I.O.I's 10th Anniversary Reunion: Jeon Somi Shares Behind-the-Scenes Details

Jeon Somi has revealed the behind-the-scenes story of I.O.I's reunion. The 10th-anniversary activities will proceed without Kang Mina and Zhou Jieqiong, as Kang Mina is focusing on her acting career.

On the recent episode of MBC's variety show 'Radio Star,' aired on the 29th, actors Lee Jong-hyuk, Yoo Sun, and singers Jeon Somi and Lee Dae-hwi appeared as guests for the special 'Reunited! It's Me, It's Me~' episode. Jeon Somi shared the preparation process for I.O.I's comeback as a full group to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

I.O.I, a girl group formed through 'Produce 101,' is set to make their full-group comeback on May 19th for their 10th anniversary. Jeon Somi expressed her excitement, saying, "We've completed the album, music video shooting, and recording. We're practicing almost every day for 4 to 6 hours, just waiting for the moment to unveil it." She further explained their preparation status, emphasizing the intense practice sessions.

Jeon Somi also participated in the album's creation. She stated, "I got to participate in writing and composing tracks 1 and 2 this time. The title track has a breezy feel, but track 1 is a dance genre that you can have fun with. It might remind you of 'Pick Me.'" She even gave a sneak peek of the title track 'Suddenly.'

She shared the challenges of deciding on the concept for the title track. "We had a lot of concerns because it's been 10 years since I.O.I's activities ended. We didn't have a clear concept, and doing 'Very Very Very' again felt too dated. After much compromise, we created a love song filled with excitement," she explained.

Jeon Somi also shared that the reunion process wasn't easy. "We tried to gather for the 5th and 7th anniversaries, but scheduling made it difficult. This time, we promised from the start to prioritize I.O.I activities over individual ones. We signed contracts and approached our companies to make the reunion happen. Chungha led this entire effort," she revealed.

She emphasized the strong commitment among the members, saying, "We promised from the beginning, no personal schedules if I.O.I practice is scheduled! Even if good events come up, we won't do them!" She added, "We were summoned by Chungha's call," highlighting Chungha's pivotal role in the reunion. Jeon Somi expressed the significance of this activity, saying, "We received overwhelming love from a miraculous program 10 years ago. We wanted to gift everyone the chance to return to those days."

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