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. Their reformation as project groups is drawing attention as a new box office element, going beyond simple 'nostalgia recall' to attract new fan layers.

Fan 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 drawing attention from new fan layers. Especially given that they built explosive buzz and a solid fandom despite a short activity period, even news of members' recent activities or TV appearances continues to generate high interest, proving their enduring influence.

Notably, 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 like '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 unchanging presence despite a long hiatus after the activity ended, earning strong responses from listeners.

This interest continued on social media as well. The 'Suddenly' choreography challenge, featuring various artists and celebrities including Melomance's Kim Min-seok, SEVENTEEN's Mingyu, 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 dramas 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-woo, 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 like 'Energetic', 'Beautiful', 'Boomerang', and 'I, P, U'. Although their activity period was short, they left a strong presence, so fan 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 military service and Lee Gwang-rim's retirement from the entertainment industry, added meaning through narration and special appearances, respectively. Consequently, the cumulative views of related videos released on the Mnet Plus official SNS channel exceeded 100 million views, continuing with strong responses.

Interest in the reunion project also extended to music. Wanna One later released special singles 'We Wanna Go' and 'Again, Spring Breeze', once again delivering the sensation of a complete group. The new songs immediately stimulated fans' nostalgia upon release, earning 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 drawing attention from new fans, they have demonstrated high buzz across various fields including music, content, and performances. Especially, with members who have established their positions in their respective fields reuniting, evaluations suggest they are creating synergies 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 spanning generations. The achievements 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.