"Boys Planet," "Peak Time," And "Fantasy Boys": A Guide To 2023 Male Idol Competition Shows

It’s the season of idol competition programs!

Survival shows are taking the K-pop industry by storm this year, and there are currently three on-air programs involving male idols and trainees battling it out for a chance at stardom. So what’s the difference between these shows, and which ones should you check out?

Take a look at our guide to the basics of “Boys Planet,” “Peak Time,” and “Fantasy Boys” below!

“Boys Planet”

Broadcast Period: February 2, 2023 – April 20, 2023
Broadcast Schedule: Thursdays at 8:50 p.m. KST on Mnet
Star Masters (MCs): Hwang Minhyun, Sunmi, Yeo Jin Goo, BTOB’s Minhyuk, SHINee’s Key, 2AM’s Jo Kwon, Jeon Somi, etc.
Vocal/Rap/Dance Masters (Trainers): Lee Seok Hoon, Onestar, EXID’s Solji, pH-1, Mihawk Back, Choi Young Jun, Lip J
Original Number of Competitors: 98 (49 K-Group, 49 G-Group)

“Boys Planet” is the male version of the 2021 audition show “Girls Planet 999” that gave rise to the girl group Kep1er. 98 trainees, including 49 Korean trainees and 49 trainees from other countries around the world, compete for the top nine spots to debut as members of a global boy group. The trainee who places No. 1 in the final ranking will be given the “killing part” (highlight) of the group’s debut title track as well as a solo track in the group’s debut album. Meet the trainees here, and check out recent performances here!

Watch “Boys Planet” below:

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“Peak Time”

Broadcast Period: February 15, 2023 – April 19, 2023
Broadcast Schedule: Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. KST on JTBC
MC: Lee Seung Gi
Judges: Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany Young, Jay Park, Highlight’s Lee Gikwang, INFINITE’s Kim Sungkyu, WINNER’s Song Mino, MAMAMOO’s Moonbyul, Shim Jae Won, Ryan Jhun
Original Number of Competitors: 24 teams

Different from “Boys Planet” and “Fantasy Boys,” “Peak Time” is a team competition program with idols who have already debuted, whether currently active or part of disbanded groups. There are 24 teams named different times from 01:00 to 24:00, with 23 teams being actual groups and the 24th team made up of a few individuals who appeared on the show without their members. The final six teams will embark on a concert tour together, while the final No. 1 team will also be awarded 300 million won (approximately $227,000), an album release, and a global showcase.  Take a look at the latest performances here!

Watch “Peak Time” below:

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“Fantasy Boys”

Broadcast Period: March 30, 2023 – June 15, 2023
Broadcast Schedule: Thursdays at 10 p.m. KST on MBC
MC: TVXQ’s Changmin
Producers: 2PM’s Wooyoung, Jung Jinyoung, WINNER’s Kang Seung Yoon, (G)I-DLE’s Soyeon
Trainers: Hanhae, Kebee, Jang Jin Young, Park Su Min, Jeon Woong Min, Yoo Kwang Yeol, Lee Kwang Taek
Original Number of Competitors: 55

“Fantasy Boys” is the male version of “My Teen Girl,” the audition program that created the girl group CLASS:y last year. It is a global survival program in which 55 trainees compete to become part of the final 12 contestants, developing their skills with the help of the producers and trainers to debut as members of a new boy group. View the trainees’ profiles here and the first rankings here!

Watch “Fantasy Boys” below:

Watch Now

Which male idol competition shows are you tuning in to? Let us know by voting in the poll above!

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