I.O.I was the first girl group formed by the Produce 101 series, and they were together from May 4, 2016 until January 29, 2017. They paved the way for future temporary groups created by competition shows, including former Produce 101-formed groups Wanna One and IZ*ONE, and they’re still iconic to this day! While some of the members have gone on to debut in other groups or as soloists, others’ occupations are less well-known currently. Here is what we know about where all 11 former I.O.I members are now.
1. Nayoung
After I.O.I’s disbandment, Nayoung returned to Pledis Entertainment and ended up debuting as the leader of PRISTIN in March 2017. While the group was very promising, sadly they ended up disbanding after only a little over 2 years together.
When PRISTIN’s disbandment was announced on May 24, 2019, it came with the announcement that Nayoung would be leaving the label as well. A few months later, on August 22, she signed an exclusive contract with Sublime Artist Agency.
She began acting in 2020, starting with a supporting role in the K-Drama Flower of Evil and earning her first lead role in Summer Guys in 2021. She also made an appearance in the soundtrack for the latter in a song called “So So”, which was released on April 7 last year. Since then, she has participated in other films, dramas, and OSTs, including playing a supporting role in the K-Drama Imitation along idols such as ATEEZ‘s Yunho and T-ara‘s Jiyeon.
2. Chungha
Chungha was one of a couple of former I.O.I members that ended up debuting as a solo artist. After the group disbanded, she returned to MNH Entertainment, and made her solo debut on June 7, 2017 with “Why Don’t You Know”.
Since then, she has released four mini-albums, one full-length album, and three single albums, the most recent of which is Killing Me which was released on November 29, 2021. Her full-length album, Querencia, was originally supposed to be released in early January 2021, but she ended up contracting COVID-19 around that time, so it was delayed until February 15.
In total, she has won 13 music show awards as a soloist! Seven were for “Gotta Go”, while the remaining six went to “Snapping”.
3. Sejeong
Sejeong returned to Jellyfish Entertainment, where she later debuted as a member of gugudan in June 2016. Sadly, however, like PRISTIN, the group was relatively short-lived, and they ended up disbanding in December 2020 after a 2-year hiatus.
During her time with gugudan, Sejeong was the first member to make her solo debut, releasing the single “Flower Road” in November 2016. During her time with the group, she participated in other solo releases, collaborations, and OSTs, and also had acting roles in dramas such as School 2017 and The Uncanny Encounter. She has had various projects with well-known idols such as ASTRO‘s Eunwoo and NCT‘s Doyoung, all of which happened during her time with gugudan!
When gugudan disbanded, Sejeong was one of the few members who renewed her contract with Jellyfish Entertainment as a solo artist and actress. She released her first self-written and composed solo EP since the group’s disbandment, I’m, on March 29, 2021, and also starred in the musical drama Red Book, which received a 9.9 out of 10 rating from viewers.
Her most recent projects include having the lead role in the upcoming 2022 drama A Business Proposal, as well as serving as an MC for the 2021 MBC Entertainment Awards. Sejeong is arguably the most actively promoting former member of gugudan, posting regularly on her personal Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Weibo accounts. She even has over 3 million followers on Instagram!
4. Chaeyeon
Before Chaeyeon debuted with I.O.I, she first debuted with DIA in 2015 as the visual and face of the group, among other things. In 2016 she participated in Produce 101 and placed 7th, earning her a place in I.O.I until the group’s planned disbandment.
After leaving I.O.I, she returned to DIA and continued promoting with them. She was also part of the sub-unit BCHCS when it debuted in December 2016. Their last full-group comeback was in 2020 with the album Flower 4 Seasons and title track “Hug U”.
Chaeyeon also has appeared in several different K-Dramas such as Reunited Worlds (2017), Shall We Live Together (2018), and To. Jenny (2018), as well as the movie Live Again, Love Again (2018).
5. Kyulkyung
Like Nayoung, Kyulkyung returned to Pledis Entertainment once I.O.I had disbanded, and debuted alongside the other former I.O.I member as part of PRISTIN. As stated earlier, though, the group only lasted for a couple of years, and disbanded in May 2019.
Kyulkyung was one of three members of PRISTIN that ended up keeping her contract with Pledis Entertainment after they disbanded. Before they had disbanded, Kyulkyung (also going by her Chinese name, Jieqiong) had already had a solo debut in China with the digital single “Why”. After the group’s disbandment, her solo career continued with her performing OSTs for various Chinese dramas such as Miss Truth, in which she also made her acting debut in 2020.
