Mnet's problematic audition survival program 'Produce 101' has been mired in many controversies since it began airing. 

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The explanation seem to be a justification for favoring select contestants over others, particularly favoring contestants such as Kim So Hye over Heo Chan Mi. 

Netizens have generally reacted to this statement with much skepticism, and showed sympathy for Heo Chan Mi whom they believe was used as a mere pawn by Mnet. They wrote, "The entire nation knows about this...yet they say they know nothing about it," "Heo Chan Mi should just make a solo debut," "You could have just cut out few seconds of Kim So Hye crying like a baby," "Poor Heo Chan Mi..." "People were indifferent toward Heo Chan Mi but now they feel negatively toward her. She is this show's representative martyr. When I watched her part yesterday, it felt like they discarded her after making an issue out of her singing off key. Ment ruined the life of someone who was perfectly fine before. Her popularity failed to go up and debuting is out of the question," and, "Our So Hye only sang a booger of a part but they inserted a scene of Jin Young oppa acting all surprised lololol Chan Mi is the main vocal but they just passed over her like the wind lolololololololol."