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Mnet is reviving its popular rap competition show Unpretty Rapstar with a new spin. The upcoming project is titled Unpretty Rapstar: Hip-Hop Princess. The announcement was made during the Mnext: Worlds of Mnet Since 2025 event held on April 15 at The Class Cheongdam in Seoul.
As per South Korean media outlet News1, CJ ENM’s head of the music content division, Shin Hyung-kwan, shared details of the show. The new season will mark the return of Unpretty Rapstar after nearly a decade. The show originally premiered in 2015. It aired three seasons before ending in 2016.
This time, Mnet has partnered with the production team of Street Woman Fighter 2021. The version will include contestants from both Korea and Japan. Participants will be judged on their skills in rap, vocals, and hip-hop dance.
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The producers stated that the aim is to form a group as impactful as IZ*ONE, but in the hip-hop world. IZ*ONE was also created in 2018 by Mnet through Produce 48, a Korean-Japanese survival show. However, the group disbanded in 2021 after a successful run.
The announcement about Unpretty Rapstar sparked mixed reactions online. While some are excited, others remain skeptical. The reference to IZ*ONE also triggered concerns over possible manipulation, as past Mnet survival shows faced controversies over vote rigging. One netizen commented,
""IZ*ONE of the rapper world" Ok, so who's gonna be rigged this time?"
"Which woollim trainee will be rigged this time to transfer hybe later" wrote this person on X.
Many expressed frustration over the constant references to IZ*ONE. The show's aim to create the “IZ*ONE of the rapper world” drew sharp criticism from long-time fans of the disbanded girl group.
"Just tell you'll make a gg of rapper, using izone in 2025 for clout. IZ*ONE became meaningful because of the 12 people. We love IZ*ONE because of the members. Without any of our members its just a name. @official izone," said this netizen.
"Mnet still obsessed with trying to recreate izone's success... when will they learn that the show is not responsible for their success...," read a comment on X.
"Why does it have to be an IZ*ONE of the rapper world? Another vocal group like IZ*ONE would be just fine, and groups like them are actually lacking in kpop right now. Mnet sucks," posted another netizen.
Apart from concerns over IZ*ONE comparisons, Unpretty Rapstar: Hip-Hop Princess also drew backlash over deeper issues. Some fans criticized Mnet's pattern of launching female-led survival shows first, followed by male versions. Others raised alarms about cultural sensitivity, with the show's hip-hop theme sparking discussions on racial and cultural appropriation.
"Mnet will always experiment on new survival show ideas with women and will then do an inferior version with men a year later. Look at the produce series, planet series, and the dance street fighter series. Women will always be on top," mentioned an X user.
"Have y'all not terrorized the black community enough?" said this netizen.
"This is literally just a televised cultural appropriation meetup," posted this X user.
CJ ENM unveils 2025 Mnet lineup and global expansion plans, confirms return of Unpretty Rapstar with new format
As per News1, CEO Shin reflected on the show's legacy. He shared that Mnet is working on a fresh concept for the program, which will be introduced later this year.
"It's already been 10 years since we launched Unpretty Rapstar and we plan to develop a new format this year and present it to viewers," he said.
He further revealed that the new version, Unpretty Rapstar: Hip-Hop Princess's recruitment for participants is expected to begin soon, saying,
"'Unpretty Rapstar: Hip-Hop Princess' is a joint Korean-Japanese hip-hop project created by the 'Unpretty Rapstar' and 'Street Woman Fighter' production teams, and will create the 'IZ*ONE of the rapper world'. We plan to post a recruitment notice soon."
At Mnext: Worlds of Mnet Since 2025, CJ ENM outlined its vision for global music expansion as per South Korean media outlet Korea JoongAng Daily. The presentation was led by Shin Hyung-kwan, head of the music content division, alongside Kim Ji-won of Mnet Plus. Together, they introduced a wide-ranging strategy aimed at taking Mnet’s music content further onto the international stage.
During the CJ ENM Music Media Lounge event, Shin Hyung-kwan, director of CJ ENM’s Music Content Division also introduced several new programs lined up for Mnet in 2025. Among the confirmed titles were World of Street Woman Fighter, BOYS II PLANET, and K-Popped.
K-Popped is an 8-episode K-pop competition show co-produced with Apple TV+. According to the outlet, he also mentioned an upcoming band audition project, which is currently untitled.
While the show promises a bold new concept with cross-cultural participation and fresh talent, concerns over past controversies, cultural sensitivity, and the heavy-handed comparison to IZ*ONE continue to fuel debate. As recruitment begins and Mnet rolls out its ambitious 2025 lineup, all eyes are on how the network navigates these challenges.
