The best possible (mostly realistic) lineup for Queendom S2

Kingdom had great performances, but everything else was boring. There were no good storylines behind the scenes, so you might as well have just watched the performances on Youtube and skipped the show. Obviously, this is bad for Mnet. The following groups are plausible, great performers, popular, buzz worthy, have a good variety, and would come with interesting storylines:

Viviz

Kep1er

WJSN

Loona or Dreamcatcher

Itzy

IOI (Whoever they can get, but at least Somi, Chungha, Sejeong-hopefully but drama, Yoojung, Doyeon)

Storylines:

Itzy vs. Somi (IOI) - Somi leaving JYP (and Itzy) generated huge buzz, and this would bring all that back up

IOI vs. Kep1er - old vs. new Mnet group

WJSN vs. IOI - Yeonjung competing with her old group (best if Sejeong is in IOI, main vocal vs. main vocal)

Viviz and Yujin (Kep1er) - older idols starting in a new group after disbandment

Loona - more popular than Dreamcatcher and Chuu's variety skills would be good for the show

Dreamcatcher - great performers would make for a good dark horse storyline

Kep1er - can the baby group compete? Yujin is a veteran, so the debate would be interesting

Bonus: cute interactions. Many members of the groups have personal connections with each other (and not just Somi).

Plausibility. Reasons for joining the show:

M - Mnet's reason

G - group's reason

Viviz

M - for the big older group position (at least part of it) and the GFriend fans

G - great promo for their new group

Kep1er

M - big and growing younger fandom. Ive would be better, but that's probably not happening. The controversy of including them would generate buzz for the show

G - They have recent survival experience so they could do well enough to push themselves past Ive

WJSN

M - solid older group with consistent sales, like S1 contestants. Good performers. Pretty much confirmed already

G - would benefit greatly from the exposure

Loona

M - bigger international fandom than DC. Great performers. Dark horse storyline. Chuu's variety skills

G - need the exposure. Company spending too much and struggling

Dreamcatcher

M - big international fandom. Great performers. Different style for variety. Dark horse storyline.

G - could use the exposure. Stated in the past that they want to go on S2

Itzy

M - they're Itzy

G - last comebacks didn't chart as well, and Stray Kids got a good boost from Kingdom

IOI

M - older Mnet group that would generate huge buzz. Help salvage Produce brand. Could compete with Itzy in votes

G - complicated. depends on the individual members:

Somi - Wildcard. Could be into it as a great chance to reunite with IOI, perform in a group again, and maybe build back her Korean popularity to its previous post-IOI peak (most of her endorsements are Korean), or she could be too busy with building popularity in the West (and Teddy would be against it). Could be the "Crazy News" she has been teasing

Chungha - Likely. Could use the promo after last year's mediocre performance

Sejeong - Maybe. Her music career could use the promo, but she is working on a drama at the same time (not sure how much has already been filmed). Some members of SF9 pulled that off last year though. Also, Mnet recently posted her 'Warning' performance as part of their Fighting 2022 Special with a bunch of very popular artists, so that might be a hint

Yoojung, Doyeon - Very likely. Weki Meki could definitely use the indirect promo.

The other members seem very unlikely because they don't have music careers or are in China/WJSN.

If they can get the above members, it would be a great and well-balanced group.

Quote from quarkie

There's absolutely no benefit to even a partial reformation of IOI. There is no salvaging the Produce brand in Korea.

I read that there was some talk from insiders that Mnet wanted a new season of Produce. I think you underestimate how quickly people forget/don't care about things like the voting scandal. It didn't seem to effect GP999 much, and that was obviously just a replacement for Produce.

Quote from 4d-maknae

I don't see any IOI girl participating other than Yeonjung since she's on wjsn

And loona would fit the show better than dreamcatcher, they at least have a win on music shows

Why not Yoojung, Doyeon and Chungha? Sejeong and Somi are less likely for the reasons mentioned, but those three are very likely. With the right lineup Queendom 2 could be very popular, so it would be great promo.

Loona would be good too, but from a show perspective Dreamcatcher would offer more performance variety and would be a great dark horse because their performance skills are so good.

Quote from 4d-maknae

i don't think fantagio would allow that to happen, you know how companies are. Only chungha could be an option but I don't think solos will be part of the show

I said loona instead of DC because they are more popular and mnet has worked with Chuu before, they also have done many contents with loona. while I don't really think DC is one of their candidates, remember this show isn't like RtK, but one about the supposed royalty and queens of kpop

Yoojung and Doyeon have appeared on smaller Mnet shows in the past to help promote Weki Meki (Good Girl), and this would be way better promo than that.

Just looked up sales and Loona has over 2X Dreamcatcher's sales, so that makes sense, and Chuu's variety skills would be good for the show.

Maybe Sejeong is talking about Mnet/members contacting her to get IOI together? "it was quite late" maybe referring to the members talking about the possibility near Mnet's deadline, which would be very soon? Maybe the delay was because one of the members that Mnet required recently agreed on the condition that a certain number of members join? "I'll try to make it happen" could be her making room in her schedule and/or convincing other members.

On the other hand "I'll make sure to tell you" is unnecessary, because it would be announced first by Mnet, so it could just be something personal.