Mimi Throughout the Years: gugudan, CATtRIEVER, and Solo Debut

Photo: MOOVE LABEL

Since entering the K-Pop industry in 2016, former gugudan member Mimi has accomplished some special milestones. The singer and actress made some significant steps recently that deserve a spotlight. After her time in gugudan, she released music with her husband, former MBLAQ member Thunder, and made her official solo debut. 

gugudan 

gugudan debuted as Jellyfish Entertainment’s first girl group on June 28, 2016. The group initially received attention through members Sejeong and Mina who promoted concurrently in I.O.I. gugudan’s debut title track “Wonderland” introduced their concept based on various stories, starting with a The Little Mermaid-inspired EP. They continued this trend by borrowing from Greek mythology for “A Girl Like Me,” Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory for “Chococo,” and Puss in Boots for “The Boots.”

Following the release of ACT.5 New Action and its title track “Not That Type” on November 6, 2018, gugudan went on an unexplained hiatus. During that time, Mimi went back into acting, a field she pursued before her idol days. Mimi picked up some supporting acting roles, appearing in 2018’s I Picked Up a Celebrity on the Street (나는 길에서 연예인을 주웠다) and 2019’s Extraordinary You. While Mimi was slowly building up her acting credits, her time in gugudan unfortunately came to a close when they officially disbanded on December 31, 2020. Mimi left Jellyfish Entertainment the next March. 

CATtRIEVER

In July 2023, Mimi and her partner Thunder revealed they had been dating for the “last four years.” Thunder was a member of MBLAQ between 2009 and 2014, and debuted solo in 2016. Ahead of their wedding in 2024, the couple debuted as the duo CATtRIEVER. CATtRIEVER is one of the few duos featuring romantically-involved K-Pop idols, let alone married ones. The two participated in the composition and lyric-writing processes for all their songs so far.

Their gentle ballads “Sunflower” and “Ordinary days” showcased their love with affectionate visuals and warm lyrics. The names of their single albums, 5/26 (their wedding date) and Wedding Ceremony, also mark their new union. “Because we have each other, even ordinary days become special,” CaTtRIEVER wrote on Instagram. On their first wedding anniversary, CATtRIEVER released the single “Drive.” The duo is managed under MOOVE LABEL. 

“Overcome” and “Sweetdreams, My Dear”   

Mimi has released two solo singles so far. On April 22, 2022, she briefly returned to music with “Overcome,” a song about tenacity. “I will overcome / I’ll get through it all,” Mimi sings in its chorus. On September 20, 2025, she released the single “Sweetdreams, My Dear” under MOOVE LABEL. The company considers “Sweetdreams, My Dear” as her solo debut. 

Unlike “Overcome,” “Sweetdreams, My Dear” comes with a music video. This simple music video with one set shows Mimi reflecting on memories etched into a diary. Hopefully Mimi can keep making sweet memories in both her personal life and in her career as an entertainer.