In a raw and emotional preview of MBC’s reality show “The Manager,” K-pop powerhouse i-dle—formerly known as (G)I-DLE—reveals the harrowing uncertainty that shadowed their recent contract negotiations. The quintet, celebrated for their bold artistic independence, tearfully admits they stood at the precipice of dissolution just months before shocking fans with their surprising rebrand and comeback.
The May 11 preview for the upcoming episode (set to air May 17) offers an unprecedented glimpse into the group’s private struggles during what should have been a standard business procedure but instead evolved into an existential crisis for one of K-pop’s most distinctive acts.
The weight of renewal
“Honestly, we went through a hard time with this contract renewal,” confesses Soyeon, the group’s formidable leader and primary producer, in a vulnerable moment captured during a casual dinner at Minnie’s new home. “I kept wondering, ‘Are we going to disband?'”
The contract anxiety wasn’t unfounded. Rumors had swirled throughout late 2024 after Soyeon’s provocative performance at the group’s Seoul concert in August, where she brazenly rapped about her contract ending in November—a bold move that sent shockwaves through their fanbase and temporarily rattled Cube Entertainment’s stock prices.
Shuhua, the group’s youngest member, reveals her own emotional turmoil during this period. “I just kept crying because I was so sad,” she admits in the preview, her typically guarded demeanor giving way to raw vulnerability rarely witnessed by fans.
Five divergent paths, one surprising decision
What makes their contract renewal particularly remarkable, as highlighted by one of their managers in the preview, is the striking dissimilarity between the five members. “They’re all so different, so I wondered how they managed to renew their contracts together,” the manager marvels, a sentiment the show humorously illustrates through contrasting footage of their diverse morning routines.
This diversity has always been i-dle’s secret weapon—Soyeon’s fierce creative direction, Miyeon’s vocal stability, Minnie’s atmospheric contributions, Yuqi’s magnetic charisma, and Shuhua’s quiet determination have created a dynamic alchemy that’s increasingly rare in manufactured pop groups. Yet those distinct personalities could have easily pulled them in separate directions when faced with career-defining decisions.
The powerful statement of solidarity
The quintet ultimately shocked the industry by announcing their unanimous contract renewal during their acceptance speech at the 2024 Melon Music Awards last November. Accepting the prestigious Record of the Year award, Soyeon directly addressed the swirling rumors: “My contract expired, and these days there are many articles being released saying ‘(G)I-DLE is disbanding’ or ‘(G)I-DLE is over.’ However, not me alone, but the five of us all decided to renew our contracts together.”
In the upcoming “Manager” episode, Soyeon provides deeper context for their decision: “All of the members probably felt this way, but I thought, ‘i-dle is something that the five of us made together.'”
From (G)I-DLE to i-dle: A symbolic rebirth
Their renewed commitment to each other has since manifested in a dramatic rebranding. On May 1, 2025—almost exactly seven years after their debut—the group dropped the “(G)” from their name, announcing themselves simply as “i-dle” in a bold declaration of artistic evolution that coincided with their seventh anniversary.
The name change carries significant symbolic weight. By removing the “G” (which stood for “girl”), the group explicitly rejects gender-based categorization of their music and artistic vision. No longer defining themselves through the limiting lens of being a “girl group,” i-dle now emphasizes their original core concept of individuality (the “I” in their name) and plurality (the “dle,” representing the Korean plural marker).
This evolution arrives alongside ambitious new music. The group is currently promoting a special anniversary mini-album released on May 2, with their eighth mini-album “We Are” set to drop on May 19—their first full-group comeback since all members renewed their contracts.
Defying the “seven-year curse”
Their contract renewal and subsequent reinvention are particularly significant given K-pop’s notorious “seven-year curse”—the industry pattern where groups often disband or lose members after their initial seven-year contracts expire. Recent years have seen numerous established groups dissolve at this critical juncture, making i-dle’s unified recommitment all the more remarkable.
“If they were unfortunate, i-dle would be another group that had to be disbanded after 7 years, like 2NE1, 4Minute, Sistar, MissA, and KARA,” noted one industry observer. Instead, they’ve joined the ranks of groups like TWICE and Red Velvet who have successfully navigated this perilous transition.
The uncertain path forward
While their tears on “The Manager” reveal how close fans came to losing the distinctive magic that only these five artists create together, their unified decision represents something increasingly precious in today’s fragmented music landscape: authentic artistic solidarity.
From their breakthrough debut “LATATA” in 2018 to their genre-defying smashes like “TOMBOY” and tracks from last year’s “I SWAY,” i-dle has consistently prioritized musical authenticity over market-tested formulas. Their renewed commitment to each other suggests this creative independence will not only continue but potentially evolve in even bolder directions.
For a group whose name now explicitly celebrates both individuality and collectivity, their tears of fear transforming into tears of relief feels like the perfect emotional journey to launch their second chapter—one where they’ve chosen each other despite the countless paths they could have taken alone.
The full episode of “The Manager” featuring i-dle will air on MBC this Friday, May 17, at 11:10 p.m. KST.
