Let’s talk about this hot issues that a lot of other Korean sites have informed and talked about. As the fans and viewers, I might want to add several input, but start with basic, shall we?
Description
Produce 101 was mnet girl group or boy group survival reality show, by cjes entertainment, It was a large-scale project in which the public "produces" a unit girl group by choosing members from a pool of 101 trainees from 46 entertainment companies (and individuals) as well as the group's concept, debut song, and group name
How it’s start?
Ridiculous enough, this speculation was just released after the final episode of produce x 101, the fourth season of mnet produce series. Although in my opinion, it’s already obvious enough that any tv shows aren’t 100% real after all, and this kind of practice (manipulating vote) might has happened from the start (since produce 101 season 1, ioi) >> a lot more articles to come about this issues and police start to look after this case after some politicians try to stir up this shit more >> some ex mnet staff mention that the vote rigging is true police start the investigation >> some quiet moment >> x1 finally debut, but some cancellations of endorsements deals and debut stage >> x1 doesn’t disappoint and sell 500k albums, won 11 musical trophies 🏆 beating popular group like red velvet >> new article about founding new proof about the vote rigging start again (currently there is ongoing protests and demonstrations in south korea about the new president and the past / ex presidential)
Honest though:
It’s kinda weird and unnecessary for the timing to bring this issues now. It might be a black campaign from another company to sabotage produce groups after mnet creates some “cheating” competition by debuting a temporary rookie group that has longer and longer contract. Aside from what mnet has done is wrong (if the assumption about vote rigging is found as real), no ex trainee or contestants and the final debut members will benefit from this, maybe it will benefit for the other competitor, but not the franchise. I mean, in each season the debuted members are perfect as they are, from ioi, wanna one, izone and x1, all are great with how it is now. Well, there are several contestants that should win like jr, gaeun and jinhyuk, but aside that, mnet pick well. all produce groups, IOI, wanna one, izone and X1, made history and changed the kpop world like before only the big 3 and some big companies dominate the industry and its a slim chance for groups from small companies to survive. Produce is a media of opportunity for idols who came from small companies, to make a name for themselves.
Why?
If it’s proven, how do you think the final debut member feels about this? How about the one who received the extra vote? He/she will get black lashes, hatred for something they can’t change/do. And the members of final group won’t change anyway, so the other contestants whom spots got stolen doesn’t benefit from it. They will only just think that their agency might think they’re nit good enough, or they will feel some grudge towards the agency.
The recent progress of this issues as follows:
The South Korean police have confirmed that ‘Produce X 101’ voting results have been rigged. It has been reported that the authorities have booked the production team of the show for obstruction of business. The cyber crimes investigation team has found circumstantial evidence that suggests some of the votes that belonged to other trainees went to the trainees who ended up in the debut lineup. Specific names of idols have not been revealed yet. But reports have stated that two or three members of X1’s votes have been manipulated, meaning that there may be either two or three trainees who were eliminated in the final rounds that were rightfully supposed to have been included in X1. Previously, On September 17th, Maeil Business reported that 'Produce X 101' has had their votes manipulated, not only on the final results, but they said it started as early as the 2nd episode. They stated that the people had to choose between 11 trainees and the number of people that voted on episode 1 totaled to 223,179, which could be equally divided by 11, but for the next couple of episodes and rounds, the total amount of votes couldn't be equally divided by 11. The figure below shows the number of votes counted by realtime voting on the top, votes coming from the website in the middle, and votes from the app on the bottom.
After looking at it the votes counted from the website, in the middle, make it so the votes could be equal after dividing it from 11. Although the votes from realtime and from the app clearly show that the votes could not have been equal.
Furthermore, 'CBS No Cut News' reported that police have booked several staff members of 'Produce X 101' including the program's PD for charges of interference of business, etc. Next, police are expected to carry out investigations to determine whether or not monetary exchanges were made between Mnet and the agencies of the X1 members in question, in relation to vote rigging.
