Jeon Somi will not join JYP's popular girl TWICE or make a solo debut as the label still has no concrete plans on Somi's career. Somi will reportedly focus on her studies first.
On Nov. 30, JYP Entertainment released an official announcement about Somi's future. "It's true that Jeon So Mi will be enrolling in the Applied Music program at Hanlim Multi Art School. We will think about Jeon So Mi's promotion after IOI's promotions officially come to an end," JYP said, according to All Kpop.
Jeon Somi's current girl group IOI is set to disband in 2017 and the fate of the members now lies to their respective agencies. Somi is signed with JYP and the future plans for her career remained unknown. Other entertainment labels debuted or set to debut IOI members in their respective girl groups (Chaeyeon in DIA, Yeonjung in Cosmic Girls, Mina and Sejong in Gugudan, Pinky and Nayoung in Girlz). This seems to be the next step for the rest of the IOI members.
IOI is one of the successful girl groups of 2016 dubbed as the cream of the crop of all female trainees that joined the reality show Produce 101. JYP's Somi ranked first in the reality program that landed her the center position in the group.
Jeon Somi also has a legion of fans in South Korea and in other parts of the world. Furthermore, Jeon Somi ability to speak in English fluently due to her racial background will widen the reach of the already diverse group TWICE. Many thought she will join TWICE after IOI disbands.
Grilled in Weekly Idol, JYP CEO Park Jinyoung explained why he cut Somi from the group the last minute. He compared Somi to an unfermented kimchi and he thinks that Somi seems out of place in the group. However, with her gained experience from Sixteen, Produce 101, and IOI, it seems that Jeon Somi has fermented well and JYP will not let this opportunity to pass.