Lee Yunji was one of the 99 female trainees who became a contestant on Mnet's "Girls Planet 999" in late 2021. Her journey on the show only lasted until episode 5. What could have happened to her following that? Keep reading to know her current whereabouts.

Who Is 'Girls Planet 999' (GP999) Contestant Lee Yunji?

Lee Yunji was a trainee under CUBE Entertainment. She was a representative of the company in Mnet's "Girls Planet 999," along with former CLC member Choi Yujin (who is now a member of the project girl group Kep1er).

Lee Yunji's Journey on Mnet's "Girls Planet 999"

On July 7, 2021, Mnet released a prologue trailer where Lee Yunji and the other participating trainees were revealed. Her official profile was then shared on July 17.

"Girls Planet 999" premiered on Aug. 6, but prior to that, the contestants were evaluated based on their performance of the show's theme song, "O.O.O ("Over & Over & Over"). During the evaluation, Lee Yunji was placed at No. 7 in the K-Group.

ALSO READ: Where Is Jeong Jiyoon Now? Status of 'Girls Planet 999' Trainee Who Ranked 5th in K-Group

In episode 1, Yunji performed aespa's "Black Mamba" during the Planet Demo Stage, alongside Kim Chaehyun and Ahn Jeongmin. Following that, the Cells were formed, and Yunji was part of the Cell with Murakami Yume & Liu Shi Qi. When the cells were reformed, Yunji formed a new one with Murakami Yume and Gu Yi Zhou.

In episode 3-4, the contestants began their first mission, Connect Mission, where they were put into teams, and two or three teams went head-to-head in covering the same song.

READ MORE: Where Is Former 'Girls Planet 999' Contestant Choi Yeyoung Now? Trainee's Status After Elimination

Lee Yunji was part of the team that covered SEVENTEEN's "Pretty U." Her individual ranking after that performance was 26th in the K-Group. Her cell also placed 26th. Because of her individual ranking, she was eliminated from the show in episode 5.

So, what happened to her after her elimination?

Where Is Lee Yunji Now? Update on 'Girls Planet 999' Contestant Who Ranked 7th in K-Group

On Oct. 20, 2021, FNC ENM announced that former "GP999" Lee Yunji had joined the agency, meaning she had parted ways with CUBE Entertainment. Then, on Dec. 24, FNC ENM revealed that Lee Yunji will debut in their upcoming girl group, which will be composed of a total of six members.

On Jan. 10, 2022, FNC ENM officially introduced Yunji as the group's second member under the stage name "Ara." Then, on April 4, the girl group, called ILY:1, made their debut with their first single album "Love in Bloom." Their debut was originally scheduled on March 15, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The group's name, ILY:1, is a combination of the word "I" and the suffix "-lym" while the 1 represents each member's distinct charm coming together as one. Moreover, "ILY" is an acronym for "I Love You," symbolizing the group's love to their fans, who are collectively called

In ILY:1, former "GP999" contestant Lee Yunji is part of the vocal line. She is the second-oldest member in the group, having been born in January 2022.

On July 29, the rookie girl group made their first comeback with their second single album, "Que Sera Sera," which features the title track of the same name.

Check out ILY:1's "Que Sera Sera" music video below:

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Written by Maria Scott