Captured both nostalgia and new fan influx..I.O.I and Wanna One, reformation effect [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

Groups I.O.I and Wanna One reunited after nine and seven years, respectively. The reformation of these project groups is drawing attention as a new box office element, going beyond simple 'nostalgia recall' to also drive the influx of new fan layers.

Fans' demands for the reunion of I.O.I and Wanna One, who set South Korea ablaze 10 years ago, have continued steadily. Amid such interest, members gathered once again, making the project group reunion a reality, stimulating nostalgia among existing fans while also attracting the attention of new fan layers. Especially since they built explosive buzz and a solid fandom despite a short activity period, even news about members' recent activities or TV appearances continues to draw high interest, proving their enduring influence.

In particular, I.O.I's title track 'Suddenly' from their mini 3rd album 'I.O.I : LOOP', released to commemorate their 10th anniversary, reached No. 1 on Melon's 'Top 100' and 'HOT 100' charts on the 29th, demonstrating their enduring power.

I.O.I (Jeon So-mi, Kim Se-jeong, Choi Yoo-jung, Cheong Ha, Kim So-hye, Joo Kyung-kyung, Jung Chae-yeon, Kim Do-yeon, Kang Mi-na, Im Na-young, Yoo Yeon-jung) is a project group born through Mnet's 'Produce 101' Season 1 in 2016, receiving great love with hit songs such as 'Too Much Too Much Too Much' and 'Dream Girls'. Although Joo Kyung-kyung and Kang Mi-na did not participate in this activity, they demonstrated their unchanging presence despite a long hiatus after the end of activities, earning strong responses from listeners.

This interest continued on social media as well. The 'Suddenly' choreography challenge, participated in by various artists and celebrities including Melomance's Kim Min-seok, SEVENTEEN's Min-gyu, TWICE's Sana and Jihyo, Bae Yoon-jeong, Gahye, and Chimpazman, gained popularity and led to buzz.

Most significantly, it gained meaning by recording No. 1 on music charts on the 29th, the first day of the solo concert '2026 I.O.I Concert Tour: LOOP' held at Seoul Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium. The members expressed their emotion, saying, "Even a drama would get scolded if written like this. It's too perfect."

Wanna One also proved its enduring buzz through the reunion project. They officially began activities on the 6th through 'Wanna One Go: Back to Base'.

Wanna One (Kang Daniel, Park Ji-hoon, Lee Dae-hwi, Kim Jae-hwan, Ong Seong-wu, Park Woo-jin, Lee Gwang-rim, Yoon Ji-sung, Bae Jin-young, Ha Sung-woon) debuted through 'Produce 101 Season 2', achieving syndromic-level popularity by successively hitting songs such as 'Energetic', 'Beautiful', 'Boomerang', and 'I, P, U'. Although their activity period was short, they left a strong presence, so fans' expectations for their reunion have continued steadily.

Amid such expectations, Wanna One, reunited after seven years, met fans by presenting 'Wanna One Go: Back to Base', a new reinterpretation of the past reality program 'Wanna One Go'. Members' unchanging chemistry, along with Kang Daniel's narration and Lee Gwang-rim's special appearance despite his military service and retirement from the entertainment industry, added significance. Consequently, the cumulative views of related videos released on the Mnet Plus official SNS channel exceeded 100 million views, continuing with a hot response.

Interest in the reunion project also extended to music. Wanna One later released special singles 'We Wanna Go' and 'Again, Spring Breeze', once again presenting the feeling of a complete group. The new songs stimulated fans' memories immediately after release, garnering responses, while simultaneously imprinting Wanna One's unique team color on new fans, proving the reunion effect.

As such, the reunions of I.O.I and Wanna One are not limited to simple nostalgia recall but are leading to tangible results. Stimulating nostalgia among existing fans while also attracting the interest of new fans, they have demonstrated high buzz in various fields including music, content, and performances. Especially, with members who have established their positions in their respective fields coming together again, evaluations suggest they have created synergy beyond the past.

Amid rapid generational shifts in the K-pop market, their reunions are drawing attention as box office elements that simultaneously satisfy 'nostalgia' and 'newness'. Providing a welcome reunion moment for long-time fans and new content for new fans, they are forming a consensus that spans generations. The results shown by I.O.I and Wanna One once again proved that their brand power remains valid.

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*This content was translated by AI.