If there is one K-pop girl group that has benefited its members the most, it is easily going to be Ideal of Idol better known as I.O.I. Formed back in 2016 and consisting of the top 11 contestants off of the competition show Produce 101 , they have continued onward for one year releasing hits that sold in the hundreds of thousands individually along with albums that sold in the tens of thousands. Their song “Very Very Very” is their most successful song through their tenure selling over one million in digital downloads alone.
However, the one detail that makes I.O.I. so popular is the fact the members were able to go back to their respective entertainment labels to become part of new K-pop girl groups that are successful in their own way. Along with contestants of Produce 101 who did not make it on I.O.I., the members helped formed DIA , Gugudan , Cosmic Girls, and Pristin. Some have even gone on to bigger things like Jeon So Mi who is now a part of the second season of Unnie’s Slam Dunk .
For the I.O.I. members who are signed with Fantagio, they are moving forward from the K-pop girl group by going to Los Angeles, California to train for their debut. It will be all recorded in a new original series known as Dodaeng’s Diary .
The news of the former I.O.I. members signed under most likely, Choi Yoo Jung and Kim Do Yeon, heading to Los Angeles, California to train was made known by KCON.TV . According to them, Yoo Jung and Do Yeon’s training will be recorded and aired on a new original unscripted series titled Dodaeng’s Diary . Each episode will be released on Fridays and will be available in both English and Korean with English subtitles.
During their training, Choi Yoo Jung and Kim Do Yeon will go through a crash course in music, fun, and dancing as they prepare for their debut. While in Los Angeles, they will meet with the music industry’s top producers, choreographers, and more to help make them successful. Some of the important industry figures to make an appearance include Brian Lee who is a songwriter and producer who’s worked with DJ Snake, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga, Beverly Bautista who is a choreographer for Nicki Minaj, Jose Lopez who is a producers for Mac Miller, B.O.B. and f(x), and the EEI School of Music’s Francis Kim who is a producer for Jason Derulo, Eyedi, and Jeff Bernat.
Dodaeng’s Diary started to air on KCON.TV on Friday, April 7 so the first episode is already available to watch. We’ve attached the first episode for viewing above, but subsequent episodes can be viewed at their official website .
In the first episode, Choi Yoo Jung and Kim Do Yeon learn they will be heading to Los Angeles to train for ten days. On the way, they show both their excitement and anxiety as they admit they cannot speak English. However, they feel confident they can get by simply on body language. It is quite adorable to watch the two as they experience a new culture, one that is a melting pot of different cultures from around the world. They have a bit of fun in their hotel, get to eat different foods starting out with Greek/Mediterranean food, and check out the sights. The next day, however, it is all business as they meet their first producer, Jose Lopez, and learn a little more about what it takes to work in the music industry.
K-pop fans can look forward to see just how much Choi Yoo Jung and Kim Do Yeon grow as they continue their adventure in becoming K-pop idols for their debut in Los Angeles. As mentioned earlier, episodes will release on KCON.TV . Upon its conclusion, Dodaeng’s Dairy might most-likely be available on DramaFever given their relationship.
[Featured Image by Fantagio]