"So disgusted with this show"- Netizens react as Starlight Boys' latest challenge reportedly leaves contestants hospitalized

On Saturday, November 2, the second episode of the Chinese and South Korean reality boy group survival show, Starlight Boys, was released. The episode and its mission soon garnered a lot of attention for its alleged brutality and endangering the contestants' health. For the mission, the contestants had to participate in a dance challenge.

However, the system through which the judges evaluated them soon began to look exhaustive. The goal was for the judges to pick 56 trainees out of the 68 contestants to move on to the next round. For the evaluation, they had to dance to Starlight Boys' signal song. All 68 trainees were made to dance to the signal song at the same time.

However, the contestants had to continue dancing to the signal song with only a 30-second break between rounds until all 56 trainees were chosen. Some of the trainees had to do around 19 rounds of the signal song performance, which marked up to almost an hour of non-stop dancing. The exhaustion of the challenge got to an extent where other contestants raised concerns.

One contestant, Sun Yinghao, who was seated, got up to call for a stop and stated that they were humans and not machines. Later, after the episode's release, a netizen, who's been known for giving out spoilers for Starlight Boys, stated that some of the contestants were hospitalized due to the challenge:

"The participants were badly deceived. Under the weird competition system, many of them have been to the hospital for treatment, including Ling Qi, Yinghao, BAE173’s Hangyul, Jijun, Shihuan, and more."

When this alleged news landed on the internet, fans were not only worried about the contestants but also fuming at the reality show's organizers and judges. They also demanded a cancellation of the show for the level of alleged brutality.

"im so disgusted with this show and system," one fan said.

"the most abusive survival show ever... they made these young boys dance to the point of complete exhaustion and mental breakdown" said a fan on X

"also the show is making them dance REPEATEDLY till they can’t like wtf there was a clip of a trainee getting oxygen? this is NOT it" added another fan

"The part that they need to be evaluated is hurting me to see them like that. I swear they could've chosen another type of evaluation, but dancing for how many times with only 30 seconds break is so cruel." commented a netizen

More fans and netizens talked about how brutal and abusive the latest challenge on Starlight Boys was.

"there’s nothing good about starlight boys. that show is inhumane and just straight up dangerous and it needs cancelling immediately. those poor boys are being put through absolute hell, I genuinely don’t understand how this is allowed to air" said a netizen

"i get the program in general is bad but the judges too?! like don't they see what they're doing is wrong?" stated an X user

"what the programme did to the boys is quite horrific, and cruel almost. I definitely don't agree that things needed to be done this way." added another netizen on X

"CRUEL SHOW EVER STARLIGHT BOY !! They're just a kids who want to pursue their dream but this show ruined it." said another X user

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All about the latest Chinese and South Korean reality boy group survival show, Starlight Boys

Starlight Boys, otherwise known as Youth With You International, is a Chinese-Korean boy group survival show created by iQIYI and SBS. The show kickstarted with a total of 69 trainees gathered from around the world, and the goal is to create a nine-piece boy group with contestants who top the first nine ranks.

There were originally 69 contestants until the departure of Zhao Jia Yin before the show's airing. The show premiered on October 26 and holds the track, Good Luck (Be My Luck) as its theme song.

It also holds an intriguing and famous lineup of judges on the panel. They are Lee Seung Gi, Daesung, Choi Young-joon, Hanhae, Kwon Eun-bi, Hui, Eric, and Yoon.

It's hosted by the South Korean actress, model, and singer under YG Entertainment, Lee Sung-kyoung.

Meanwhile, here's the top nine ranking of the show following the release of its latest episode:

1. Yoo Gwan-woo
2. Sun Yinghao
3. Shao Ziheng
4. Han Gyul
5. Pentor
6. Duan Xing Xing
7. Lee Jun-hyuk
8. Lee Da-eul
9. He Xi Long

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While fans were initially excited about the show and the boy group it would culminate in, many are now concerned about the show's progression and system of evaluation.