'Produce 48' was an exciting new take on idol survival programs and turned many K-pop fans into J-pop followers as well! Two years after 'Produce 48' finished filming, fans of IZ*ONE are still interested to see where their favorite trainees ended up after the airing of the show. Keep reading to see what some of the 'Produce 48' contestants are up to these days!

Jang Gyuri

Jang Gyuri was no stranger to survival reality shows, having won Idol School in ninth place, gaining a position in the girl group fromis_9. After being eliminated from 'Produce 48' at 25th place, Gyuri returned to group activities with fromis_9, and they released their first special single album.

K-drama fans may also recognize Jang Gyuri as Sun Byul, a psychiatric hospital nurse in the drama, “It’s Okay to not be Okay.” She garnered great attention from viewers for fitting the role so well as a rookie actor, and we can expect Gyuri to participate in more K-dramas in the future!

Wang Yiren

Though Wang Yiren was eliminated on episode 11 of 'Produce 48' with the ranking of #28, she debuted in the girl group, Everglow, under Yuehua Entertainment shortly after along with Kim Sihyun. Her fellow Yuehua artists include global stars such as UNIQ’s Wang Yibo and WJSN’s Cheng Xiao. Yiren was voted to be the #1 visual center in 'Produce 48', but the other members of Everglow are equally deserving of the title! Though Everglow’s 2020 USA tour was unfortunately canceled, check out their newest comeback, “Dun Dun,” and “La di Da!”

Murase Sae

After elimination as 22nd place on 'Produce 48', Murase Sae returned to the Japanese idol girl group, NMB48. On October 10, 2020, Sae graduated from NMB48 during a concert at the NMB48 theater. However, graduated members can return to the group they graduated from, or join a sister or rival group!

If you want to keep updated on Murase Sae’s activities outside of NMB48, follow her Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/saepiiii.m/

Go Yujin

In the summer of 2020, Go Yoojin took to her Instagram to make the official announcement that she is no longer going to pursue her dream of becoming a Kpop idol and wishes to live her life as a non-celebrity. In her Instagram post, Yoojin stated that her rigorous lifestyle as a trainee was starting to take a toll on her mentally, causing her to prioritize her health and quit training.

If you miss Go Yoojin, her iconic stages are still available for viewing!

Alex Christine

As the only purely American contestant on 'Produce 48', Alex Christine gained a lot of attention from international viewers who were interested in her journey as a K-pop trainee. Since AleXa’s elimination from 'Produce 48' at #82, she debuted officially on October 21, 2019, with the single, “Bomb.” In July 2020, AleXa released the music video, “Villain,” which was a pre-release for her comeback, scheduled for October 21, 2020.

Lee Gaeun

One of the most surprising contestants on 'Produce 48' to be eliminated was Lee Gaeun, a former member of the iconic girl group, AFTERSCHOOL. Gaeun finished at 14th place and failed to make it to the final line-up by a slim margin. Following contract expiration, Gaeun left AFTERSCHOOL in 2019 and then released her first digital single, “Remember You,” as part of High Entertainment.

Matsui Jurina

Matsui Jurina’s appearance on 'Produce 48' was met with excitement, as she was recognized as the group’s absolute ace, having appeared as the center performer in countless singles. However, due to controversy regarding her alleged rude attitude, Jurina dropped out of 'Produce 48' at 13th place and went on a short hiatus before graduating from SKE48.

Jurina’s first album as a solo artist outside of AKB48, “Privacy,” was released on October 5, 2019. Take a look here!

AKB48 fans can anticipate Jurina’s graduation single, which is scheduled to be released in Spring 2021!