Following the reviews I made for their first mission, I decided to have my own Top 11 list which I mostly based on their performances during the Team Battles (mostly, but not all). This is quite late because I know that Episode 5 was up last week and many were already eliminated (so many good talents that didn’t even get noticed T.T). Disregarding the ranking announcement, here is my top 11 for now, presented in no particular order bc the rank doesn't really matter as long as their in the final 11, right? xD

Lee Dae Hwi (Brand New Music)

     I know this is very expected, considering he was their first center and is very popular, but you got to admit: Lee Dae Hwi is ready to debut. His vocals are excellent and stable, and his dancing skill is above the average. He has very well proven himself worthy since episode 1 – he has the skills to debut.

Lee Gunmin (Rainbow Bridge World) [ELIMINATED]

      I barely noticed this guy in the beginning, but after his excellent vocal performance in Boy in Luv (Team B), he immediately took a spot in my top 11. He’s a power vocal and has his own feel and style in singing that really spices up the song. Aside from his high note and adlibs on their performance, his martial arts flip right after his adlib really caught my attention too! This guy’s a gem, but sadly he got eliminated.

Hwang Minhyun (Pledis)

      Since he’s been an idol before, it’s already a given that his skills are ready to debut (for the second time, in his case), but he really improved a lot. He is very versatile – his vocals are naturally smooth and stable, and he’s a good dancer (his neck movement is really memorable for me xD). There’s this aura in him, especially when you look at his eyes while performing, that entices you.

Song Hyunwoo (The Vibe) [ELIMINATED]

       Boy groups won’t ever be complete without at least one rapper. His self-made rap plus his delivery during their Call Me Baby (Team A) performance really stood out for me. He has this deep raspy voice which I really like, and has this naturally-occurring swag in the way he moves which is really suitable for a rapper position.

Ong Seungwoo (Fantagio)

     I can proudly say that Ong Seungwoo is one of the best dancers there are. His movements are fluid and detailed, and he really picks up the game in terms of dancing skills. He may not be the best vocalist, but he can sing and is really stable af (refer to Sorry Sorry Team 2 performance), and this can be evened out by his graceful dancing.

Kim Jaehwan (Individual trainee)

     His vocals are no joke, and this isn’t the first time I said that. He’s a power vocal and has his own unique singing style which he showcased really well in his performance in Sorry Sorry Team 2. His live harmonies were really good and he was stable all throughout the performance. He may not be trained in a company, but he’s a decent dancer and he could still improve.

Kang Dongho (Pledis)

     Kang Dongho is the definition of manly. His presence and stare literally lures you in (refer to the beginning cut of Boy in Luv Team 2 performance). But other than his vibe, his vocals are good and stable, especially when he started the bridge for an energetic song like Boy in Luv beautifully. It was just perfect. Considering his experience, he knows his field really well and is a professional.

Im Woohyuk (Blessings) [ELIMINATED]

     Among the many rappers who were able to showcase their skills in the team battle performance, Im Woohyuk was a notable one. His rap performance in Shock (Team B) screamed “great rapper” for me. He has this unique tone, which could be a double edged sword, but he knew how to use it really well. His delivery was on-point with the right amount of confidence and swag – he’s a blessing (get it?) and I hope he gets to debut soon.

Kim Seongri (C2K Entertainment)

      I could not forget how good he was at single-handedly nailing all Chen, Baekhyun and D.O.’s notes in Call Me Baby (Team A) – and it looked so effortless! I took notice of him when he moved from B to A, and he deserved it. He’s a vocal prowess (and really good at harmonies) and I wish he gets to showcase more of that soon.

Kim Jaehan (MMO) [ELIMINATED]

      I honestly got confused between him and Kim Jaehwan (and almost thought they were the same person) and it did not turn disappointing because they are both great vocalists! Kim Jaehan was able to showcase his vocal skills really well in their Replay (Team B) performance as main vocal. He was impressively stable and looked really calm in doing high notes. If only he wasn’t eliminated, I was looking forward for him to show how versatile he is.

Kim Jonghyun (Pledis)

Jonghyun is no doubt a good leader– he knows when to be firm and when to be a brother, both sides showing especially when he dealt with Hyunbin and his team, which got him dubbed as the “Angel Leader”. He took his leader role seriously and it paid off – his team did well. As for skills, it’s already a given that his dance skills are really good, being the main dancer of Nu’est, and he’s really stable on stage – all he needs is an opportunity to show his rapper skills now.

     This list is basically a list of trainees who I think are already ready to debut based on their performances so far and those who impressed me a lot. Aside from this alone, there are a lot more trainees who are really talented - they just need an opportunity to show them. I'm still sad that a lot of them got eliminated without even getting the chance to really show their talents, some of them barely got shown on screen or barely remembered. But whether we like it or not, Produce 101 is a popularity contest and ofc they would show the famous ones over and over again /sigh/ Anyway, this list is subject to change depending on how the river flows for them in the next episodes and for those who got eliminated, I just hope we get to see them again soon... when they debut for real.

Once again, this is Seul, after blabbering, signing off~