I.O.I is back for a reunion: These 5 members went to university (plus 1)

“Nearly a decade after their disbandment in January 2017, K-pop girl group I.O.I is finally reuniting to celebrate their 10th debut anniversary, much to the excitement of their fandom. In case you’re not a K-pop fan, let’s quickly break down why this is a big deal. I.O.I was formed through “Produce 101,” a survival show run by South Korean TV music channel Mnet, in which 101 trainees from different entertainment companies compete for the top 11 spots to debut. When the first episode of Season 1 was released in 2016, the nation was hooked. After all, it was the public that voted for the top-ranking trainees per episode, and in the finale. On April 1, 2016 — Yeonjung, Nayoung, Mina, Doyeon, Chaeyeon, Kyulkyung, Sohye, Chungha, Yoojung, Sejeong, and Somi were announced as the 11 members set to debut as I.O.I in the final episode of “Produce 101” Season 1. That year, they grew immensely popular in South Korea, their song “Very Very Very” sweeping music charts and album sales coming in just behind Twice. Endless tears were shed at Jangchung Gymnasium during the group’s final concert, marking the end of an era. The girls have moved onto separate paths, as idols, actors, solo artists, and more, but as the “Produce 101” seasons continue, the nation will never forget that these 11 girls came first. So, to celebrate I.O.I’s 10th anniversary in true Study International fashion, we’ve decided to dig into which members had attended university — and it’s a fun one. These 5 I.O.I members went to university (plus one) Nayoung Former PRISTIN member and the leader of I.O.I, Nayoung made her debut as an actress in the 2020 K-drama, “Flower of Evil,” but that’s not the only milestone she achieved that year. In 2020, Nayoung graduated from Dongduk Women’s University with a bachelor’s degree in media arts and entertainment. In elementary school, the idol-turned-actress had wanted to become an art teacher, and she’s certainly making good on that — showing her artistry in a different way. “Back when I was a trainee, it was fear of my uncertain future that made me think I should go to college,” Nayoung wrote on Instagram . “I made good memories with my classmates while attending college and also grew through many different kinds of learning.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by 청하 CHUNG HA (@chungha_official) Chungha In 2019, Chungha considered iconic soloist BoA as the dance god of K-pop. At that point, Chungha was just a rising solo artist herself, having debuted in 2017 after I.O.I’s disbandment. Fast forward to 2026 and many younger idols would consider Chungha as today’s dance god. The “Gotta Go” singer had lived in Dallas, Texas, for about seven to eight years, becoming fluent in both English and Korean. She graduated from Sejong University as a dance major, having taken a break in 2017 to focus on her music career. Her learning journey wasn’t over. In 2023, she took a year-long break from show business and studied for the Korean History Proficiency Test to earn a first-degree certification. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 김세정 (@clean_0828) Sejeong An all-rounder in K-pop — singer-songwriter, actress, and former Gugudan member Sejeong had ranked #1 several times in Produce 101, before going on to finish #2 in the finale. After graduating from Indeogwon High School, Sejeong went on to earn an associate’s degree in applied music at Hanyang Women’s University. Raised by a single mother, she had initially been hesitant to share her dream of becoming a singer. Luckily, her hard work has paid off. In 2016, she broke the record as the fastest solo singer to get a #1 on a music show with the emotional ballad “Flower Road.” Now, she’s one of the most well-known idol-turned-actresses and released her first full album in 2023. I.O.I 3rd MINI ALBUM [I.O.I : LOOP] ♾️ 2026. 05. 19 TUE 6PM (KST) #소혜 #SOHYE #아이오아이 #IOI #IOI_LOOP pic.twitter.com/TnVl6LJh5z — 아이오아이 (I.O.I) (@ioi_10th) April 22, 2026 Sohye Sohye hadn’t trained to become an idol, and it showed during her start in Produce 101. Coming from the acting agency Red Line Entertainment, she had auditioned for the show upon her company’s recommendation. She was subject to malicious rumours, but with great perseverance, she became the trainee who had shown the most improvement. The most recent information available regarding Sohye’s education is that she’s attending Sejong University — fellow member Chungha’s alma mater — in the Department of Film Arts. After I.O.I’s disbandment, Sohye made her debut in the 2017 web drama “Poetry Story” and landed her first television role in “Kang Deoksun’s Love History” later that year. Yeonjung It’s safe to say that when it comes to post-I.O.I groups, WJSN emerged as the most successful. Yeonjung got the chance to truly shine as the main vocalist in a group that embodied that magical girl concept — their English name literally being “Cosmic Girls.” WJSN recently celebrated their 10th anniversary comeback, but while on hiatus, Yeonjung had been expanding her career into musical theatre. She acted in the musical adaptation of “Crash Landing on You,” as well as Dave Malloy’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.” In fact, in 2017, Yeonjung was accepted through rolling admission into Dankook University’s musical theatre programme in the Performance & Film Department. Bonus (because she didn’t actually go to university): what a blessing it is to have Doyeon on my feed again https://t.co/jsaZqAXCcs — mind of mando ☘️ Karina devotee ‍♂️ (@_MindOfMando) May 8, 2026 Doyeon In 2017, I.O.I members Doyeon and Yoojung debuted in the Fantagio group, Weki Meki, with the song “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend.” Doyeon would later go on to make her acting debut the following year in the OCN drama “Short” as the female lead, and following Weki Meki’s official disbandment in 2024, this is where she has truly found her stride. In August 2024, Doyeon posted on Instagram that she had spent nearly two months in London. After some speculation, it was discovered that she had moved to the city to study acting and English, though her exact programme and university were unknown. Last year, Doyeon won Best New Actress at the Blue Dragon Film Awards for her role in the comedy horror “Idiot Girls and School Ghost: School Anniversary.”

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