Group I.O.I shared scenes of the members gathering in a practice room ahead of their stage at the '2026 Melon Music Awards (MMA2026)' in November. Members Kim Do-yeon, Choi Yoo-jung, Yoo Yeon-jung and Jeon Somi posted mirror selfies from the practice room and videos of the members joking around on their respective Instagram stories early on the 27th. Jung Chae-yeon and Kim So-hye did not appear at that day's practice, and Kim Do-yeon left a comment on her story saying, "See you tomorrow, Chaeyeon and Sohye." Yoo Yeon-jung posted a photo of the members sitting on the practice-room floor eating tteokbokki, writing that they filled up before practice with the tteokbokki Choi Yoo-jung had bought, while Jeon Somi wrote "It has begun" on a mirror selfie she took alone. I.O.I will perform on the first day of MMA2026, held on November 14 at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul. Having reunited in May for the first time in nine years, I.O.I topped Melon's TOP100 and HOT100 charts for a long period with 'Gapjagi (Suddenly)', the title track of their third mini album 'I.O.I : LOOP', and won three music show trophies.