•
I.O.I Closes 10th Anniversary Reunion with Tears and Final Broadcast on 'The Seasons'
6 hours ago•Anna Hwang
5
0
I.O.I concluded their 10th debut anniversary reunion with an emotional broadcast on June 5, performing new music and revisiting memories that left members in tears. The appearance on KBS 2TV's "The Seasons - Sung Si-kyung's Eardrum Boyfriend" marked the group's final domestic television activity after reuniting for the first time in nine years.
Formed through Mnet's "Produce 101" in 2016, I.O.I was a project group that operated for only eight months before disbanding, with members pursuing solo careers as singers and actors. For their 10th anniversary, nine of the original 11 members reunited — Im Nayoung, Chungha, Kim Sejeong, Jung Chaeyeon, Kim Sohye, Yoo Yeonjung, Choi Yoojung, Kim Doyeon, and Jeon Somi — while Zhu Jieqiong (active in China) and Kang Mina (focusing on acting) supported from afar.
The reunion gave fans a rare chance to see the group together after nearly a decade, with new song "Suddenly" topping Melon's TOP100 chart.
Key Facts
- I.O.I performed two new songs on "The Seasons" broadcast: title track "Suddenly" and "That Time We Were Now," a song composed by member Chungha that Kim Sohye said made "almost everyone cry" when they first heard it.
- The group's concert tour "LOOP in SEOUL" ran from May 29 to 31 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium, opening with "Pick Me" and featuring hits including "Very Very Very," "Sonagi," and "When the Cherry Blossoms Fade."
- A video letter recorded 10 years earlier on "Yoo Hee-yeol's Sketchbook" was revealed, with Choi Yoo-jung telling the members they would "shine beautifully" and remain "good sisters," causing several members including Kim Se-jeong, Jeon So-mi, and Chungha to burst into tears.
- Yoo Yeon-jung confirmed the broadcast was "really the last broadcast of this project for us," officially concluding domestic reunion activities.
Key Terms
- Project group: A temporary K-pop group formed for a limited period, typically through a survival show, with members returning to their original agencies or solo careers after the project ends.
- National producers: The term used for viewers of Mnet's "Produce 101" who voted to select the final 11-member lineup, creating I.O.I's fan base.
Key Quote
"My younger sisters, a lot of time has really passed. But you are still so pretty. Even though we are all busy with our own lives and can't contact each other often, I hope our friendship never changes. If you watch this video now, I really want to tell you that our youth together was so beautiful. I was happy being with you, and I love you so much." — Im Nayoung
