The project at group IZ*ONE is really over.
IZ*ONE has nine Korean members (Jang Won-young, Jo Yu-ri, Choi Ye-na, An Yoo-jin, Kwon Eun-bi, Kang Hye-won, Kim Chae-won, Kim Min-ju and Lee Chae-yeon) who entered the top ranking (1 to 12) in Mnet ProDeuce48, which ended in August 2018, and three Japanese members (Miyawaki Sakura, Yabuki Na It is a joint Korean-Japanese girl group consisting of Ko and Honda Hitomi.
They have been explosively popular both at home and abroad since their debut. The first album, BLOOM*IZ, released in February last year, showed high results in album sales, with the initial sales volume of 356,313 and the third Mini album Oneiric Diary of 389,334. It also attracted attention at various awards and event stages.
Of course, there was a curve. The ranking manipulation of the production team of the ProDeuce series was revealed as true, and it was at the center of controversy. It was revealed that there was a victim in the process of forming IZ*ONE members, and they stopped their activities for a while.
But Mnet supported IZ*ONE’s activities, saying, “The responsibility of this “ProDeuce” situation is entirely in Mnet.” Fans also supported their activities with unwavering support.
After a fixed period of activity, two years and six months, fans continued to cheer, and even after the official activities ended in April, there was constant contract extension and reunion.
Some fans expressed regret by raising the petition to the public, and even IZ*ONE's fandom Wise One promoted funding for the group's re-establishment, collecting about 3.2 billion won.
CJ ENM and its members’ agencies, who responded to the fans’ wishes, began serious discussions about the reunion, and continued to listen to their own companies and members’ opinions and discussed extending their activities.
The conclusion is a failure. According to the music industry on July 7, the agency of CJ ENM and IZ*ONE members discussed the reunion in various ways, but concluded that they did not reunite.
“We have talked with the agencies about various possibilities until recently, but we have not been able to finally reach them,” said a CJ ENM official. “We ask for a lot of encouragement and support in the way of our members regardless of whether they are reunited or not.”
Fans are also regretting this time, but they respect the decision of CJ ENM and its agencies, which have made the best efforts to reunite.
IZ*ONE members are expected to continue their entertainment activities in their respective positions in the future. Io Ai and Wanna One, who had previously worked as project groups, also talked about extending the contract ahead of the project's end, but all agreed to work only until the promised period. After that, Solo activities and new group activities are continuously showing their influence.