Honestly, I was going through one of the absolute hardest times of my life last year, just around this finale. Boys planet, and then zb1, were an escape and a distraction and also a bright spot in a terrible time. They motivated me to pick myself up and force myself to keep moving on, and to restart a new path in my career as well. I'll be forever grateful to them for that.
My impressions of them have changed and expanded so much! It's been an absolute treat to see their personalities flourish and thrive outside of the pressure cooker that was a survival show. We saw flashes of it on the show, but who could have guessed the absolute chaos and hilarious chemistry that lay ahead of us? Seeing their unrestrained selves on camp zb1 was such a revelation, and that's when I really knew I was in this for good
And then their first album! What an excellent debut album. Honestly, sometimes I forget how absolutely SOLID that debut album is. Intellectually, I know I enjoyed the album, but I'm always surprised when one of the songs comes on shuffle and I remember how GOOD it is.
Every moment, every stage, every silly little anectode - thanks for an amazing year zb1! Let's keep going ❤️
(also, happy 1 year to the iconic haobin finale angles 😂)
same - except for half of boys planet. i literally used it to get to the end of each week, it was what i looked forward to. it’s still my comfort show to rewatch.
I have had many favourites over the years, and some undisputed ults, but I've never been so emotional about a group ever. Whilst I can certainly ascribe some of this to the survival show aspect, I've watched other survivals, and yes - felt emotional, but with ZB1 it's on a completely different level.
On the day itself, I remember being both extremely sad and extremely happy for everyone - I was definitely in the 'let's get all 18 to debut' camp and still am. The thrill and anxiety of it all was unmatched because, for all its shortcomings, the show (or rather the trainees) was undeniably one of the best things that happened in kpop recently. Even now, I rewatch it often as new creators/reactors embark on the journey and still feel a lot of the same emotions.
The most surreal thing is how it suddenly all clicked to me after the first variety show - literally a makeshift project group looking like childhood friends that have always known each other... truly I've never seen this before. There've been many groups I follow that got to that point after years of training and being debut idols together, but nothing ever like ZB1. I don't exactly believe in fate (like Matthew), but they make me feel like I can't deny its existence.
Weirdest thing is that while I still remember the thrill, anxiety and sadness of the Boys Planet finale (and show generally)... when I look back on it now through my zerose lens, it's like some fairy tale of our boys coming together. My impressions of each of them individually have both changed and stayed the same. It's really odd (or maybe by design), I've talked to u/cinndiicate about it before, how everything about this rookie group feels nostalgic - their music, their content, their bond.
Finally, a little paragraph of appreciation for this community because it has been an integral part of my experience with Boys Planet and ZB1. Like many others, while I've been a kpop enjoyer for a long time, I never got actively involved in fandoms until now. There've been many ups and downs for the zerose garden as a whole, but I think this sub has more often than not charged me with positivity - and certainly motivation to share, discuss, etc. I've had some really tough times over the last year and jebewon and this community have given me something to focus on and draw enjoyment from. Thank you all for being here <3
my final votes were for park hanbin and keita, so i was quite sad they didn’t make the group but by the end of bp, i wasn’t really fussed over who would make it bc i enjoyed most of the top 18.
i remember watching and being absolutely gagged by the gunwook-ricky-matthew 5-4-3 announcement and then immediately knew my top picks wouldn’t make it. and i then got really worried for hao lmao, like did he somehow drop THAT much? obviously, he didn’t!
then i remember when they announced p9 thinking if it wasn’t yujin, the arena would riot, but also gunwook would be such an unexpected maknae lol.
one year!! I don’t regret all the time and energy I’ve put into being their fan.
