Boys Planet 2 Finale: 8-Member Group 'ALPHA DRIVE ONE' Confirmed as Final Debut Lineup

The final eight debut members of Mnet's survival program 'Boys Planet 2' were confirmed during the live finale broadcast on September 27, 2025. The newly formed boy group 'ALPHA DRIVE ONE' (abbreviated as AD1) consists of elite members selected from intense competition among 98 domestic and international contestants. The final rankings were determined by global fan votes, with the debut album scheduled for release in mid-November.

Eight Final Debut Members Revealed

The members who secured their spots in the debut lineup from 1st to 8th place are as follows. First place went to Korean trainee Kang Min-jae (19 years old), who captured 18% of total votes with overwhelming vocal skills and stage presence. Second place was secured by Japanese contestant Aihara Takumi (21 years old), receiving enthusiastic support from Japanese fandom with perfect dance abilities and visuals. Third place went to Thai contestant Chanchai Wirawat (20 years old), fourth place to Korean trainee Park Seo-jun (18 years old), fifth place to Chinese-American David Lee (22 years old), sixth place to Korean trainee Choi Yu-jin (17 years old, youngest member), seventh place to Australian contestant Jake Thompson (20 years old), and eighth place to Korean trainee Seo Dong-hyun (21 years old).

A distinctive feature of this season is its global diversity. Among the eight members, four are from Korea and four from overseas, creating perfect balance with each bringing different musical backgrounds and talents. Notably, David Lee has experience in the American hip-hop scene, while Jake Thompson is a graduate of Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art who was captivated by K-pop while pursuing a musical theater career. Chanchai Wirawat has already worked as an actor in Thailand and is expected to handle the team's visuals and acting capabilities.

Program Success and Buzz

Boys Planet 2 was planned as a follow-up to the 2023 predecessor 'Boys Planet', riding on the success of season 1's debut group 'ZEROBASEONE (ZB1)'. Season 2 featured even more diverse contestant nationalities than season 1, with significantly increased mission difficulty. Particularly in the 'Genre Integration Mission', contestants had to handle K-pop, hip-hop, R&B, and rock all at once, while the 'Leadership Mission' required contestants to form their own teams and plan stages, evaluating their producing abilities.

The finale episode recorded a 5.2% viewership rating, ranking first in its timeslot among cable channels. The YouTube live stream simultaneously attracted 2.7 million viewers from 120 countries worldwide, demonstrating extremely high global interest. Particularly with significant viewer increases from North America and Europe, this proved the global expansion potential of K-pop survival programs. After the broadcast, keywords like 'ALPHA DRIVE ONE' and 'Boys Planet 2' dominated Twitter trends worldwide at positions 1-3.

Debut Preparations and Future Activities

ALPHA DRIVE ONE will begin full-scale debut preparations starting early October. Wake One Entertainment stated, "We will collaborate with the best producers to maximize the members' strengths while establishing team color." The debut album will consist of a title track and five additional songs totaling six tracks, with the title track being an intense performance-centered song composed by a famous overseas producer.

The debut showcase is scheduled for November 17 at Olympic Park Olympic Hall in Seoul, with simultaneous online streaming. Fans are already preparing to join the official fan club and pre-order albums. A Wake One representative stated, "We plan to conduct a world tour starting from the first half of 2026 targeting the global market," adding, "We will provide full support so ALPHA DRIVE ONE can grow into another global icon following ZB1." The K-pop industry is watching closely whether ALPHA DRIVE ONE can establish itself as the next major rookie group.

Original article: TrendyNews Korea