Mnet finds errors in ‘Produce’ votes

Mnet “found errors” in tallying the number of votes for the final episode of its “Produce X 101” show, but it has not affected the overall result of the show, the channel said on Wednesday evening.

The cable channel, which wrapped up its idol audition program on Friday, admitted that it “found errors in totalling and delivering the number of votes for the individual contestants,” following fans’ claims that the program fabricated the show’s results.

Earlier in the week, fans of the show argued that the number of votes for each contestant provided by the show were fabricated after it was found that a few of the differences in votes had re-occuring numbers that were “mathematically impossible.”

“I am quite certain that the results of ‘Produce X 101’ have been fabricated,” wrote Rep. Ha Tae-kyung of the Bareunmirae Party on his Facebook account on Wednesday.

Mnet’s statement explained that the repetition of similar number patterns came from the fact that the program took the number of votes, converted it to the percentage of votes, rounded the number up to the second decimal point and then converted it back into the number of votes.

“This did not change the result of the ranking of the contestants,” it said.

“We will improve the voting system so that the same error does not occur again.”

Yet on Thursday, Ha wrote another post after seeing Mnet’s explanation, saying, “Mnet’s explanation is hardly believable. It’s mathematically unreasonable [...] Mnet should stop making lame excuses and reveal the raw data. Making excuses just makes things worse.”

Fans have taken to the Blue House petition board, urging a thorough investigation, while some are preparing to make an official complaint to prosecution.

Meanwhile, the 11-member boy band X1, formed from the winners of the program, will make its debut next month.

By Yoon So-yeon