Group I.O.I, returning as a full group after nine years, has successfully wrapped up their comeback promotions, leaving a mark with massive buzz and high music chart rankings.
I.O.I released their third mini-album 'I.O.I : LOOP' on May 19 and promoted the title track "Suddenly" for about two weeks. They announced the return of the full group by performing on major music shows, including Mnet's 'M Countdown', KBS2's 'Music Bank', MBC's 'Show! Music Core', and SBS's 'INKIGAYO'.
This album, released to commemorate their 10th debut anniversary, captures their enduring friendship, longing, and the emotions of the moment they reunited. In particular, the title track "Suddenly" received rave reviews from fans for blending I.O.I's signature lyricism with a more mature sensibility.
Their presence on music charts was particularly prominent. "Suddenly" steadily climbed the charts after its release, reaching No. 1 on Melon's TOP100 and HOT100 (based on 30 and 100 days since release) charts. Despite a long hiatus, they proved both their public appeal and buzzworthiness, reaffirming the "I.O.I effect."
Their active promotions extended to variety shows and online content. I.O.I appeared on major variety shows such as tvN's 'Amazing Saturday', JTBC's 'Knowing Bros', SBS's 'Running Man', and MBC's 'Radio Star', showcasing their unchanging team chemistry. They also garnered attention for their candid and witty talks on YouTube shows like 'Zzanbro' and 'ZIP DAESUNG'.
The "Suddenly" challenge, which spread mainly across short-form video platforms, also gained immense popularity. Stars from various fields, including MeloMance's Kim Min-seok, SEVENTEEN's MINGYU, TWICE's SANA and JIHYO, choreographers Bae Yoon-jung and Kahi, and internet personality Calm Down Man, joined in to fuel the excitement. Notably, online reactions pointing out that the chorus melody resembled professional baseball player Yang Eui-ji's cheer song drew interest from baseball fans, and Yang Eui-ji himself caught attention by participating in the challenge.
Meanwhile, I.O.I will kick off their Asia tour with their solo concert '2026 I.O.I Concert Tour : LOOP' at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul from May 29 to 31.
Photo = Swing Entertainment
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
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