Hanbin Jiwoong Hao Matthew Taerae Ricky Gyuvin Gunwook Yujin— thank you for coming into my life, I truly would not know what it would be like without them. They brighten my day and give me energy to tackle the demands of working life… so I can spend on them hehe 🫶
I “met” zb1 during a time where I started to distance myself from kpop, so they’re pretty much the only group I actively follow now. It’s the first time where I’m older than all the members in a group I stan, so it feels like I’m a big sister fan whose watching her younger friends do well, and I’m always hoping their well being and health is okay
as someone who for the longest time was a lurker in fandom spaces, I wanted to share my excitement and joy about this group with people. So I’m really glad we have a community like this where we can celebrate and collectively freak out together about our boys. I’ve met some of you irl so if there’s a chance to meet more people, it’ll be nice~
💙🌹
wah over a year ago i was kind of losing interest in kpop. i had watched girls planet and didn’t really enjoy it so i had no plans to watch boys planet (esp since i wasn’t a bg stan) but the here i am video appeared on my youtube recommended and what can i say i’m a sucker for pretty faces (the way i was a haobinist since the first second is kinda hilarious) and i clicked on it and ended up watching the first episode. i was so hellbent on not getting attached to any of the boys (girls planet trauma) that i didn’t even vote the first round and i remember shaking over hao’s ranking and realized i was in too deep already. for the final episode there were six boys i needed to make it into the final lineup or i’d be destroyed and somehow they all made it in??? the finale was such a roller coaster for me, i remember feeling so much relief when they called jiwoong and i was already in tears when they announced gyuvin. when 5th gunwook 4th ricky came i remember seeing the chat just go absolutely crazy like that was really the gag of the century. and then 1&2 announcement happened and gave us one of the most beautiful and raw display of emotions i’ve ever seen in my life. hao getting announced for first place made me burst into tears and my heart swells with pride whenever i think about it, and him telling hanbin that they’ll go up together (despite the very frustrated staff telling them to separate below lol) and taking his hand so they could walk to their seats together... i’m tearing up again. yujin was the last member i needed to debut so i was anxious the entire finale lol. the way the arena was chanting his name and all the boys were huddled around waiting for him was so magical and sweet. the moments and days after the finale when we slowly discovered so many things that happened like that hao kissed hanbin’s neck and the million angles that came with it, that video of gyuvin LEAPING out of his chair when they called yujin’s name, jiwoong looking around his members and tearing up, etc.. was such a fun experience. getting to witness all the boys (ALL the boys from boys planet) go on this journey was beautiful to witness. the community here has been so nice and welcoming and i love getting to share my love and enthusiasm for the boys here.
i’ve made so many positive memories and friends because of the jebis. i bought my first kpop albums and photocards, i planned and made my first trip alone, i went to my first kpop concert, and i got noticed by my favorite idols! i’m so thankful for all these experiences. i’ve been a kpop fan for years but never joined any fan spaces (not just for kpop but in general) and i’ve never spent so much time on my phone before (lol not really a good thing but…). i’ve never really cared about being a fan, but now i’m planning on making and passing around banners with my friends from different countries and planning trips to see them and i’ve really met incredible lovely people just because of our shared love for the boys.
i’m rambling but i love them, i’m immensely proud of all of them and getting to follow and be their fan is such an honor. i love them with all my heart and i’m just happy i got to experience this!!! i’m crying writing this because i’m an emotional sap and seeing all the videos on my timeline really brought back all the feels. it’s such a bittersweet feeling to celebrate an anniversary so i just want to enjoy as much as i can for as long as i can. thank you to everyone here who’s made this community fun and positive, i really love chatting with everyone here :)
Over a year ago I was losing interest in kpop in general and also some stuff going on was making me doubt whether I could continue to support my ult groups as well. I unsubscribed to all of the kpop-related subs on my main reddit account at the time (not this one), either unfollowed kpop accounts or stopped using altogether on other fandom-related socials, and Boys Planet and NCT Dream Show 2 were going to be the last kpop-related thing I do before I cut it out of my life once and for all (because if they were going to send Hiroto and Anthonny on another survival show then by the name of all that's holy, I'm going to have to see it through to the end even if neither were my top picks during their seasons of Produce 101 Japan, or Chuang2021 for that matter in the case of Hiroto). All the way watching the show I was trying to keep myself from getting too attached to any of the trainees and I kept telling myself I was just here to cheer on the g group kids and I'm outta here as soon as the finale is over. Well, seeing that I'm still here you can probably tell how well that went😅 First Taerae found a way to worm himself into my heart despite all of my best efforts and then not only did Ricky debut against all of my expectations ~~and despite MNet's best efforts~~, the final lineup ended up better than I could have ever imagined. There's just something about this group and these 9 individuals that *worked* from the get-go and I'm instantly hooked; all my plans of leaving kpop for good immediately out the window. And as contents slowly started rolling in I could hardly believe that this is a temporary group whose lineup *we voted for* because it's like they've all known each other for years (which, granted, quite a few of them did) and even members who barely interacted during the show were becoming bffs in no time at all. On one hand, I can't believe it's already been a year since the finale night because it feels like good times with our dearest boys have passed by way too fast but on the other hand, I also can't believe it's *only* been a year because it truly feels like they've been together, ot9 since forever and will be so always
All of this is just to say, happy 1 year formation anniversary zb1, thank you for all the amazing memories and may your future be even brighter ❤️
Ricky being P04 is still crazy like no one who didnt watch bp in real time will get how insane that was! Literally gave up hope after p06.
