Here’s What You Need to Know About I.O.I’s 10th Anniversary Reunion

K-pop fans, especially those who were there in the mid-2010s, know the influence Produce 101 and I.O.I have had on the industry. The 2016 competition show and subsequent 11-member girl group formed in the aftermath of the program sparked a rise in popularity of idol competition programs and groups formed through the shows.

Even though I.O.I was only active for less than a year, their impact is undeniable, and many of its members have gone on to have successful careers elsewhere, whether in other groups or as solo artists, and become stars in their own right. Now, ten years later, as the group celebrates a decade since their formation, I.O.I is back for a special reunion that extends far beyond just a new song. Here’s what you need to know about the girl group’s comeback reunion.

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​I.O.I’s Pioneering Status in K-Pop

​For a little refresher, I.O.I is a K-pop girl group formed by CJ E&M through the 2016 reality show Produce 101. Unlike other competitions of the time, all 101 trainees (hence the show’s name) came from various companies around Korea. In the end, 11 trainees were chosen to form I.O.I, namely: Jeon Somi, Kim Sejeong, Choi Yoojung, Kim Chungha, Kim Sohye, Zhou Jieqiong, Jung Chaeyeon, Kim Doyeon, Kang Mina, Lim Nayoung, and Yoo Yeonjung.

​Their contract didn’t last long as they officially disbanded in January 2017, and the members went back to their home companies, but in the time they were active, I.O.I released a handful of hits such as Very Very Very, DOWNPOUR, and the guilty pleasure that is Pick Me.  

​Nine years later, I.O.I is finally back on the scene with the release of new music in commemoration of its 10th anniversary. Swing Entertainment will handle the group’s reunion activities. However, only nine of the original members will participate in the comeback, as Mina and Jieqiong will not be joining. This isn’t the first time I.O.I held a reunion following their disbandment. Aside from the fact that the members are still friends with each other, they held a livestream celebrating their 5th anniversary in 2021. But their activities this go-around are on another level.

​What’s in Store for I.O.I’s 10th Anniversary Reunion

For starters, I.O.I will drop their third EP, I.O.I : Loop, on May 19, the group’s first new music release in years. The album will feature a total of six songs, with some of the members, such as Somi, Chungha, and Yeonjung, participating in some of the tracks’ songwriting and production, giving their new album even more of their artistic merit.

In line with their comeback, I.O.I has also launched new social media pages, dropped teasers and comeback photos, made the rounds on Korean variety shows to promote the reunion, and even shared nostalgic throwbacks. Already, the group has been going viral with head-turning teasers and a TV show appearance where the members reacted to Sejeong’s acting in her hit K-drama series Business Proposal.

On top of it all, I.O.I will also embark on a short Asia tour to promote the album. Titled 2026 I.O.I Concert Tour: LOOP, the tour begins with a three-day concert in Seoul from May 29-31, followed by a stop in Bangkok on June 6, and ending in Hong Kong for two concerts on June 20 and 21. To commemorate the occasion, the group even revealed a new name for their fandom, Angdungie, which represents the loyal fans who stayed with the group after all these years.

For listeners who were there in 2016, I.O.I’s reunion feels like a long-overdue moment, while new fans get to experience a new era of one of K-pop’s most influential groups in the past ten years. And the fact that this is happening in the same year that Wanna One, another pioneering K-pop group formed through a competition program, will also be reuniting has us feeling like the mid-2010s are back.

Featured Image and Photos: I.O.I (via Instagram)

Rafael Bautista

Editor

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