when the trainees entered the room
that had caused many strong or rather
disappointing memories, they quickly
took note of a change.

some had clearly not remembered the
elimination number today, aka the fact
that only 12 of them could stay, but
the seats blasted with light in the
middle was a clear giveaway.

unlike previous eliminations, the top five
seats were no longer highlighted. instead,
only the first place seat presented any
difference between all the rest,
especially with all the other chairs
being set up to surround it.

some may rumor that this new set up
was decided after the previous two
eliminations to shut down talk about
the show confirming 5 final members.
if that was indeed the case, then the
mysterious air of the seats created
both through the footage and
postproduction, was helping
support the cause.

MOON SEONGMIN [ 3 ☆ seven sins ] ; seats 11 and 12 feel like an afterthought

SEVYN LEE [ 3 ☆ seven sins ] ; generally, ranks 11 and 12 are an afterthought...

JI YUJUN [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; what is this the finale? why is the first-place chair glowing?

BAE JEONGHOON [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; i feel like it should've always been glowing, i'm just glad they picked up on it now

KIAN HWANG [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; glowing or not, it doesn't matter, i won't be sitting in it...

PARK ROSE [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; never say never~

PARK ROSE [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; did you expect 1st place yerim last time?

KAWAHARA KEI [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; i was more shocked by the suho elimination, i mean going from top 5 to elimination? that seems unlikely

YOON SOOYOUNG [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; shush, you're about to curse yourself

KAWAHARA KEI [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; can't curse myself if i was never in the top 5

KANG JAEHYUK [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; [surprised] you weren't? i was sure you had been??

KAWAHARA KEI [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; i was in the elimination line up last time

the trainees were silenced by the
click of misun's heels on the stage

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; hello babes~

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; long time no see, yes?

are we going to pull
this every time misun?

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; it feels like it was just yesterday when we were in this room

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; it's gone by too fast; don't you think?

stop being melodramatic

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; yet what's even more sad, is that this is our last time in this room

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; and our last time with 19 trainees

HEO JUNGJIN [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; rubbing salt in the wound

LEE NAYEON [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; i mean... is it really the last time...? don't we have lunch plans later?

AUDREY STEWART [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; she means on camera

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; okay okay, i won't trail on any longer

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; [smiles] let's begin!

like it was a cue word, the lights
begin to flash and a big eleven
appears on the side screen

JEONG AURAE [ 3 ☆ seven sins ] ; well, that's new

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; as you can see, we'll be skipping over 12th place by starting with 11th

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; the final surviving trainee will be announced after all other 11 trainees are seated behind me [gestures to the chair set up]

you're familiar with the
mnet elimination format

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; [switches cards] our 11th place trainee would be considered consistent in ranking if it wasn't for their increase in rank last announcement

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; and for their sake, we hope a return to their initial ranking doesn't damage any newfound confidence...

KANG JAEHYUK [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; quick who was 11th place in the first ranking!?

JI YUJUN [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; why would i know???

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; STILL, this rank is nothing short of an achievement

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; so, congratulations, kian hwang!

the camera pans to kian standing up
next to the formerly talking jae and yujun,
but no worries kian is also shown receiving
congrats in different forms from his peers

once kian is on stage he is
directed to stand and wait
as the rankings continue

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; [sends a supportive smile to kian before returning to her card] next, our 10th trainee has been on what some may call, a ranking rollercoaster

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; yet, it seems they don't have a weak stomach

SEO RYEON [ 3 ☆ seven sins ] ; is someone normally throwing up after rankings..?

SEOL YERIM [ 3 ☆ seven sins ] ; [pats her hand] it's a joke sweetie

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, jeong aurae!

okay you know what producers,
it truly was a good metaphor

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; [bestie gives everyone a smile when they come up, but that's repetitive to write so this is my last time saying it]

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; our next trainee is in 9th place, and they have been experiencing a slow, yet steady incline

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; maybe it's due to their attempt at new challenges each round?

no good audio clips so you just get a pause

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; we can't know for sure, but we do know who to congratulate

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; so, congratulations, lee nayeon!

jungjin and audrey create enough
energy for everyone else as they
cheer in response to this.

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; now, if you three would like to say something before sitting, the floor is yours!

a mic is handed to kian

KIAN HWANG [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; i uh... just want to give my thanks to those who have sent me their support

KIAN HWANG [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; i wasn't too sure if i'd be able to continue here, but i'm very grateful to have made it into the final lap

JEONG AURAE [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; [taking the mic] i'd like to piggyback on what kian said, but also, i hope i'm able to entertain you until the end

JEONG AURAE [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; [whispers into the mic] remember to vote for seven sins if you're onsite for voting

LEE NAYEON [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; hey rae! it's loveticon all the way! [shakes head while stealing the mic]

LEE NAYEON [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; anyway... [grins] i send my love to all my little petals~! i hope to continue receiving it back~!

the three go and take their seats

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; i will now announce ranks 8 - 6

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; starting with our trainee in 8th who has always seemed to rank just a few steps away from the top 5

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; clearly today isn't their entry, but some may say "never say never"

dramatic pause named patricia

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, park rose!