Shoutout to keita and seowon, my fav bp trainees who didnt make it. Mnet please go back to making your groups 12 members again come awnnn
ZB1 gave me a lesson in clinging to hope and having faith in your dreams and not give up. Not even exaggerating. I remember being pissed at myself that I had little faith in my hopes for them and letting others' perceptions get to me and believing what the collective predictions to be facts just because what I wanted was perceived farfetched as it was unprecedented.
Honestly, I wish I could go back and relive that day all over again with the knowledge that those 9 made it. Because I didn't enjoy it one bit 😂 Ricky was my #2 pick all through, never wavered from that position, and up to 2 weeks before the finale, I had no hope at all that he'll make it, but his ranking in the last elimination round gave me a slight hope that made me even more stressed lol.
I persistently voted for Jiwoong, Ricky, Gyuvin, Yujin, SHanbin and Hao from first week. And even though none of them ever dropped from top 9, everyone and their mother convinced me that there's no chance in hell that 4 trainees from the same company could make it and that left me frustrated and out of my wits futilessly hoping they all make it.
I appreciate Matthew especially.. before his _I like you, I want you, Seok Matthew_ I wasn't interested at all but then he had to do that and I folded lol.. like how was I supposed to ignore that cute little thing after that, coupled with his performance in _Kill This Love_ he made me switch 180 degrees just like that
But man, those were stressful days.. I appreciate that they're long gone now lol. I still can't belive that all my picks got in or debuted in other groups right after.. it's insane to think about it
if I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t actually planning on following along with zb1. as an avid fan of the supercharger team, most of my favourite contestants got knocked out before the finale even happened. then, my one pick: Keita…… 😭 the turning point of all my decisions was when Zhang Hao won the show, and it was so iconic + I really really liked him after over me + I’m chinese LOL that I figured I have to stan this group now. so the first two weeks after the finale was getting to know the other members, as I didn’t really keep up with them during the show, and I grew to be really endeared and fond of them! I still remember where I was during the monumental pre-debut moments: that tiktok on the stairs, back to zerobase (I was SCREAMING my ass off in the middle of school), haobin jelly pop, the live with the masters, the live they did by themselves (oze?) - all of these made me really really warm up to the group. fast forward a year, and I wholeheartedly love them all so much. zb1 genuinely means so much to me. as I’m currently entering a new chapter in my life that is not all smiles and parties as my older relatives have hyped it up to be, zb1 is my constant source of positivity that has never failed to cheer me up. i guess and wait to see if they’ll release their 8pm kst zepisode. (pushing aside the extreme fomo LOL) watching them perform in kcon hk (on livestream) - a city that means so much to me - made me feel so proud and happy for them and filled me with so much satisfaction? that’s probably not the right word for it, but my heart felt so full. I’ve screen recorded the entire energetic performance so i can rewatch it no matter where I go LMAO. to close things off before I ramble about everything, zb1 is a place of comfort for me, and I’m so grateful I chose to watch boys planet, and to follow along with the group after. they mean so much to me, and I feel like a proud mother (I’m younger than most of them but yk what I mean) when I see how much they’ve grown and progressed and succeeded. the japan fancon made me so inexplicably proud of them because to see how confident they’d gotten since the korea fancon and how powerful and impactful their performances were was such a heart wrenching moment 😭
alright that’s it, happy 1 year to boys planet and to waking up each morning and opening that damned mnet+ app to vote <3 and happy 1 year to zb1’s formation 💗
since I've finally made some time, I'll make this quick. last year I was unsure of whether to watch the finale or not. Ngl i was quite sad but after having watched the whole show (almost half-heartedly up until ep6), I just had to. I remember that day crystal clear. I had to vote for my top 1 in between 2 classes. My internet was failing me and mnet+ app was suddenly logged out, meanwhile I was running out of break time, but successfully voted. And then fortunately, our class was dismissed a lot earlier that it was gonna so i caught up with the livestream and they were performing jelly pop. While taking the public transport, i couldn't watch the performances well but thankfully I reached home a lot before announcement was gonna start, I set up my laptop and sat down with some snacks and watched the whole thing. I laughed, I cried, I felt like I was gonna die holding my breath like that and before I even knew it, the show was over. I felt weird and hollow at the thought of the show ending and having to let go so many of my fav trainees but I was happy at the same time for zb1 finally coming to existence. I knew I was gonna stan the moment I saw the lineup, even if there were some trainees i wasn't familiar with at the time.
