Drawing in the highest viewership ratings in the show’s history, the Produce 101 Season 2 finale was a show that had a huge chunk of South Korea watching. Mnet announced at the beginning of the broadcast that the name for this season’s winning group would be WANNA ONE, following in the footsteps of 101-themed names. Narrowing down the 20 remaining contestants to the final 11 was a process that spread over an hour and a half of the over three-and-a-half-hour broadcast.

In the end, the final trainees who made the cut were Ardor & Able’s Ha Sungwoon, C9’s Bae Jinyoung, Pledis’ Hwang Minhyun, MMO’s Yoon Jisung, Cube’s Lai Guanlin, Brand New Music’s Park Woojin, Fantagio’s Ong Seongwoo, independent trainee Kim Jaehwan, Brand New Music’s Lee Daehwi, Maroo Entertainment’s Park Jihoon, and MMO’s Kang Daniel.

Some of our staff took a moment to reflect on what they thought of this season’s finale. Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments below.

Haley Whisennand

I can’t believe it’s all over! I didn’t watch the first season of the show as it aired, so I’m only just now understanding how much stress a fan can feel during the live finale. I was seriously worried about my health during the last half of the show. However, now that it’s all said and done, I can take a nice, deep breath. My Fridays will feel a little empty now that Produce 101 Season 2 is all over, but I’m glad WANNA ONE has finally been revealed! Even though there has already been a lot of negativity surrounding the group online, I can say that I for sure am pretty dang happy with the final lineup.

As for the actual finale, I think Mnet did an awesome job filling us with plenty of amazing stages (I’ve got the “Hands on Me” video on repeat) and warm and fuzzy ending content. The video messages from the parents were really a heartwarming upgrade from last season’s simple “Letter to Myself in 100 Days” concept, and bringing in some family members for Daehwi and Guanlin, the two remaining “foreign trainees,” as well as Jihoon and Haknyeon’s family members, really tied it all together.

I can’t wait to see what WANNA ONE has in store for us over the next year and a half. Here’s to hoping they see all the success in the world and more! I’m definitely buying all the albums and merch I can.

Atlanta Doherty Brophy

The finale brought tears, laughter, and closure. I watched all the performances from last season, which intrigued me to watch season two. It definitely lived up to expectations, as the finale kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire three and a half hours. “Hands on Me” and “Super Hot” showed the versatility of the final 20 (though, unfortunately, my stream kept glitching). My heart broke seeing the final 20 talk about their parents, with some of the trainees reuniting with their families. The tears continued while the trainees performed for the last time with “Always.” It was a touching gift to viewers who have continued to watch the show.

When it came to the announcement of the lineup for WANNA ONE, I was so nervous. This year, I felt the competition was on another level, with each trainee offering something new. Though my favorite was Guanlin, I was nervous due to his low rank in the prior episode. Fortunately, he placed seventh, so I could breathe a little after he was chosen. Overall, I was happy with the final lineup. The variety of talent, languages, and personalities will make this group stand out. My only complaint would be that Samuel didn’t make it. He continued to improve and work hard, but I will cheer him on for his solo debut! The finale was filled with surprises, which is what viewers want, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. WANNA ONE is definitely a group I will continue to support after the show.

Sabria Abufares

Where do I even start? I began watching Produce 101 Season 2 with the first episode, and though I dropped it a bit towards the middle, I’m oh so glad that I was able to wrap up this season with a smile full of tears. One thing that’s certain though, is that all of the contestants worked extremely hard and should be applauded for their dedication to their dream. Although Produce 101 really stresses the importance of the individual, the teamwork and friendships displayed and developed over the course of the show really touched my heart.

While I was extremely stressed trying to find a working livestream, there was the added unnecessary stress of the (practically) 20-minute long pauses before each name was announced. Mnet sure knows how to play with their audience. It was really pleasing, though, to see the progression of the choreography and vocals for the two performances. “Super Hot” and “Hands on Me” were both stunning stages, with the boys displaying their very best. I know for sure that I will have those on repeat (but not “Always,” because I’ve already cried enough). Speaking of tearjerkers, I could barely contain myself when the boys received their parents’ video messages, not to mention Guanlin and Daehwi with their family.

Overall, I’m grudgingly happy with the final lineup for WANNA ONE, and I am most definitely looking forward to solo debuts or future promotions from the eliminated competitors. I have a feeling that WANNA ONE may even surpass I.O.I in terms of success, but either way they are going to have a booming year and a half of great accomplishments. Hoping for great achievements to all who participated in Produce 101!

Lilian Tran

I have been watching Produce 101 Season 2 ever since the very beginning when the PR videos came out. I anticipated and was super excited to see the formation of the new group and what they would bring to the table since season one was such a huge hit. Watching their journey from the very beginning has been such an emotional rollercoaster, and I cannot believe that it is actually over! I was super excited to watch the progress of all the trainees and what they would bring to the table next. To see these individuals work tirelessly towards their dreams and pour their hearts out during the show definitely gave me the feels. Though I am sad that it’s over, I am also very excited to stan WANNA ONE!

While watching the last episode live, my heart was beating so fast as I was waiting for my two favorites to be called. Bae Jinyoung and Park Woojin have grown so much, and I am just beyond happy that they were selected to debut. From not being able to look at the audience and not having confidence in himself, Jinyoung massively improved, actually becoming the center for “Hands On Me.” Woojin’s perseverance during episode nine was impeccable, as the boy danced his heart out all while suffering from shingles. Also, his initial rank was 72, and to see him progress and end up in sixth place was simply amazing.

Overall, I am beyond excited to see what WANNA ONE has in store for us. I honestly love the lineup, and although I am really sad about Jonghyun not making the cut, I know there will be huge things in store not only for him, but for the other trainees as well. The show always kept me on my toes, and I can’t wait to show my huge support to WANNA ONE!

(Updated 6/21/17 with new header photo. Source: Produce 101 Season 2 Facebook page)