Wanna One Reunites with Fans After 7 Years Amidst Rainy Fan Meeting
Wanna One and their fandom, Wannable, reunited after seven years, creating an electrifying atmosphere despite the rain. Fans were so eager that some stayed overnight to secure a good spot.

On the morning of the 9th, a mini fan meeting was held at DMC Cultural Park in Mapo-gu, Seoul, ahead of the reality show 'WANNA ONE GO: Back to Base'.

Mnet officially announced the event for 10 AM on Monday, but fans began lining up the day before, as reported on social media. The event was free, allowing any Wanna One fan to attend and get a closer view of the members.

Wanna One Reunites with Fans After 7 Years Amidst Rainy Fan Meeting
Wanna One, an 11-member boy group formed through Mnet's 'Produce 101 Season 2' in 2017, officially ended their activities in January 2019. The news of their reunion after seven years heightened anticipation for the reality show. Despite the rain that started the night before and continued through the event, fans showed unwavering affection for Wanna One, smiling brightly when meeting the members.

The members appeared in school uniforms reminiscent of their 'Produce 101 Season 2' days, greeting fans warmly. Although the event was delayed by about 20 minutes due to rain, fans waited patiently in excitement.

However, Kang Daniel, who is serving in the military, and Lai Kuan-lin, who is overseas, could not attend. Nine members, including Park Ji-hoon, Lee Dae-hwi, Kim Jae-hwan, Ong Seong-wu, Park Woo-jin, Yoon Ji-sung, Hwang Min-hyun, Bae Jin-young, and Ha Sung-woon, graced the stage.

Wanna One Reunites with Fans After 7 Years Amidst Rainy Fan Meeting
Leader Yoon Ji-sung expressed, "There's a lyric in 'Promise' that goes, 'I first met you on the day the cherry blossoms fell.' Today, the rain made all the cherry blossoms fall. It feels like meeting again for the first time. I hope Wanna One and Wannable create many good memories. The thing I wanted to say most to Wannable is that I love you."

Bae Jin-young added, "Thank you so much for coming. Standing here brings back many old memories, and I feel a mix of emotions. As you've waited so long, we'll gift you with more wonderful and diverse memories."

Wanna One Reunites with Fans After 7 Years Amidst Rainy Fan Meeting
When asked about their peak moments, Kim Jae-hwan said, "I never thought we had a peak. If I had to choose, it might be during 'Spring Breeze'. I want to create new peaks and will do my best in our activities."

Yoon Ji-sung humorously remarked, "I think now is our peak. I don't want to say it's the same as before," adding, "I'm managing well. I want to make future Wanna One activities our peak and spend more time with Wannable."

The event also featured a segment where members mimicked Park Ji-hoon's famous line from the movie 'The Man Living in Our House', "Are you mocking royalty?" Each member added their unique flair, delighting fans.

Fans enjoyed a simple Q&A session and took part in popular idol poses like 'cheek bread' and 'agung bread', creating memorable snapshots. Park Ji-hoon and Bae Jin-young also performed 'Pick Me' from 'Produce 101 Season 2' and 'Oh Little Girl', a song that recently regained popularity on social media.

Wanna One Reunites with Fans After 7 Years Amidst Rainy Fan Meeting
Wanna One departed in a surprise vehicle prepared by Mnet for the 'Wanna One Go' filming. Fans maintained order as they left the venue. Despite the challenging conditions without seating, fans cherished the reunion with the members, sharing lingering emotions until the end. Nearby cafes buzzed with fans reminiscing about Wanna One and the significance of the day.

'WANNA ONE GO: Back to Base' will premiere on Mnet Plus at 6 PM on the 28th and will also air on Mnet at 8 PM the same day.

Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr
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