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; moving right along, our trainee in 7th place is actually the second safe member of a certain mission 4 performance...

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, seo ryeon!

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; and for our 6th place trainee, their ranking today is a rather striking improvement

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; some may wonder how she went down in the first place?

HEO JUNGJIN [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; [gasp] she?! misun slipped up!

ANN KIM [ 3 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; oh golly /s

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, yoon sooyoung!

this trio is making me return
to stay this way and kitsch

PARK ROSE [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; [takes the mic that's handed to her] hello ^^

PARK ROSE [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; as always, i'd like to thank my fans and...

PARK ROSE [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; [grins and tilts her head] we're only going up, right?

SEO RYEON [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; it's not always easy here but you make it easier [winks at the camera]

SEO RYEON [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; thank you for the support!

YOON SOOYOUNG [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; [fake pouts] rayray stole my bit

sooyoung has been changed
by the grip of my house

YOON SOOYOUNG [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; but [smiles] i too just want to give out my thanks to all my fans

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; hm... i blinked and we're already to our top 5 announcement

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; we really have slimmed down

stop bringing it back up bestie, it hurts

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; our first trainee in the top 5 has actually seen a rank decrease? [raises brow]

JI YUJUN [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; so, audrey, yerim, or kairo..?

BAE JEONGHOON [ 3 ☆ broken heart ] ; let's be honest with ourselves, i'd be in the top 5 before kairo takes 5th place

SEVYN LEE [ 3 ☆ seven sins ] ; dramatic much?

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; after a short reign as first place, our 5th place trainee is seol yerim, congratulations!

SEOL YERIM [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; as it was already above my expectations, it was great to stand there at all

SEOL YERIM [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; and in my eyes, 5th place is just as strong a feat, just as any ranking a trainee may receive in this room

SEOL YERIM [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; don't count it as a failure as we've all worked hard

SEOL YERIM [ 4 ☆ seven sins ] ; simply count it as a step

yerim takes her seat

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; next, in 4th place is a star of many memes, congratulations, ann kim!

ANN KIM [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; after last mission, i made it into the top 5 by default

ANN KIM [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; but even now, [glances back at the screen showcasing the number] i can't believe i'm in 4th

ANN KIM [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; i can't say i deserve it with such a lineup of trainees...

ANN KIM [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; but i'll work hard with the support of the others, thank you!

ann takes her seat

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; and we've arrived at our top 3...

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; in third place is a trainee that enters the top 5 for the first time

meet patrick, my dramatic pause

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, hak seungjun!

HAK SEUNGJUN [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; ah [starts tearing up] i'm sorry

HAK SEUNGJUN [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; i know this isn't the finale, but i had been sitting there and...

HAK SEUNGJUN [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; [takes a breath] i really thought i was going to be eliminated

HAK SEUNGJUN [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; this means so much so thank you <3

seungjun heads to his seat

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; it's not time for me to cry yet, gosh (/lh)

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; but let's move right along to our 2nd place trainee, who you might be familiar with

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; [jokingly] maybe that's debatable

spongebob the dramatic pause

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, seo kairo!

SEO KAIRO [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; unlike the past ranking announcements, today we've been announced before the final survivor, which makes this rather bittersweet

SEO KAIRO [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; i'd like to further advance my claims of determination for 1st place

SEO KAIRO [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; but genuinely, i'm grateful to have been able to stand amongst the top for all these rankings

SEO KAIRO [ 4 ☆ ♡ticon ] ; i wish nothing but the best for everyone who leaves us today as i know you'll do great on any path [smiles] thank you

kairo takes his seat

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; and last, but not least, is our 1st place trainee

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; who is yet another first timer in our top 5...

terry the pause button

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; yet it's not surprising to see them take this spot today

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; congratulations, kawahara kei!

KAWAHARA KEI [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; now i may need to start being careful with my words [chuckles softly]

KAWAHARA KEI [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; [looks forward, observing] i now see why everyone was being so inspirational, this really is bittersweet

the camera pans to capture
the remaining 8 trainees, the
only audience kei currently sees

KAWAHARA KEI [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; [in japanese] once a part, always a part [slight nod]

way to make me realize that kei
is the only currently safe trainee
that speaks japanese (at least
4/8 understood this)

KAWAHARA KEI [ 4 ☆ broken heart ] ; this is the spot i'll always aim for, so i hope you continue supporting me, thank you

as kei takes his seat,
only one chair remains

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; the hardest part has arrived, the announcement of our last survivor

MISUN [ the recruiter ] ; please turn your attention to the screen

four blurry faces appear on
screen... who are they?

find out after the break

a/n - for the unannounced eliminated
trainees so far, or just users that are
still around despite their trainee
already being eliminated. i wanted
to mention that if you'd like to check
back in at the end of episode 8,
you can attain a longer trainee
cameo in the final episode 😉 ~

(saying this now before i forget)

just to note, total exp for this
elimination has purposefully
been unrevealed, to make the
final exp more of a surprise