Unlocking Memories of Weki Meki’s Career
Weki Meki’s career nears its conclusion this week with their final single “CoinciDestiny.” The eight-member group of Ji Suyeon, Elly, Choi Yoojung, Kim Doyeon, Sei, Lua, Rina, and Lucy will disband after the single’s release on June 12. Before the single’s drop, let’s take a trip down memory lane for one of the last remaining post-I.O.I groups.
Pre-Debut: i-Teen and PRODUCE 101
Fantagio previously showcased their trainees through their i-Teen program. Starting from 2012, i-Teen provided updates on the trainees through social media. Their content often showcased both female and male trainees, and they even acted together later on. Some of the i-Teen Girls, the group of female trainees that eventually formed Weki Meki, starred in ASTRO’s pre-debut drama To Be Continued in 2015.
i-Teen Girls gained further exposure on Mnet’s PRODUCE 101 in 2016. Jung Haerim (who later adopted the stage name Elly), Choi Yoojung, and Kim Doyeon represented their company on the show. Lee Seojung, who later became Weki Meki’s Sei, participated on the show under LOUDers Entertainment and joined Fantagio later.
Yoojung and Doyeon finished in third and eighth place respectively, earning them a spot in I.O.I. The two promoted with the 11-member group until disbandment in January 2017. It didn’t take long for Fantagio to start their new girl group with Yoojung and Doyeon, however. In March, Fantagio launched a channel on V LIVE, an idol-focused video streaming platform which merged into Weverse in 2022, for their upcoming eight-member girl group.
V LIVE streams on June 3 and 4 revealed the rest of the members: starting with Sei, Lua, and Elly, before ending with Lucy, Rina, and Suyeon. Suyeon was the only member previously unknown to the public. Weki Meki eventually debuted with their EP WEME on August 8, 2017. The EP’s second track featured a throwback called “iTeen Girls Special.”
Musical Identity: Teen Crush
In K-Pop’s third generation, Weki Meki closely associated themselves with the “teen crush” concept. The teen crush concept combines the bright cheeriness of teenagers and the chic confidence of the girl crush concept. Weki Meki’s debut title track “I don’t like your Girlfriend” did just that: as The Kraze described back then, it created a musical and visual hybrid of many elements. It showed its instrumental fusion of genres and its aesthetic combination of street clothing with those of the “usual girl group colorful concept.”
Their 2018 title tracks with “La La La” and “Crush” tried to lean more into girl crush but when 2019’s “Picky Picky” dropped, I felt that the group discovered a perfect balance. It’s a rebellious high school concept paired with a bright and saturated music video with colors that pop. From there on, the concepts swapped between bubbly girl group pop and cool girl crush beats. Weki Meki’s follow-up with the summer track “Tiki-Taka (99%)” gave the first glimpse at a purely sweet summer concept, which matched the season.
Their 2020 trio of title tracks covered all the bases. First came February’s “DAZZLE DAZZLE” with its infectious chorus and bouncy instrumental, followed by the smooth and playful aura of June’s “OOPSY,” and ending with October’s powerful and self-assured message of “COOL.” These three showed multiple sides that managed to integrate seamlessly into the group’s image.
Their Final Music Releases and their Future
On November 18, 2021, Weki Meki released their fifth and final EP I AM ME. It contained six songs, including the title track “Siesta,” a Spanish term referring to an “afternoon nap or rest period.” Weki Meki calls someone their “siesta,” their source of rejuvenation after a difficult experience. They reignite their energy, which bursts like fireworks. Instead of viewing time as lost, the speaker’s new outlook sees opportunity in the time left in the day.
While not full group songs, Weki Meki also released a few OST singles in 2022. Suyeon and Rina sang “Now or Never” for Becoming Witch, and they joined Elly and Lucy in singing “Between Us Two” for Miracle. Yoojung also debuted as a soloist that year with the single album Sunflower.
As for future plans, Fantagio has not confirmed yet if the members will remain signed to the company. Outside of Weki Meki activities, Suyeon, Elly, Yoojung, Doyeon, Sei, and Lucy have continued acting. Suyeon in particular has sung in musicals and has started composing non-Weki Meki music: in 2023, she helped compose “HEARTRIS” for NiziU’s Korean debut. Not much is known about their final single, but at least one past contributor to their works will return. Producer Jake K implied that he helped in the song’s production in a June 8 Instagram story. He previously helped compose “COOL” and the B-sides “IRON BOY” and “COLOR ME.”