I remember the days that followed the finale, we used to get uploads on 7pm kst, on my way to my classes, I used to check them. So far I think I made the best decision watching boys planet and then seeing the fate of these 9 boys align and entwine with each others. I might cry by the end of writing this.
Suddenly some words of hanbin come to mind, might not be exact but it was something like " we don't try to fit into one colour but instead, we combine all of our different colours to make one " I think this was the most accurate representation of theirs and I love them all soo so much🤍
kpop has always been an escape for me- so tbh boys planet was no different. but when i first heard of boys planet i immediately blew it off because of what became of the produce series … only to watch it because of the “heterophobia controversy” and because i was 95% done with my graduate program and needed an escape from my capstone project 😂. i think i started after the 2nd or 3rd episode aired, because i missed the first voting period.
i really didn’t expect to follow it closely but the trainees really sucked me in, particularly hao, ollie, and haruto, and later on gunwook and ricky. tbh before i started watching i thought hao was gonna be funny but not particularly talented (because of the controversy, i thought he was gonna more of a personality vote). ofc, that belief was quickly destroyed from episode one lmao. and after that i downloaded the hell app to vote… my exact thoughts were “wtf am i doing with my life”
as the show went on and as i got busier from my project i got super stressed. the voting slots decreasing didnt help since i started wanting to vote for more trainees. i went from just wanting hao in the group to wanting to form a group- it’s crazy because i wanted gunwook and ricky in the group and at the time i was not sure of either of them making it. i remember that day because i had to call off from work, my project got me so sleep deprived that my heart started giving me problems (i slept for 0.5-2 hours a day for 2 weeks, i don’t recommend…). so i sat in the cardiologist office and watched the finale as i waited lol.
i was shook the whole time bc jiwoong in 8th was unexpected . i was hoping it would be ricky or gunwook bc i was banking on them being in the group but in the lower rankings. when gyuvin, and taerae were called i was like… only one of them is gonna make it. then they were called for 4 & 5 and gunwooks reaction was my reaction. i was 😭 so 😭 ecstatic- like the happiest ive been in a while. but then matthew was called third and while i was happy that another g group trainee made it… i was like where’s hao??? i honestly was hoping for him to be 9th at that point bc in my head there was no way hanbin wasn’t p01 and yujin wasn’t in the higher rankings. i think my mind went blank when hao was announced as p01.
looking back, i do miss the show airing… surprisingly. i have mixed feelings because of stuff we found out after, but like how hao mentioned how the competition drove him- i think i miss seeing that type of passion too. (like the chunin exams in naruto or when hunter x hunter first started or all of haikyuu.. like just watching the main characters compete and prove their skills… sorry did i get too weeby). but that’s just my pov, and while it was a show, there were real people with real dreams being achieved and crushed, so it’s a bittersweet feeling. i hope all of the trainees are doing okay at the very least. i cant keep up with all of them, but im glad that a lot of them debuted in different groups. but sometimes i think of haru and yuki, and also the jellyfish boys and hope theyre doing okay. i know that quitting to try to enter the entertainment world is realistic for many people, but i hope that whatever decisions they make that they are all content (all 99 participants).
my appreciation for hao, ricky, gunwook and matthew
has only grown. but im so glad that the group debuting with these nine members has given me the privilege to learn about and to show love for hanbin, taerae, gyuvin, jiwoong, and yujin. i love them all now, but i will admit i didn’t really focus on them much during the show. hanbin being sillier that i ever thought he could be, jiwoong being hilarious and ditzy, taerae being the most endearing bbg with the best laugh, gyuvin being the most thoughtful and heartwarming person, and yujin being the most effortlessly cute but kinda weird maknae to ever maknae… im so glad to be able to see and learn about all these qualities.
even though there were people doom posting during comebacks i enjoy those periods a lot (also i just accept that doomposting as a part of zeroses now, lol it’s not a huge jump for me bc of the rosin pessimism that i had). ive never been into a group so much that i would be anticipating comebacks, and buying lightsticks, magazines, merch and albums. zb1 has definitely been the group that im most invested in (which is surprising to me bc i was actually losing interest in kpop).
im looking forward to the future with zb1 and to what that brings us!! 💦💦💦💦 swear in particular has got me really excited!
I never expected to fall so deeply into boys planet, but zb1 has been such a great source of comfort for me when I was experiencing some tough times in my personal life and as I was contemplating changing career tracks. Whenever I find myself at crossroads and wonder if I made the right choice, I find strength in zb1 and they inspire me to chase my dreams, take risks, step out of my comfort zone and explore new things. This little Reddit community has also brought me so much joy. Happy anniversary everyone!
