What Is the I.O.I The Manager Episode and When Does It Air?
The I.O.I episode of MBC's variety show The Manager (전지적 참견 시점) airs Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 11:10 PM KST . The episode — number 402 in the program's run — follows the full participating I.O.I lineup through the day of their 10th-anniversary LOOP concert, from rehearsal to the post-show hours, marking the group's first collective variety appearance since reuniting .source
The casting was first reported as an exclusive on June 2, 2026, and the appearance was then teased at the close of episode 401 on June 6, 2026 . The indexed MBC clip listing identifies the episode 402 preview as a 2-minute-24-second trailer for "the girl group I.O.I returning after 10 years with Suddenly" .source
MBC framed the broadcast as behind-the-scenes coverage of I.O.I's comeback and concert-preparation process, paired with reunion reflections from all nine participating members . The reunion centers on the third mini-album I.O.I : LOOP, released May 19, 2026, and its synth-pop title track "Suddenly" (갑자기) .
Beyond the concert-prep framing, preview reporting dated June 6–7, 2026, added the detail that draws the most fan attention: footage of a post-concert group trip — a shared meal, barbecue, and an on-camera line from Kim Sejeong — captured after the anniversary show . That sequence, teased in the June 6 episode-401 preview, is what positions episode 402 as more than a standard backstage feature.
Concert Day on Camera: Rehearsals, the Stage, and Members in Tears
Before the trip footage, episode 402 builds its emotional core around the day of I.O.I's anniversary show. According to News1, the episode opens on concert day at Jamsil Indoor Stadium and leads with high-energy pre-show rehearsal footage, then follows the members as they break down in tears after seeing visibly emotional fans during the show . That rehearsal-to-tears arc is the spine of the behind-the-scenes coverage, framing the broadcast as a record of the reunion's most charged hours rather than a routine backstage clip.
The audience reaction the members respond to is concrete. The Seoul shows drew roughly 4,000 fans, and reporting describes the members crying in response to the crowd's emotion during the performance . The group addressed that crowd directly on stage: "We are so happy to be together again at a concert for our 10th anniversary. Thanks to our fans who waited patiently without change, we hope the memories we shared today will remain in your hearts for a long time" .
The episode also surfaces the reflection that gives the reunion its weight. Chungha, described in preview reporting as one of the key drivers of the 2026 reunion, said the repeated cycle of being happy together and then having to part felt painful — but that the members gained far more than they lost by reuniting .
"Being happy together and then having to part again was painful, but we gained much more from coming back together," — Chungha, I.O.I member (source: News1)
The concerts the cameras documented were substantial. The Seoul run was three consecutive nights, May 29–31, 2026, with each show running over three hours — reports cite about three hours to three hours thirty minutes — and roughly 24 songs performed per night . Outlets framed it as I.O.I's first solo concert in about nine years, a return that explains why both the stage and the rehearsal footage carry so much weight on camera .
The Post-Concert Group Trip: Beer, Barbecue, and Kim Sejeong's Big Line
The episode does not stop at the stage. After the Seoul shows wrap, preview footage follows the nine members onto an MT-style group trip, where the camera lingers on beer poured while cooking and a barbecue spread laid out around the group . It is here that the preview's most-quoted moment lands: Kim Sejeong tells the others she does not think this is the end of I.O.I, and Lim Nayoung and the rest respond in the spirit of carrying on together — a "let's go on forever" exchange that the previews lean on heavily .
That line carries real weight, but it needs a clear boundary. These exchanges come from a promotional preview clip, not a formal announcement . As of June 2026, no agency has confirmed a new contract, extended group activity, or additional Korean promotions beyond this broadcast. The sentiment is genuine member emotion; it is not a signed plan, and readers should treat the "not the end" framing as feeling rather than schedule.source
The trip also adds context to how seriously the members treat this chapter. Chungha is consistently cited across reporting as one of the central figures in making the reunion happen, and the preview gives her a reflective beat to match .
"The repeated cycle of being happy together and then having to part felt painful — but we gained much more from reuniting," — Chungha, I.O.I (source: News1).
