Kim Gun-woo secured a spot in the debut lineup on Mnet's "Boys 2 Planet." Following Seong Han-bin, who served as the center for the signal song in season 1, Kim Gun-woo gained attention as the center for season 2. Although he faced controversy early in the broadcast due to personality issues and agency problems, he ultimately settled within the debut range and succeeded in making a comeback.

On the April 4 broadcast of "Boys 2 Planet," Kim Gun-woo rose nine ranks to claim 7th place in the survivor announcement ceremony. He recorded 479,980 votes domestically and 1,685,086 votes globally. With the final debut number expected to be between 8 and 9 members, 7th place falls within the debut zone.

After the ranking announcement, Kim Gun-woo said, "I was very worried after receiving the 16th place ranking," adding, "I think this will be an opportunity to give it one more push." He also expressed gratitude in English, saying, "Thanks to the star creators who supported me, I was able to sit in a good chair this time. I moved from the hard 16th place chair to the soft 7th place chair."

Last month, Kim Gun-woo sparked controversy when he suddenly deleted a handwritten apology posted on SNS. Before the airing of "Boys 2 Planet," he was noted as the center of the K-group for the signal song "Hola (HOLA SOLAR)," but he became embroiled in a personality controversy after allegations surfaced that he had bullied other trainees during his time as a leader at a former agency.

As the controversy spread, Kim Gun-woo posted a handwritten apology on Instagram. He stated, "I sincerely apologize for my words and actions that hurt and troubled many people, regardless of the reasons." He added, "Although some parts of the allegations are not true, I decided it was right to apologize first for the mistakes rather than explain."

However, the deletion of the apology raised questions among fans. Kim Gun-woo was introduced as an individual trainee in the first broadcast, but it was later revealed that he was affiliated with WakeOne. Due to the personality controversy and agency issues, negative public opinion formed among viewers, which also led to a reduction in his screen time.

Nevertheless, as the broadcast progressed, Kim Gun-woo's role within the team grew, and his screen time increased. Viewers responded positively to his rise in ranking. Overcoming the controversy, Kim Gun-woo entered the debut zone, raising expectations for his future activities.