She began acting in other Chinese dramas as well, such as the series Legend of Fei later in 2020 and taking the lead role in To Be With You in February of last year. Kyulkyung also joined I.O.I’s fifth anniversary reunion show earlier last year by video calling the rest of the members since she wasn’t in Korea at the time.
6. Sohye
Sohye had actually been training to become an actress before her time on Produce 101, and thus had no singing or dance training at the time of the show. Despite this, she placed 5th on the show and debuted with I.O.I!
After the group’s disbandment, however, she returned to her acting roots, and even formed her own company, S&P Entertainment, along with a coffee shop called Penguin Cafe where she and the agency can connect with fans.
Some of the dramas she has been in include Best Chicken (2019), Hello, Today (2019), and How to Buy a Friend (2020). She has also been in a couple of films: Moonlit Water (2019) and Bank of Seoul (2019).
7. Yeonjung
After Yeonjung’s time with I.O.I, she returned to her labels Starship Entertainment and Yuehua Entertainment, where she would end up debuting as the main vocalist and maknae of Cosmic Girls (WJSN). The group debuted in February 2016, and she joined them during the release of their second mini-album, The Secret, in August of the same year.
She graduated from the prestigious Hanlim Multi Arts School in February 2018, and has also been part of the production of several OSTs, including for the K-Dramas More Than Friends (2020) and My Roommate is a Kumiho (2021).
In September 2019, she participated on the vocal survival show V-1, and she actually ended up winning the final round and becoming the winner of the show! Her latest activity with Cosmic Girls was for their most recent album release, Unnatural, in March 2021.
8. Yoojung
After Yoojung’s time with I.O.I, she returned to her original company, Fantagio Music, who she represented on Produce 101. She ended up debuting as the main dancer, main rapper, and face of the group of Weki Meki in August 2017, and was even introduced as its first member beforehand.
Her latest activity with Weki Meki was for the album I Am Me., released in November 2021 with the title song “Siesta”. Outside of that, she also participated on the survival show V-1, but was eliminated in the first round after losing to fellow Weki Meki member Suyeon.
She has also appeared in a number of K-Dramas, including Idol Fever (2017), Cast: The Golden Age of Insiders (2020), and Single & Ready to Mingle (2020).
9. Doyeon
Like Yoojung, Doyeon also represented Fangatio Music on Produce 101, and returned to them after her time with I.O.I. She, too, debuted with Weki Meki in August 2017, where she is the lead dancer, lead vocalist, visual, and center.
She, too, has appeared in a number of K-Dramas, which include My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021), One the Woman (2021), and Jirisan (2021). She also participated in the OSTs for Gangnam Beauty (2018) and Single & Ready to Mingle (2020).
10. Mina
Like Sejeong, Mina returned to Jellyfish Entertainment after I.O.I’s disbandment and debuted with gugudan in June 2016, promoting with them until their disbandment in December 2020. She made her acting debut while she was still with gugudan in 2017 in Children of the 20th Century, and has since gone on to star in other dramas, most notably Dokgo Rewind (2018), Hotel Del Luna (2019) and Summer Guys (2021).
Her most recent appearance was in the television drama Moonshine, where she has the lead female role in the ongoing 2021-2022 series. She’s also set to have the main role in the 2022 drama Beautiful Namdang, showing that she has really had a successful acting career since gugudan’s disbandment. She posts regularly on Instagram, where she has over 1.1 million followers!
11. Somi
Somi ranked #1 during her time on Produce 101, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that she has gone on to have a successful solo career! While she represented her original company, JYP Entertainment, while on the program, and even signed an official artist contract with them after her time with I.O.I, she ended up leaving them in August 2018 and joined YG Entertainment‘s sub-label, The Black Label, instead.
She finally debuted as a soloist after a long delay in June 2019 with the single album Birthday and title track of the same name. In March 2020, she appeared in her own solo reality series, I Am Somi, on The Black Label’s YouTube channel, and she had her first comeback later that year in July with the single “What You Waiting For”.
She graduated from Hanlim Multi Arts School in February 2020. Her most recent comeback was with the full-length album XOXO, released in October 2021 with the title track of the same name. She has also participated in the writing and composing for many of her own songs as well!