Read together, the meal and the quotes do something the concert footage cannot. The stage shows what the reunion looked like; the group trip shows what the members want it to mean. The barbecue, the beer, and Sejeong's line frame a group that disbanded after roughly eight months in 2017 now treating its tenth-anniversary return as something worth protecting . Whether that translates into more activity is the open question — and exactly why the June 13 episode is worth watching closely.
I.O.I LOOP Tour and Comeback: Lineup, Dates, and Ticket Details
The 2026 I.O.I reunion is a nine-member return drawn from the original eleven-member lineup: Lim Nayoung, Chungha, Kim Sejeong, Jung Chaeyeon, Kim Sohye, Yoo Yeonjung, Choi Yoojung, Kim Doyeon, and Jeon Somi . Two members did not join the stage activities — Kang Mina, who is focused on acting, and Zhou Jieqiong (Joo Kyulkyung), who is active in China — both citing individual scheduling conflicts, and both reportedly supported the reunion . English aggregators have listed the lineup inconsistently, so nine-of-eleven is the reliable figure.
The comeback centers on the third mini-album I.O.I : LOOP, a six-track EP released May 19, 2026 . A pre-release single arrived earlier, on May 4, 2026 — the exact tenth anniversary of I.O.I's 2016 debut — with the synth-pop title track 'Suddenly' (갑자기) credited to Jeon Somi as a co-lyricist .
Live, the reunion is anchored by '2026 I.O.I Concert Tour: LOOP', which opened with three nights at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul on May 29–31, 2026 . Ticketing details from the official seller, NOL World, are below.source
| Detail | Seoul (Jamsil Indoor Stadium) |
|---|---|
| R seat | 165,000 won |
| S seat | 154,000 won |
| Purchase cap | 2 tickets per person per show |
| Age rating | 7 and over |
| Dates | May 29–31, 2026 (3 nights) |
From there, the LOOP tour moves overseas: Bangkok on June 6, 2026, followed by Hong Kong, reported for around June 20–21, 2026, as the group wraps domestic promotions before continuing abroad .
The concrete takeaway for fans: the recorded music and the tour are confirmed and dated, the nine-member return is the reliable figure, and June 13 on MBC's 'The Manager' is the next scheduled chance to see the reunion off-stage. What is not confirmed — a new contract or activity beyond this run — is exactly the thread the episode leaves open .
Frequently asked questions
When does the I.O.I episode of The Manager air?
The full-group I.O.I episode is episode 402 of MBC's 'The Manager' (전지적 참견 시점), airing June 13, 2026 at 11:10 PM KST in the show's regular Saturday slot . It was teased at the end of episode 401 on June 6, 2026 in a 2-minute-24-second preview trailer for "the girl group I.O.I returning after 10 years with Suddenly" .
Which I.O.I members appear in the 2026 reunion?
The 2026 reunion is a nine-member return out of the original eleven: Lim Nayoung, Chungha, Kim Sejeong, Jung Chaeyeon, Kim Sohye, Yoo Yeonjung, Choi Yoojung, Kim Doyeon, and Jeon Somi . Kang Mina sat out due to acting commitments and Zhou Jieqiong (Joo Kyulkyung) due to her China-based schedule; both reportedly supported the reunion .
Does Kim Sejeong saying 'it's not the end of I.O.I' mean the group is continuing?
Not as a formal commitment. The line — with Lim Nayoung and others responding in a "let's go on forever" spirit — comes from a promotional preview clip and should be read as emotionally significant member sentiment, not an announcement . As of June 2026, no agency has confirmed a new contract or extended I.O.I activity beyond the current comeback and tour .
What songs did I.O.I perform at the LOOP Seoul concerts?
The Seoul shows ran more than three hours with around 24 songs . The setlist mixed signature hits — 'Pick Me', 'Dream Girls', 'Whatta Man', and 'Very Very Very' — with new LOOP material including 'Suddenly', 'I.O.I (Where My Girls At)', 'SPF 100+', 'IF I', and 'Goodbye with a Smile', a 2016 archived recording .
Are there I.O.I LOOP tour dates outside South Korea?
Yes. After the three-night Seoul run at Jamsil Indoor Stadium on May 29–31, 2026, the LOOP tour moves overseas with a Bangkok stop on June 6, 2026, and Hong Kong dates reported around June 20–21, 2026 . The overseas legs follow the wrap of I.O.I's domestic promotions .