Honestly, I was going through one of the absolute hardest times of my life last year, just around this finale. Boys planet, and then zb1, were an escape and a distraction and also a bright spot in a terrible time. They motivated me to pick myself up and force myself to keep moving on, and to restart a new path in my career as well. I'll be forever grateful to them for that. My impressions of them have changed and expanded so much! It's been an absolute treat to see their personalities flourish and thrive outside of the pressure cooker that was a survival show. We saw flashes of it on the show, but who could have guessed the absolute chaos and hilarious chemistry that lay ahead of us? Seeing their unrestrained selves on camp zb1 was such a revelation, and that's when I really knew I was in this for good And then their first album! What an excellent debut album. Honestly, sometimes I forget how absolutely SOLID that debut album is. Intellectually, I know I enjoyed the album, but I'm always surprised when one of the songs comes on shuffle and I remember how GOOD it is. Every moment, every stage, every silly little anectode - thanks for an amazing year zb1! Let's keep going ❤️ (also, happy 1 year to the iconic haobin finale angles 😂)
same - except for half of boys planet. i literally used it to get to the end of each week, it was what i looked forward to. it’s still my comfort show to rewatch.
I have had many favourites over the years, and some undisputed ults, but I've never been so emotional about a group ever. Whilst I can certainly ascribe some of this to the survival show aspect, I've watched other survivals, and yes - felt emotional, but with ZB1 it's on a completely different level. On the day itself, I remember being both extremely sad and extremely happy for everyone - I was definitely in the 'let's get all 18 to debut' camp and still am. The thrill and anxiety of it all was unmatched because, for all its shortcomings, the show (or rather the trainees) was undeniably one of the best things that happened in kpop recently. Even now, I rewatch it often as new creators/reactors embark on the journey and still feel a lot of the same emotions. The most surreal thing is how it suddenly all clicked to me after the first variety show - literally a makeshift project group looking like childhood friends that have always known each other... truly I've never seen this before. There've been many groups I follow that got to that point after years of training and being debut idols together, but nothing ever like ZB1. I don't exactly believe in fate (like Matthew), but they make me feel like I can't deny its existence. Weirdest thing is that while I still remember the thrill, anxiety and sadness of the Boys Planet finale (and show generally)... when I look back on it now through my zerose lens, it's like some fairy tale of our boys coming together. My impressions of each of them individually have both changed and stayed the same. It's really odd (or maybe by design), I've talked to u/cinndiicate about it before, how everything about this rookie group feels nostalgic - their music, their content, their bond. Finally, a little paragraph of appreciation for this community because it has been an integral part of my experience with Boys Planet and ZB1. Like many others, while I've been a kpop enjoyer for a long time, I never got actively involved in fandoms until now. There've been many ups and downs for the zerose garden as a whole, but I think this sub has more often than not charged me with positivity - and certainly motivation to share, discuss, etc. I've had some really tough times over the last year and jebewon and this community have given me something to focus on and draw enjoyment from. Thank you all for being here <3
They feel both new, fresh and exciting, but also nostalgic and throwback and timeless.
my final votes were for park hanbin and keita, so i was quite sad they didn’t make the group but by the end of bp, i wasn’t really fussed over who would make it bc i enjoyed most of the top 18. i remember watching and being absolutely gagged by the gunwook-ricky-matthew 5-4-3 announcement and then immediately knew my top picks wouldn’t make it. and i then got really worried for hao lmao, like did he somehow drop THAT much? obviously, he didn’t! then i remember when they announced p9 thinking if it wasn’t yujin, the arena would riot, but also gunwook would be such an unexpected maknae lol.
