On January 22, 2016, Mnet survival show Produce 101 aired for the very first time. 101 female contestants from Korea and beyond took to the stage and competed for the nation’s votes, with the prize being a chance to debut in an 11-member girl group hand-selected by national producers. This group would come to consist of members from companies big and small and would help these trainees become some of the most popular faces of 2016 as project girl group, IOI. 

Despite recent controversy over the Produce series and allegations of voting manipulation, IOI still touched the hearts of many and it is hard to believe that it’s been over three years since this temporary girl group disbanded. So in light of this, here is your chance to see just what the IOI members have been up to since the group’s disbandment.

11. Yoo Yeonjung

Power-vocalist Yoo Yeonjung made a lasting impression on Produce 101 for her heavenly vocals and would end up taking the final spot within IOI. In August 2016, she was added to Starship Entertainment and Yuehua Entertainment girl group WJSN as the thirteenth and final member, representing the Ophiuchus constellation. She has since remained with the group and most recently made a comeback with the single “As You Wish.” Yeonjung also took part in the idol competition series V-1, in which female vocalists went head to head in order to be crowned the vocal queen out of all the contestants and would go on to win the series.

10. Lim Nayoung

Following her time in IOI, “Stone Nayoung” debuted as a member of Pledis girl group PRISTIN in 2016 with the song “We Like” as well as joining the sub-unit PRISTIN V with the title track “Get It” in 2018. However, despite garnering a successful fanbase, PLEDIS shelved the group and PRISTIN officially disbanded on May 24, 2019. Nayoung is now signed under new label Sublime Artist Agency and is rumored to be making her solo debut with the agency. For now, she works as a model and has reunited with several IOI members such as Kang Mina and Jung Chaeyeon during promotional shoots. 

9. Kang Mina

Actress and idol Kang Mina debuted as a member of Jellyfish Entertainment girl group gugudan on June 28, 2016. As a result of her work with gugudan, Mina ended up sitting out on promotions for IOI’s “Whatta Man” comeback, resulting in a sub-unit of the 11-member group. Mina would then go on to debut in two gugudan sub-units: OGUOGU and Semina, the latter being a trio with her fellow Jellyfish Produce alums, Lim Nayoung and Kim Sejeong. Mina is still a member of gugudan, however the group hasn’t had a comeback since their 2018 hit “Not That Type.” Most recently, Mina has been more focused on her acting career, having appeared in several dramas including 20th Century Boy and Girl and Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter. She has most recently appeared as Kim Yuna in Hotel del Luna alongside fellow idols IU and the late Sulli. 

8. Kim Doyeon

Following her time in IOI, Kim Doyeon debuted in eight-member girl group Weki Meki alongside label-mate Choi Yoojung in August 2017 with the single “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend.” She would then go on to join project group WJMK, a collaboration between Weki Meki and WJSN, and release the single “Strong” with the group. Doyeon continues to promote with Weki Meki and most recently made a comeback with the single “Tiki Taka” in the summer of 2019. 

7. Jung Chaeyeon

Unlike the other members of IOI, Jung Chaeyeon was the only one who had already made her debut in 2015 with DIA and would return to the group after IOI’s disbandment. She still remains an active member of DIA as the face of the group, having most recently made a comeback with the title track “Woowa.” Alongside her work as an idol, Chaeyeon is also an actress and has acted in a number of web dramas including I am, 109 Strange Things, as well as the 2019 Netflix series My First First Love. 

6. Zhou Jieqiong

Zhou Jieqiong, known during her time on Produce 101 as Pinky, would go on to debut in Pledis Entertainment girl group PRISTIN under the stage name Kyulkyung. She ranked 99 in “100 Beautiful Faces of 2017,” became a dance mentor on Chinese Idol program Idol Producer, and debuted in PRISTIN sub-unit PRISTIN V. Following PRISTIN’s disbandment in 2019, Jieqiong was one of the few members to remain with PLEDIS Entertainment and continues to be active within the company, but she largely engages in Chinese promotions. She has since made her debut in China as a soloist with the single “Why” and has made her acting debut in the historical drama Miss Truth. She is set to return to the acting scene in 2020 in the Chinese TV Series Legend of Fei.

5. Kim Sohye

The dark horse of Produce 101, Kim Sohye’s progression during the show is sure to bring a tear to your eye, much like it did to hard-faced trainer Bae Yoonjung. Despite her stint as an idol, Sohye returned to her acting roots and continues to develop her career through her own label, Shark & Penguin. Sohye has appeared in several dramas since IOI disbanded, including Unexpected Heroes, Hello Again Today, and The Best Chicken and made her film debut in 2019 with the films Moonlit Winter and Jameunhaeng. She has also started her own cafe in South Korea called Penguin Cafe, which she uses as a space to connect with her fans. 

4. Kim Chungha

If you don’t already know the name Chungha, then you will now. Produce 101’s dancing machine is now a soloist under MNH Entertainment and made her official debut in 2017 with the single “Why Don’t You Know” and has not slowed since, most recently making a comeback with the single “Snapping” as a part of her Flourishing mini-album in 2019. Her single “Gotta Go” was awarded “Hottest Performance of the Year” and “Producer of the Year” at the Gaon Music Awards and was also named one of the 100 Best Singles of the 2010s by Billboard. Outside of her solo activities, Chungha has appeared in a number of collaborative projects with the likes of Kim Samuel, Changmo, and Red Velvet’s Seulgi, GFRIEND’s SinB, and (G)I-DLE’s Soyeon, and has already released her first collaboration of 2020 alongside musician Paul Kim. 

3. Choi Yoojung

Alongside label-mate and fellow IOI member Kim Doyeon, Choi Yoojung debuted as a member of Weki Meki in August 2017 and became a member of project group WJMK in 2018. In 2018, Yoojung joined the reality show Secret Unnie alongside EXID’s Hani, who acted as her mentor and confidant during their 24 hours together. Here, she revealed to audiences the details of her first tattoo. Yoojung has also taken part in several other variety shows including My Mad Beauty 3, The Gashinas, and survival program V-1, where she would be eliminated in the first episode by bandmate Suyeon. In October 2019, Fantagio Entertainment announced that Yoojung would be taking a hiatus from Weki Meki for health reasons, though due to her recent instagram posts, it is suspected that her hiatus from the spotlight has come to an end. 

2. Kim Sejeong

God Sejeong is certainly worthy of her title and hasn’t strayed away from the limelight since Produce 101 ended. Sejeong debuted in gugudan in 2016 and remains an active member of the group despite their limited promotions. Sejeong is the first of the gugudan members to delve into a solo career with the singles “Flower Way” and “Tunnel,” alongside several OST tracks for dramas including Mr Sunshine and The Legend of the Blue Sea. Though much like fellow gugudan and IOI member, Kang Mina, Sejeong has dipped her toes into the world of acting and has taken leading roles in several dramas including School 2017 and I Wanna Hear Your Song, as well as becoming a permanent role on variety show Busted!. 

1. Jeon Somi

Star of Sixteen and the winner of Produce 101, Jeon Somi’s debut seemed imminent. Yet it wouldn’t be until 2019 that IOI’s maknae would make her idol debut. Before her departure from JYP Entertainment, Somi would take part in several variety shows such as Sister’s Slam Dunk Season 2 and Idol Drama Operation Team, where she would be involved in project girl groups Unnies and Girl’s Next Door. She would also take the role of MC on several occasions, including on Produce 48, alongside previous winner Kang Daniel and again with fellow IOI member, Chungha. Somi is now a soloist under The Black Label and made her debut with the single “Birthday” in June 2019.