Watch a preview from the first episode of ‘Queendom Puzzle’

Mnet has released a special preview of its upcoming reality TV competition Queendom Puzzle.

• READ MORE: Here’s everything we know about ‘Queendom Puzzle’

Released on June 7, special preview is for the first episode of Queendom Puzzle, which will premiere next Tuesday (June 13) at 10pm KST. Nearly an hour long, the new clip introduces the the 28 contestants, its ranking system and parts of the first mission of the series.

Introduced with key phrases representing the contestants careers thus far, each of the participants enter the set before light-up floor panels guide them to one of four seating areas. Acting as the show’s MC, Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon later enters the main stage and explains that they have been separated into four tiers based on their accumulated achievements as of April 2023.

50 per cent of their points are based on the number of times they (or their groups) have placed Number One on a music show, while the other 50 per cent is based on their total number of first-week album sales.

However, these rankings are set to change after the first round of evaluations, during which each contestant will perform solo while the remaining 27 contestants decide if they belong in a lower or higher tier than each performer.

The preview includes three of these performances, including AOA’s Do-hwa (formerly known as Chanmi) singing a medley of AOA tracks ‘Elvis’, ‘Bingle Bangle’ and ‘Come See Me’. Meanwhile, H1-KEY member Riina performed her group’s track ‘Rose Blossom’ and Nayeon’s ‘POP!’. Weeekly’s Jihan also performs the latter track.

In the initial rankings, Tier One includes ex-MOMOLAND’s JooE, soloist and former IZ*ONE member Lee Chae-yeon, WJSN’s Yeoreum, AOA’s Do-hwa and Lovelyz’s Kei. Tier Two comprises Weeekly’s Jihan, Soeun, Lee Soojin and Zoa, CLC’s Yeeun, LABOUM’s Haein and PURPLE KISS’ Yuki.

Meanwhile, Tier Three includes tripleS’ Lee Ji-woo and Yoon Seo-yeon, Rocket Punch’s Juri, Yeonhee and Suyun, and Cherry Bullet’s Bora, Jiwon and Chaerin. Finally, Tier Four consists of Weki Meki’s Elly, LIGHTSUM’s Sangah, Former BNK48 member Fye, former NMB48 and Produce 48 contestant Shiroma Miru, H1-KEY’s Riina and Hwiseo and woo!ah!’s Nana and Wooyeon.

However, Mnet announced in May that Lee Chae-yeon and LABOUM’s Haein had withdrawn from the competition, though filmed footage will still be used for broadcast. It appears that their first evaluation performances will still air.

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