I.O.I raised anticipation for their comeback on the 13th by sharing an audio snippet on their official socials, previewing every track on their third mini-album 'I.O.I : LOOP'.
Among them, the title track 'Gapjagi' pulls listeners into a haze of dazzling memories with a delicate synth-pop sound — instantly captivating fans.
But once the dance challenge video dropped, the song’s style triggered more backlash than praise among fans. Many felt it was underwhelming for a 10th-anniversary title track, with some even calling it trot-style.
Most commenters reacted with lines like, "I had high hopes, but trot?", "I’m actually stunned", "Can someone tell them it’s 2026?", and "Jeon Somi was doing fine on her own — why this?"
One netizen pointed out, "This composer also did Jisoo’s 'Flower', Jo Hyun Ah’s 'I’ll Give You', and Heize’s 'VingleVingle'," suggesting the tracks share a similar musical color.
I.O.I’s third mini-album 'I.O.I : LOOP' drops on May 19, with their solo concert slated for May 29 to 31.