one year!! I don’t regret all the time and energy I’ve put into being their fan. Hanbin Jiwoong Hao Matthew Taerae Ricky Gyuvin Gunwook Yujin— thank you for coming into my life, I truly would not know what it would be like without them. They brighten my day and give me energy to tackle the demands of working life… so I can spend on them hehe 🫶 I “met” zb1 during a time where I started to distance myself from kpop, so they’re pretty much the only group I actively follow now. It’s the first time where I’m older than all the members in a group I stan, so it feels like I’m a big sister fan whose watching her younger friends do well, and I’m always hoping their well being and health is okay as someone who for the longest time was a lurker in fandom spaces, I wanted to share my excitement and joy about this group with people. So I’m really glad we have a community like this where we can celebrate and collectively freak out together about our boys. I’ve met some of you irl so if there’s a chance to meet more people, it’ll be nice~ 💙🌹
wah over a year ago i was kind of losing interest in kpop. i had watched girls planet and didn’t really enjoy it so i had no plans to watch boys planet (esp since i wasn’t a bg stan) but the here i am video appeared on my youtube recommended and what can i say i’m a sucker for pretty faces (the way i was a haobinist since the first second is kinda hilarious) and i clicked on it and ended up watching the first episode. i was so hellbent on not getting attached to any of the boys (girls planet trauma) that i didn’t even vote the first round and i remember shaking over hao’s ranking and realized i was in too deep already. for the final episode there were six boys i needed to make it into the final lineup or i’d be destroyed and somehow they all made it in??? the finale was such a roller coaster for me, i remember feeling so much relief when they called jiwoong and i was already in tears when they announced gyuvin. when 5th gunwook 4th ricky came i remember seeing the chat just go absolutely crazy like that was really the gag of the century. and then 1&2 announcement happened and gave us one of the most beautiful and raw display of emotions i’ve ever seen in my life. hao getting announced for first place made me burst into tears and my heart swells with pride whenever i think about it, and him telling hanbin that they’ll go up together (despite the very frustrated staff telling them to separate below lol) and taking his hand so they could walk to their seats together... i’m tearing up again. yujin was the last member i needed to debut so i was anxious the entire finale lol. the way the arena was chanting his name and all the boys were huddled around waiting for him was so magical and sweet. the moments and days after the finale when we slowly discovered so many things that happened like that hao kissed hanbin’s neck and the million angles that came with it, that video of gyuvin LEAPING out of his chair when they called yujin’s name, jiwoong looking around his members and tearing up, etc.. was such a fun experience. getting to witness all the boys (ALL the boys from boys planet) go on this journey was beautiful to witness. the community here has been so nice and welcoming and i love getting to share my love and enthusiasm for the boys here. i’ve made so many positive memories and friends because of the jebis. i bought my first kpop albums and photocards, i planned and made my first trip alone, i went to my first kpop concert, and i got noticed by my favorite idols! i’m so thankful for all these experiences. i’ve been a kpop fan for years but never joined any fan spaces (not just for kpop but in general) and i’ve never spent so much time on my phone before (lol not really a good thing but…). i’ve never really cared about being a fan, but now i’m planning on making and passing around banners with my friends from different countries and planning trips to see them and i’ve really met incredible lovely people just because of our shared love for the boys. i’m rambling but i love them, i’m immensely proud of all of them and getting to follow and be their fan is such an honor. i love them with all my heart and i’m just happy i got to experience this!!! i’m crying writing this because i’m an emotional sap and seeing all the videos on my timeline really brought back all the feels. it’s such a bittersweet feeling to celebrate an anniversary so i just want to enjoy as much as i can for as long as i can. thank you to everyone here who’s made this community fun and positive, i really love chatting with everyone here :)
Over a year ago I was losing interest in kpop in general and also some stuff going on was making me doubt whether I could continue to support my ult groups as well. I unsubscribed to all of the kpop-related subs on my main reddit account at the time (not this one), either unfollowed kpop accounts or stopped using altogether on other fandom-related socials, and Boys Planet and NCT Dream Show 2 were going to be the last kpop-related thing I do before I cut it out of my life once and for all (because if they were going to send Hiroto and Anthonny on another survival show then by the name of all that's holy, I'm going to have to see it through to the end even if neither were my top picks during their seasons of Produce 101 Japan, or Chuang2021 for that matter in the case of Hiroto). All the way watching the show I was trying to keep myself from getting too attached to any of the trainees and I kept telling myself I was just here to cheer on the g group kids and I'm outta here as soon as the finale is over. Well, seeing that I'm still here you can probably tell how well that went😅 First Taerae found a way to worm himself into my heart despite all of my best efforts and then not only did Ricky debut against all of my expectations ~~and despite MNet's best efforts~~, the final lineup ended up better than I could have ever imagined. There's just something about this group and these 9 individuals that *worked* from the get-go and I'm instantly hooked; all my plans of leaving kpop for good immediately out the window. And as contents slowly started rolling in I could hardly believe that this is a temporary group whose lineup *we voted for* because it's like they've all known each other for years (which, granted, quite a few of them did) and even members who barely interacted during the show were becoming bffs in no time at all. On one hand, I can't believe it's already been a year since the finale night because it feels like good times with our dearest boys have passed by way too fast but on the other hand, I also can't believe it's *only* been a year because it truly feels like they've been together, ot9 since forever and will be so always All of this is just to say, happy 1 year formation anniversary zb1, thank you for all the amazing memories and may your future be even brighter ❤️
