On July 4, the I-Land 2 finale launched the musical dreams of seven finalists, who will debut as members of the new girl group, IZNA.
After creating one of the representative groups of the K-pop fourth generation, ENHYPEN, in 2020, I-Land's sequel kicked off plans to launch a new girl group in April 2024. Mnet's South Korean sequel of the survival reality series is racing towards the final chapter of the competition.
On July 4, the I-Land 2 N/a finale forged the golden destiny of a new septet managed by a CJ ENM subsidiary, WakeOne – home to beloved K-pop groups like ZEROBASEONE and Kep1er. Even before the group's official debut, the latest addition to the musical roster is already breaking constricting pathways as the first non-temporary girl group whose foundation will be consolidated with a standard contract, marking a stable and secure inception for the band.
IZ*ONE’s Jo Yuri, Kep1er’s Hikaru and Chaehyun and ZEROBASEONE’s Han Yujin, Kim Taerae and Zhang Hao attended the final broadcast of the series as special guests to boost the confidence of participating contestants aspiring to debut as K-pop idols.
The finale, “I-Land 2: Final Countdown,” aired live on Thursday at 9:30 pm KST. K-pop star Jeon Somi joined the broadcast as a special host alongside the show's fixed MC, ZEROBASEONE's Sung Hanbin. Both artists' musical passions manifested into reality following their victories on similar platforms. Therefore, as alums of the survival audition contest format, Somi and Hanbin were fully cognisant of I-Land 2 participants' pains and tribulations, which they vocalised through their vitally important presence on the show.
I-Land 2 Group Name and Winners Revealed
Although the original decision revealed the group would be a six-member lineup, the final reveal paved the way for a seven-member announcement. While fans (I-Mate) picked five members of the new girl group, the producers chose the final two.
Before the highly anticipated winner announcements rolled out, the upcoming group's name was revealed as IZNA.
Ultimately, the show’s winning contestants, aka the final IZNA members, were announced:
- Choi Jungeun (823,393 points) - born in 2007
- Bang Jeemin (591,495 points) - born in 2005
- Yoon Jiyoon (471,699 points) - born in 2005
- Narai Koko (320,124 points) - born in 2006
- Ryu Sarang (319,693 points) - born in 2007
- Tomioka Mai (Producers’ choice) - born in 2004
- Jeong Saebi (Producers’ choice - surprise addition) - born in 2008