Happy New Year!
As 2019 comes to an end, let’s look back at fromis_9’s activities and reminisce the fun times we shared. fromis_9, flover and us have achieved a lot in 2019 so let’s aim even higher for 2020!
Fun Factory Comeback
After an almost 8-month hiatus, fromis_9’s long-awaited comeback finally arrived. On June 4th, the album ‘Fun Factory’ and its title track ‘FUN!’ MV were released to mass acclaim. The third track of the album ‘Fly High’ was especially loved because it was the first self-composed song to be featured in a fromis_9 album. ‘Fun Factory’ sold 61,604 copies as of October 2019 in the Gaon Chart. The girls loved performing for flovers so much that they even started promoting ‘Love Rumpumpum’, extending their promos just for their fans. What an incredible era!
Cover Performances
fromis_9 had a bunch of cover performances throughout the year; all being of extremely high quality. These stages showcased the group’s ability to embody many different concepts and perform on the level of those they are covering, while still making it their own. These performances prove the quality of fromis_9 as a group and hopefully, may even boost their popularity, which is exactly what they deserve.
We See Winter
“We See Winter,” the second season of fromis_9’s web drama “Welcome to Heal Inn,” gathered the nine girls together in a rest house. The cozy setting of the web drama and intimate friendship between the girls can truly heal and give warmth to flovers’ hearts. Special behind-the-scenes clips can be watched when purchased through V LIVE+.
Channel_9 Season 2
Every flover’s favourite YouTube series was back for another season in 2019, which of course is the joy that is ‘Channel_9’. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 9PM KST, a new episode was released with each edition filled with entertaining and great moments. This season, like the last, included a wide variety of concepts including a four-part ‘Special MT’ trip that finished off the season, fulfilling the wish of all the members. Fingers crossed for season 3 in 2020.
Dating Class
2019 also saw the first acting appearance for any fromis_9 member with Gyuri starring in the 16-episode web drama “Dating Class” alongside two other K-pop idols: LOONA’s Chuu and KNK’s Seoham. The romance-centred story was conveyed incredibly well and even tackled some challenging topics in a realistic but endearing way that the audience could relate to. The drama even teaches viewers about the ups and downs of romance and friendship, a must watch for all flovers. Kang Jiyoung fighting!
King of Masked Singers
Every idol vocalist dreams of getting a chance to appear on King of Masked Singer. This year, two of fromis_9’s most skilled singers, Hayoung and Gyuri, got a chance to display their talent on a stage that draws the eyes of the whole nation. The girls battled against accomplished vocalists and melted flovers’ hearts with their renditions, getting compliments from respected seniors within the industry. Megan, now it’s your turn!
190317 King of Masked Singers Ep. 195 – Gyuri
191117 King of Masked Singers Ep. 229 – Hayoung Round 1
191124 King of Masked Singers Ep. 230 – Hayoung Round 2
ISAC 2019 Chuseok Special
In 2019, seven fromis_9 members challenged themselves on ISAC, K-pop’s own version of the Olympics. Following the unfruitful Spacing Out competition and the 60M Sprint that saw Jiwon “win 1st place from the back”, Saerom, Hayoung, and Chaeyoung gave their all in Korean Wrestling, not advancing to the finals by detail. The highlight of the event came when Jiwon took home the gold medal for Horseback Riding after not dropping a single point throughout the whole dispute.
190912 ISAC 2019 Chuseok Special – Women’s 60m Sprint & Zoning Out
190913 ISAC 2019 Chuseok Special – Korean Wrestling
190914 ISAC 2019 Chuseok Special – Horseback Riding
KCON
American flovers were once again graced with fromis_9’s presence in both New York and Los Angeles. The group straightened their relationship with international fans by taking part in both the convention and concert, performing their first ever stage of “Love Rumpumpum”. KCON was a unique chance for western flovers to interact with fellow fans and create memories with fromis_9. It was a short stay, but a meaningful one.
flaylists
A total of nine “flaylists” were released during 2019. The vocal covers not only let fromis_9’s vocalists, but also their rappers, showcase their versatility in various ways. If their soulful interpretation wasn’t enough to win the listeners’ attention, many of the performances were coupled with beautifully shot videos that emphasized the girls’ beauty. An audible and visual treat.
Contributors: Adam, Bruno, JJ and Mitch
Editor: Brad
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