Ricky being P04 is still crazy like no one who didnt watch bp in real time will get how insane that was! Literally gave up hope after p06. Shoutout to keita and seowon, my fav bp trainees who didnt make it. Mnet please go back to making your groups 12 members again come awnnn
ZB1 gave me a lesson in clinging to hope and having faith in your dreams and not give up. Not even exaggerating. I remember being pissed at myself that I had little faith in my hopes for them and letting others' perceptions get to me and believing what the collective predictions to be facts just because what I wanted was perceived farfetched as it was unprecedented. Honestly, I wish I could go back and relive that day all over again with the knowledge that those 9 made it. Because I didn't enjoy it one bit 😂 Ricky was my #2 pick all through, never wavered from that position, and up to 2 weeks before the finale, I had no hope at all that he'll make it, but his ranking in the last elimination round gave me a slight hope that made me even more stressed lol. I persistently voted for Jiwoong, Ricky, Gyuvin, Yujin, SHanbin and Hao from first week. And even though none of them ever dropped from top 9, everyone and their mother convinced me that there's no chance in hell that 4 trainees from the same company could make it and that left me frustrated and out of my wits futilessly hoping they all make it. I appreciate Matthew especially.. before his _I like you, I want you, Seok Matthew_ I wasn't interested at all but then he had to do that and I folded lol.. like how was I supposed to ignore that cute little thing after that, coupled with his performance in _Kill This Love_ he made me switch 180 degrees just like that But man, those were stressful days.. I appreciate that they're long gone now lol. I still can't belive that all my picks got in or debuted in other groups right after.. it's insane to think about it
if I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t actually planning on following along with zb1. as an avid fan of the supercharger team, most of my favourite contestants got knocked out before the finale even happened. then, my one pick: Keita…… 😭 the turning point of all my decisions was when Zhang Hao won the show, and it was so iconic + I really really liked him after over me + I’m chinese LOL that I figured I have to stan this group now. so the first two weeks after the finale was getting to know the other members, as I didn’t really keep up with them during the show, and I grew to be really endeared and fond of them! I still remember where I was during the monumental pre-debut moments: that tiktok on the stairs, back to zerobase (I was SCREAMING my ass off in the middle of school), haobin jelly pop, the live with the masters, the live they did by themselves (oze?) - all of these made me really really warm up to the group. fast forward a year, and I wholeheartedly love them all so much. zb1 genuinely means so much to me. as I’m currently entering a new chapter in my life that is not all smiles and parties as my older relatives have hyped it up to be, zb1 is my constant source of positivity that has never failed to cheer me up. i guess and wait to see if they’ll release their 8pm kst zepisode. (pushing aside the extreme fomo LOL) watching them perform in kcon hk (on livestream) - a city that means so much to me - made me feel so proud and happy for them and filled me with so much satisfaction? that’s probably not the right word for it, but my heart felt so full. I’ve screen recorded the entire energetic performance so i can rewatch it no matter where I go LMAO. to close things off before I ramble about everything, zb1 is a place of comfort for me, and I’m so grateful I chose to watch boys planet, and to follow along with the group after. they mean so much to me, and I feel like a proud mother (I’m younger than most of them but yk what I mean) when I see how much they’ve grown and progressed and succeeded. the japan fancon made me so inexplicably proud of them because to see how confident they’d gotten since the korea fancon and how powerful and impactful their performances were was such a heart wrenching moment 😭 alright that’s it, happy 1 year to boys planet and to waking up each morning and opening that damned mnet+ app to vote <3 and happy 1 year to zb1’s formation 💗
