Singer and actress Kim Se-jeong has opened up about her thoughts on the upcoming 10th anniversary of I.O.I, hinting that the members are actively discussing ways to give something meaningful back to fans who have supported them over the years.
In a recent interview following the conclusion of MBC’s historical fantasy romance drama The Moon River, Kim Se-jeong reflected on both her acting journey and her identity as a singer. The drama wrapped up on December 20, with Kim Se-jeong starring as the female lead Park Dal-i, delivering an emotionally layered performance that marked another milestone in her acting career.
While she has recently focused on drama projects, Kim Se-jeong emphasized that music remains an essential part of who she is. Having debuted in 2016 as a member of the project girl group I.O.I, she is now approaching her 10th year in the industry—a moment that has prompted deeper self-reflection.
“For a long time, I didn’t really stop to ask myself what kind of music Kim Se-jeong is good at, or what I personally like,” she admitted. “But during a long recording process recently, I felt like I was finally beginning that journey of understanding myself.”
She candidly spoke about the pressure of constantly trying to meet expectations. “I thought I was being smart by analyzing the market and guessing what people would like,” she said. “But when results didn’t turn out well, I blamed myself completely. Looking back on these 10 years, I realized that approach wasn’t healthy.”
Kim Se-jeong explained that focusing too much on pleasing others left her feeling empty creatively. “If you do what you love and people don’t respond right away, you can tell yourself to keep going. But when you’re always adjusting yourself to others’ preferences, there’s nothing that truly builds up inside you,” she shared. “Now, I want to stack up my own feelings—by doing what I genuinely like.”
Turning to I.O.I’s upcoming anniversary, Kim Se-jeong revealed that conversations are already happening among the members. “Next year marks I.O.I’s 10th anniversary, too,” she said. “There are fans who have waited for us all this time. We’ve been getting together to talk, thinking that even a small gift would be meaningful.”
Although nothing has been finalized, she made her intentions clear. “There’s nothing confirmed yet, but we want to do everything we realistically can. If we’re able to give something back to the fans, even in a small way, that would mean a lot to us.”
Her words have resonated deeply with longtime fans, offering a heartfelt glimpse into her growth over the past decade and sparking renewed anticipation for how I.O.I might mark this milestone together.