11 Underrated Trainees Who Got Eliminated Way Too Early On "Produce 101 Season 2"

Now that “Produce 101 Season 2” has come to an end and the final 11 members have been chosen to debut in Wanna One, it’s time to put the spotlight on some of the underrated trainees who weren’t able to get enough screen time on the show.

Since the list would go on forever if I were to talk about every single underrated contestant, I’ve narrowed it down to those who didn’t make it to the top 35. The following contestants may not have been the top 11 on the show, but they are definitely the top 11 in my personal list of underrated trainees.

Lee Gun Min – RBW

This trainee first caught my eye when his group covered BTS’s “Boy in Luv.” Not only did he hit the high note at 2:06, but he also nailed the ad-lib at 2:11. He wasn’t even done after belting out the two high notes. He did a backflip at 2:23. High notes and a backflip? If this boy’s not a hidden gem, I don’t know who is.

Let’s also take a look at his self-introduction video. First, he does a backflip at 0:18 before unintentionally showing off his abs at 0:27. Then he sings while getting hit by balls. Watch the most dynamic self-introduction video ever.

Lee In Soo – Individual trainee

I had my eyes on this boy since “Boys24.” Rapper Vasco, who appeared as a judge and mentor on the show, gave Lee In Soo the highest score for rap among all the contestants. When his whole unit got eliminated later in the show, he was one of the few contestants who got revived.

Lee Ki Won – 2Y Entertainment

This trainee did not get enough screen time despite the amount of talent he has. Try not to melt while watching his cover of Bolbalggan4’s “Galaxy” with a former “Superstar K5” contestant named Kim Min Ji.

It turns out he even composed a song as part of a campaign for a Korean pizza chain! You can watch his adorable music video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cskRBrKs7E

Woo Jin Young – HF Music Company

His famous nickname is “Crazy Jin Young” — crazy in talent, that’s for sure. Try not to swoon while watching this special clip of him performing a duet.

If that wasn’t enough for you, here’s a clip of him auditioning for an academy (and looking good while doing it).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk07lgE2Fg4

Yeo Hwan Woong – RBW

This trainee doesn’t just have awesome facial expressions. This boy can dance. Watch this video clip from 2014 that shows him (on the right) battling it out with another dancer.

Little did he know he’d be dancing to the exact same song a few years later on “Produce 101 Season 2.”

Hong Eun Ki – GON Entertainment

This trainee literally made my jaw drop when I saw him dancing on the show. I was almost positive he was going to make it to the top 20, so I was shocked when he got eliminated with a ranking of 38. Here’s a clip of him owning it while dancing in water.

It turns out he’s got the voice, too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-NZmYEj74w

Yoon Yong Bin – Banana Culture

This trainee actually received an offer to join SM Entertainment back when he was in high school, but he rejected it so he could focus on his studies. He impressed everyone when he came out as a contestant on “I See Your Voice 3.”

Kim Sung Ri – C2K Entertainment

This trainee really impressed me during his group’s performance of EXO’s “Call Me Baby.” However, it turns out he also came out as a contestant on “I See Your Voice,” where he revealed that he had previously debuted in Cambodia as a member of a group called K-boys.

Joo Won Tak – 2ABLE Company

This trainee just had me with his self-introduction video. That voice though.

He was a former member of a group called Underdog, which is honestly not surprising considering how much talent he has. Check out his beautiful cover of Jung Seung Hwan’s “If It Is You.”

Jung Dong Soo – S How Entertainment

This trainee really stood out to me in terms of vocals. His unique voice had me shook the moment I heard him sing. He’s actually a member of an idol group called OFFROAD, and he’ll be traveling to the Philippines for a concert and fan meeting!

Yoo Hoe Seung – FNC Entertainment

This trainee is the one who recently blew everyone away with his amazing cover of “Show Time.” He first caught my eye because he reminded me of INFINITE’s Woohyun, so his performance of “Be Mine” got me excited beyond words. I still can’t get over the movement he did at 2:10 after nailing his ad-libs.

I definitely missed many other contestants who were just as talented as the 11 trainees mentioned above. Can you think of any other underrated trainees who weren’t able to make it to the top 35? Let us know in the comments below!