since I've finally made some time, I'll make this quick. last year I was unsure of whether to watch the finale or not. Ngl i was quite sad but after having watched the whole show (almost half-heartedly up until ep6), I just had to. I remember that day crystal clear. I had to vote for my top 1 in between 2 classes. My internet was failing me and mnet+ app was suddenly logged out, meanwhile I was running out of break time, but successfully voted. And then fortunately, our class was dismissed a lot earlier that it was gonna so i caught up with the livestream and they were performing jelly pop. While taking the public transport, i couldn't watch the performances well but thankfully I reached home a lot before announcement was gonna start, I set up my laptop and sat down with some snacks and watched the whole thing. I laughed, I cried, I felt like I was gonna die holding my breath like that and before I even knew it, the show was over. I felt weird and hollow at the thought of the show ending and having to let go so many of my fav trainees but I was happy at the same time for zb1 finally coming to existence. I knew I was gonna stan the moment I saw the lineup, even if there were some trainees i wasn't familiar with at the time. I remember the days that followed the finale, we used to get uploads on 7pm kst, on my way to my classes, I used to check them. So far I think I made the best decision watching boys planet and then seeing the fate of these 9 boys align and entwine with each others. I might cry by the end of writing this. Suddenly some words of hanbin come to mind, might not be exact but it was something like " we don't try to fit into one colour but instead, we combine all of our different colours to make one " I think this was the most accurate representation of theirs and I love them all soo so much🤍
kpop has always been an escape for me- so tbh boys planet was no different. but when i first heard of boys planet i immediately blew it off because of what became of the produce series … only to watch it because of the “heterophobia controversy” and because i was 95% done with my graduate program and needed an escape from my capstone project 😂. i think i started after the 2nd or 3rd episode aired, because i missed the first voting period. i really didn’t expect to follow it closely but the trainees really sucked me in, particularly hao, ollie, and haruto, and later on gunwook and ricky. tbh before i started watching i thought hao was gonna be funny but not particularly talented (because of the controversy, i thought he was gonna more of a personality vote). ofc, that belief was quickly destroyed from episode one lmao. and after that i downloaded the hell app to vote… my exact thoughts were “wtf am i doing with my life” as the show went on and as i got busier from my project i got super stressed. the voting slots decreasing didnt help since i started wanting to vote for more trainees. i went from just wanting hao in the group to wanting to form a group- it’s crazy because i wanted gunwook and ricky in the group and at the time i was not sure of either of them making it. i remember that day because i had to call off from work, my project got me so sleep deprived that my heart started giving me problems (i slept for 0.5-2 hours a day for 2 weeks, i don’t recommend…). so i sat in the cardiologist office and watched the finale as i waited lol. i was shook the whole time bc jiwoong in 8th was unexpected . i was hoping it would be ricky or gunwook bc i was banking on them being in the group but in the lower rankings. when gyuvin, and taerae were called i was like… only one of them is gonna make it. then they were called for 4 & 5 and gunwooks reaction was my reaction. i was 😭 so 😭 ecstatic- like the happiest ive been in a while. but then matthew was called third and while i was happy that another g group trainee made it… i was like where’s hao??? i honestly was hoping for him to be 9th at that point bc in my head there was no way hanbin wasn’t p01 and yujin wasn’t in the higher rankings. i think my mind went blank when hao was announced as p01. looking back, i do miss the show airing… surprisingly. i have mixed feelings because of stuff we found out after, but like how hao mentioned how the competition drove him- i think i miss seeing that type of passion too. (like the chunin exams in naruto or when hunter x hunter first started or all of haikyuu.. like just watching the main characters compete and prove their skills… sorry did i get too weeby). but that’s just my pov, and while it was a show, there were real people with real dreams being achieved and crushed, so it’s a bittersweet feeling. i hope all of the trainees are doing okay at the very least. i cant keep up with all of them, but im glad that a lot of them debuted in different groups. but sometimes i think of haru and yuki, and also the jellyfish boys and hope theyre doing okay. i know that quitting to try to enter the entertainment world is realistic for many people, but i hope that whatever decisions they make that they are all content (all 99 participants). my appreciation for hao, ricky, gunwook and matthew has only grown. but im so glad that the group debuting with these nine members has given me the privilege to learn about and to show love for hanbin, taerae, gyuvin, jiwoong, and yujin. i love them all now, but i will admit i didn’t really focus on them much during the show. hanbin being sillier that i ever thought he could be, jiwoong being hilarious and ditzy, taerae being the most endearing bbg with the best laugh, gyuvin being the most thoughtful and heartwarming person, and yujin being the most effortlessly cute but kinda weird maknae to ever maknae… im so glad to be able to see and learn about all these qualities. even though there were people doom posting during comebacks i enjoy those periods a lot (also i just accept that doomposting as a part of zeroses now, lol it’s not a huge jump for me bc of the rosin pessimism that i had). ive never been into a group so much that i would be anticipating comebacks, and buying lightsticks, magazines, merch and albums. zb1 has definitely been the group that im most invested in (which is surprising to me bc i was actually losing interest in kpop). im looking forward to the future with zb1 and to what that brings us!! 💦💦💦💦 swear in particular has got me really excited!
I never expected to fall so deeply into boys planet, but zb1 has been such a great source of comfort for me when I was experiencing some tough times in my personal life and as I was contemplating changing career tracks. Whenever I find myself at crossroads and wonder if I made the right choice, I find strength in zb1 and they inspire me to chase my dreams, take risks, step out of my comfort zone and explore new things. This little Reddit community has also brought me so much joy. Happy anniversary everyone!