting one year after the project finalㅠㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ congratulationsㅜㅠㅜ"

"Joong Geun oppa, we succeeded"

"Congrats congrats, I don’t even watch Home Race but I voted for Yi Chen in the live final today"

"Wow, a descendant of Ahn Joong Geun debuting, it really makes me realize that it's important to live long to be able to witness something like thisㅋㅋ congrats congrats"

"Seeing a descendant of an independence activist debut as an idol, this is amazing"

"Sixth survival showㅠㅠ Ahn Joong Geun must have carried out the independence movement with this same unbreakable spirit"

"Perseverance really is inherited..."

"I really hoped you would debut, congrats congrats congrats, hope everything goes well"

"Whoa~~ I didn’t know much but I was cheering(?) ㅠㅠㅠ congratulations"

"Cheering you on"

"Congratulationsㅠㅠ!!"

"Congrats congrats, I really hoped you would debut"

"Finally!!! Congrats congrats, they said this was the last chance so I was so nervousㅠㅠ"

"I voted in the live broadcast as a patriotic pick too, congrats congrats"

"Congrats congrats, even though you weren’t my top pick from the project through Home Race, I kept voting consistently so I feel proud, Yi Chen just be happy"

"I hope things go well"

"Wow, his storyline is insane"

Check out the rest of the final confirmed debut lineup of MODYSSEY here!

What are your thoughts?