On October 2, It was reported that the Seoul Metropolitan Police conducted more search and seizure orders on entertainment companies which were involved with not only Mnet's 'Produce X 101', but also 'Produce 48'. According to reports, police have not only searched MBK Entertainment, Starship Entertainment, and, Woollim Entertainment for evidence of vote-rigging during 'Produce X 101', but they've also searched numerous other companies of former 'Produce 48' contestants after extending vote-rigging allegations to all of Mnet's idol survival programs. However, the Seoul Metropolitan Police will not disclose the companies that participated in 'Produce 48' which were part of their search and seizure order.
The speculation:
1. 4 suspicions over the last ranking (You will understand if you looked at the votes below)
(t/n: the highlighted ones are: Kim Yohan, Song Hyungjoon, Nam Dohyun and Song Yuvin)
Suspicion #1 The law of multiples
Each vote were multiples of 7497,445 (the #10's votes = 749,444) and they distributed like that, so the numbers just dropped drastically.
However, Lee Jinhyuk and Goo Jungmo's numbers are the only ones who have a 0.04 difference with other ranks, the 2 difference scale are the same
In other words, Lee Jinhyuk is just a bit lower (-0.04) and Goo Jungmo just a little bit higher (+0.04)
If you consider the fact that Lee Jinhyuk could've been the #11, there must've been a reason why they purposefully brought him down
Suspicion 1.1 Using the same multiples to add and subtract
They used 100 as a base to separate the multiples, so that 1~9 were divided by 100, and 11~20 was divided by 100. From 1 to 9 the divider was 279 and from 11-20 the divider was also 279
In other words, the #10's total was 749,444 (common divider) and the difference between the scale from above and below are the same.
Suspicion #2 Traces of the special number (Tony's votes)
Lee Saejin + Tony = Kang Minhee
Kim Mingyu + Tony = Cha Junho
Song Yuvin + Tony = Nam Dohyun
Nam Dohyun + Tony = Song Hyungjoon
Lee Hangyul + Tony = Han Seungwoo
Song Hyungjoon + Tony = Kim Yohan
Those who received a "buff/manipulated" votes:
#18 -> #10
#17 -> #9
#16 -> #8
#8 -> #4
#7 -> #3
#4 -> #1
2. The recalculated ranking
I recalculated everything removing Tony's added votes. You can see that the new ranking makes way more sense
(first ranking: including Tony's votes and rigging the votes)
1. Kim Yohan
2. Kim Wooseok
3. Han Seungwoo
4. Song Hyungjoon
5. Cho Seungyoun
6. Son Dongpyo
7. Lee Hangyul
8. Nam Dohyun
9. Cha Junho
10. Kang Minhee
11. Lee Jinhyuk
12. Goo Jungmo
13. Lee Eunsang
14. Geum Donghyun
15. Hwang Yunseong
16. Song Yuvin
17. Kim Mingyu
18. Lee Saejin
19. Ham Wonjin
20. Tony
(new ranking by removing the additional votes from Tony)
1. Kim Wooseok : passed
2. Kim Yohan: passed
3. Cho Seungyoun : passed
4. Son Dongpyo : passed
5. Han Seungwoo : passed
6. Lee Hangyul : passed
7. Song Hyungjoon : passed
8. Lee Jinhyuk: passed, but actually didn't make it
9. Goo Jungmo: passed, but actually didn't make it
10. Lee Eunsang: passed, was the X
11. Geum Donghyun
12. Hwang Yunseong
13. Nam Dohyun: Actually made it
14. Song Yuvin
15. Cha Junho: Actually made it
16. Kim Mingyu: The actual X
17. Kang Minhee
18. Lee Saejin
19. Ham Wonjin
20. Tony
Netizen react:
1. [+342, -11]
Goo Jungmo was really the #9 until the end F*CK how did he end up there
2. [+229, -5]
If you're telling me that this is real, the trainees who were originally eliminated must be f*cking embarrassed right now
3. [+186, -7]
But it's true that the original center was Kim Wooseok? Why are they even changing the center..? Do you know how important the center is for Produce groups? They really changed it however they want
4. [+138, -0]
What the f*ck if this is the truth, and they really manipulated Lee Jinhyuk, Goo Jungmo and Kim Mingyu could've debuted and the center could've been Kim Wooseok??? The members changing is an issue in itself but isn't it too problematic that they even changed the center..?
5. [+137, -0]
Tony f*ck he's f*cking pitiful, they even used his votes for this
