fromis_9’s Leader Lee Saerom “Our Last ‘Gayo Daejejeon’ Performance, I Cried a Lot After It Ended”
fromis_9‘s final schedule as a whole was MBC’s “Gayo Daejejeon”, featuring Lee Saerom, Song Hayoung, Park Jiwon, Roh Jisun, Lee Seoyeon, Lee Chaeyoung, Lee Nagyung and Baek Jiheon. Aware that it was their last time together, the members struggled to hold back tears but eventually broke down on stage. It was an emotional moment not only for the members but also for their fans, Flover.
On the last day of 2024, fromis_9 officially ended their exclusive contracts with Pledis Entertainment, embarking on separate paths. Song Hayoung, Park Jiwon, Lee Chaeyoung, Lee Nagyung and Baek Jiheon signed exclusive contracts with the newly established agency ASND, continuing as a five-member team. Meanwhile, the futures of the remaining three members remained uncertain, drawing significant attention from fans. IZE sat down with Lee Saerom, who was the leader (captain) of fromis_9.
“On December 31, during our last schedule, we ended up welcoming the new year together. All eight of us held hands and did the countdown. While wishing each other happiness for the new year, we hugged tightly and said, ‘You worked hard.’ We cried a lot. When the members told me ‘Sis, you worked so hard as our leader’, I felt an overwhelming sadness. There were times when the responsibility of being a leader felt heavy. I sometimes wondered if I would feel lighter once I let go, but when the moment actually came, it was just heartbreaking. People often say their last words before passing away are ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘Thank you’. Of course, I wasn’t dying, but facing the end, all I could feel was deep gratitude and regret toward my members. As a leader, I had so many moments of feeling sorry, grateful and wistful.”
When the members decided to take different paths, they jokingly asked Saerom, “Who will greet the audience now?” and “Who will step in when we’re at a loss for words?” Saerom had been a responsible leader whom the members relied on. While she described herself as a “stiff leader”, that stiffness provided the strength and stability her team needed.
“I want to tell the members, ‘No matter what we do, we’ll do great.’ I think we all need courage right now, so I want to give them words of encouragement. fromis_9 and the members are an inseparable part of my life. And that kind of bond—something you can never be separated from—that’s what family is, right? The members are like family to me. We spent our entire 20s together, living side by side even longer than our real families. We grew closer by sharing our struggles and conversations, and thanks to them, I was able to endure the tough times.”
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As their contract expiration approached, fromis_9 had many discussions about the group’s future—especially about the team name. Saerom had been one of the members who strongly wanted to continue as a full group. Until the final decision was made, she engaged in deep conversations with the members about what direction to take.
“We talked a lot about whether we should keep the team name, and if so, how we could continue with it. But before we could even find an answer, the decision was made that the group would go separate ways. Now, it’s entirely up to the five members who chose to continue as a team to determine that path. That’s why I can’t help but support them. When I think about these friends, I just feel admiration for them.”
When asked if she had anything she wanted to say most, Saerom immediately thought of Flover (fromis_9’s fandom name). To her, Flover was “us”, the strength that kept her going. She expressed deep gratitude to the fans who stayed by fromis_9’s side despite all the changes and hardships. Thanks to Flover, both she and fromis_9 had grown stronger.
“It’s always so difficult to put my feelings for Flover into words. My emotions are always the same, but I just don’t know how to express them properly. More than anything, I don’t want to make Flover feel sad, but this situation makes me feel sorry, and that makes it even harder to speak. Flover doesn’t like it when we say ‘sorry’. But I can’t help feeling this way. Even though fromis_9 went through so many ups and downs, you always stayed with us. I’m so grateful. Flover is loyal and amazing. That’s why fromis_9 and Flover always felt like ‘us’.”
