‘Produce X 101’ contestant Lee Jin-hyuk keen on joining BY9
K-pop boy band UP10TION member Lee Jin-hyuk, who was a contestant on the Korean survival audition TV show “Produce X 101,” said he is willing to join the fan-created project group BY9, or Be Your Nine, if the plan becomes a reality.
“Actually, I don’t know well. I have been carefully watching the progress of this project group. If any move is conducted, I will be willing to join the group. I will still wait,” Lee Jin-hyuk said during his guesting on the Korean talk show “Radio Star” on Aug. 7, according to Sports Chosun and V Live.
Lee Jin-hyuk was a favorite to win in the finale of “Produce X 101” last July 19 but he didn’t make it as the show used a different method in selecting the 11th member.
Based on the live text votes and online votes, he placed 11th
with 719,466 votes but for the 11th member, the show tallied all the votes in the entire season and the trainee who got the highest accumulated votes was chosen.
Based on the accumulated votes, Lee Eun-sang of Brand New Music got 3.16 million votes to win the 11th position, edging out Lee Jinhyuk who placed fourth among four contenders.
Meanwhile, the 11 winning contestants will debut under the name X1 on Aug. 27.
After the show, fans floated the idea of creating a project group to be called BY9 composed of the nine eliminated contestants in the show’s finale. They are Lee Jin-hyuk, Kim Min-kyu, Hwang Yunseong, Song Yuvin, Koo Jungmo, Keum Donghyun, Ham Wonjin, Tony and Lee Sejin.
Lee Jin-hyuk’s name trended after the finale and he said that he received many invitations to appear on shows.
“I don’t know that I gained so much love like that. I am also receiving many invitations to participate in dramas and entertainment shows. ‘Radio Star’ is the first show I join,” he said.
Lee Jin-hyuk launched his personal Instagram account on July 22, which has gained 663,000 followers to date.
An online petition on Change. org calling for the formation of BY9 has been signed by more than 34,000 fans as of writing.