I.O.I’s 'Suddenly' enters MelOn Top 10 as reunion comeback gains viral attention in Korea

I.O.I is garnering attention with their positive performance with their reunion comeback song "Suddenly."

On an online forum, netizens discussed how I.O.I's latest release has peaked on MelOn, entering the top 10 on the platform's renowned real-time Top 100 chart, peaking at #10 after rising 3 levels. The MV also received attention as the survival group from 'Produce 101 (Season 1)' marked their 10th debut anniversary.

A sweet and melodic mid-tempo song, "Suddenly" is gaining love, with fans and netizens expressing their longing for the group to "continue to make comebacks," as this reunion project is "too good to be just a one-time project."

The song also peaked at #10 on Genie and is steadily gaining attention through YouTube views from music program performances where they performed the song.

On the forum, netizens shared that the majority initially considered the song to sound "too old" or like Korean trot music, but that its addictive quality slowly grew on them. 

The song also went viral among Korean listeners after becoming a meme. There has been talk that the line, “Jjarogo nuweotneunde gajangg” (“I was about to sleep, and suddenly…”), sound similar to the opening melody of a famous vintage Korean song Bongbong Choir’s “Flower Shop Girl” from the late 60s, which has the lyrics, “The girl at the flower shop is pretty.”

Because of this auditory similarity, and combined with the cheering song of the Korean baseball team Doosan Bears' catcher Yang Eui Ji, which uses the same melody, the phrase “I was about to sleep, and suddenly Yang Eui Ji” became a meme.

Eventually, Yang Eui Ji himself, the subject of the cheer song, later found out about the meme and even posted it on his Instagram. 

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Moreover, there were eyewitness accounts that Jeon So Mi sang “I was about to sleep, and suddenly Yang Eui Ji” while waiting for a pre-recording of 'Music Bank' on May 22. On the same day during a fan sign event—and again at the following day’s fan sign—Jeon So Mi and other members gave a shout-out to Yang Eui Ji and even sang the meme themselves.

As the first K-pop group to create a 'survival program' syndrome through Mnet, I.O.I has left a legacy, with its individual members going on to develop successful careers.

Netizens left comments such as:

"I was about to sleep… ........ this is a college entrance exam ban song"

"I liked it from the start"

"I hope this isn’t the end, and that a reunion or full-group comeback happens someday ㅠㅠ"

"I was about to sleep and suddenly~"

"I wasn't even a fan of I.O.I, but why am I getting emotional now? Everyone worked hard!! they’re just cool ㅠ"

"It grew on me"

"I was about to sleep....but then...."

"I really hated it at first, but it suddenly grew on me ㅜ it’s annoying but in a good way"

"The song is good"

"I.O.I should keep promoting…ㅠㅠ"

"I was about to sleep and suddenly~~ the Korean lyrics are so good"

"It grew on me lolㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ but it’s kind of cheesy, which actually reminds me of 10 years ago so it’s not a bad thing"

"I was about to sleep, and suddenly Yang Eui Ji~"

"When the wind is blowing softly, listening to this while walking suddenly feels so niceㅠㅠ"

"The chorus is stuck in my head"

"Let’s get them to #1, national producers…. I.O.I needs to bring a full album"

"After watching the stage, I like it lol"

"Honestly the song is good, and the choreography is good too, so it’s even betterㅋㅋㅋㅋ let’s go for #1"

"I was about to sleep and suddenly...."

"At first I was like ‘wow this is bad!!’ but now it keeps playing in my head. It was like this with 'Signal' tooㅋㅋㅋ"

"I thought at first ‘what kind of song is this,’ but it grew on me..."

"I was about to sleep suddenly~ it’s addictive"

"I liked it from the beginningㅋㅋㅋㅋㅜ I was about to sleep"

"Please do music shows for just one more week ㅠㅜ"

"It felt kind of trot-like at first, but it gets better the more you listenㅋㅋ and it suits I.O.I well"

"I was about to sleep suddenly~ sleep sleep~"

"I even started looking up the stage, it’s pretty"

"Whether then or now, I.O.I's got mainstream appeal"

"It’s really good for drivingㅋㅋ I think this will be a long-lasting masterpiece, not just a short trend. I think it’ll be popular even years or decades later"

"Don’t go, I.O.I ㅠ"

"I thought it was too trot-like and didn’t listen much, but at some point I started humming it. It’s addictive. It’s a charming song, but I wish this wasn’t I.O.I’s last song. Let’s promote a bit more with a great song"

"Seriously, what kind of song is this, I was about to sleep and suddenly~"

"It’s addictive ㅇㅇㅋㅋㅋ"

What are your thoughts on the song?