ILLIT
In a whirlwind of magnetic charm, the latest girl group sensation from HYBE stormed onto the global music scene with a fervent buzz around their debut single.
Hailing from HYBE LABELS’ BELIFT LAB agency, ILLIT released their debut mini album, SUPER REAL ME on March 25, serving as a captivating introduction to the quintet and showcasing international promise.
Comprising four whimsical tracks, SUPER REAL ME offers listeners an intimate glimpse into ILLIT’s vibrant pop world. From the infectious, TikTok-ready beats production of lead single “Magnetic” to the teenage musings woven throughout experimental B-side tracks “My World,” “Midnight Fiction” and “Lucky Girl Syndrome,” the short-but-sweet pop treat of an EP looks to deliver a narrative of relatable emotions and everyday experiences from members YUNAH, MINJU, MOKA, WONHEE and IROHA.
Produced under the guidance of HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, alongside his company’s trusted team of creatives including Slow Rabbit (who has worked extensively across K-pop including many songs for BTS and TOMORROW X TOGETHER), and even burgeoning teenage producers, SUPER REAL ME centers ILLIT around a blend of dance, pop, R&B and house music peppered with unexpected beat drops and vocal switch-ups.
While a natural curiosity was bound to bring in listeners worldwide due to their HYBE association and their popular R U Next? survival reality that created them from tens of millions votes, the group and “Magnetic” found an unprecedented level of success when ILLIT became the first K-pop girl group to have their debut song enter the Global Spotify chart within just one day of its release, debuting at No. 160, and eventually reaching into the Top 40 of the ranking. Elsewhere, SUPER REAL ME managed to sell just over 380,000 physical album worldwide in its first week available, according to Korea’s Hanteo Charts.
At their debut media showcase ahead of the release of SUPER REAL ME, the ILLIT members expressed their aspirations to carve out a distinct identity within the K-pop industry, emphasizing their commitment to authenticity and enjoyment both on and off the stage. WONHEE remarked, “Because we’re rookies, a qualitative goal is to enjoy on stage and offstage just like other senior artists. We want to show that we actually enjoy what we do. So, after some time, we hope that we can be comfortable amongst ourselves.”
Addressing local reporters’ inquiries regarding the group’s differentiation from existing girl groups, including their HYBE label mates NewJeans, and avoiding “overlap,” member MINJU emphasized ILLIT’s immersive approach to performance and daily life. “Just as the meaning of our album, our strength is being super immersed in our performance and in our daily lives.” MOKA added, “We worked really hard, and I think what’s really important is to show that we’ve worked really hard on this performance and album. I think we have a lot of different charms, and I hope fans can listen to a diverse array of music [among girl groups].”
As they continue to captivate audiences worldwide, ILLIT stands poised to leave a memorable mark on the music industry and charts worldwide should soon feel their impact.
What does ILLIT Mean?
According to a global press release from HYBE, the name ILLIT is the combination of the phrase “I will,” representing an “independent spirit and an adventurous will,” and the pronoun “It” to symbolize “something unique.”
HYBE added “The name highlights the five-piece act’s potential for infinite possibilities and the anticipation for what the future holds.”
The group’s name was initially stylized as I’LL-IT when first introduced, with the same pronunciation, but officially debuted under the more accessible and easy-to-read ILLIT.
Who are the members of ILLIT?
ILLIT consists of five members: YUNAH, MINJU, MOKA, WONHEE, and IROHA. The K-pop girl group was formed in 2023 through the Korean reality survival competition show R U Next? to become the first girl group under BELIFT LAB, the same label home to ENHYPEN, who were also created through a similar model in 2020. Fans cast over 23 million votes to form ILLIT, with the series’ finale episode revealing the final group viewed in a reported 182 countries and regions.
The accompanying music video for “Magnetic” transports viewers into ILLIT’s whimsical universe and each member’s superpowers. YUNAH wields superhuman strength, MINJU possesses X-ray vision, MOKA manipulates time, WONHEE controls light and IROHA exhibits telekinetic abilities.
Members YUNAH, MINJU and WONHEE all hail from Korea, while MOKA and IROHA are Japanese helping give the group an immediate foothold in Japan’s massive music industry as well.
The quintet even made waves in the fashion world ahead of their debut as global campaign models for Acne Studios after sitting front row at the brand’s Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show at Paris Fashion Week in February.
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What’s next for ILLIT?
ILLIT has already begun the live promotions for their album, which included performances of all four tracks on SUPER REAL ME for their television special ILLIT : I’LL (SHOW) IT on the Korean cable channel Mnet.
ILLIT also announced that they will hold their SUPER REAL ILLIT “fan party” to celebrate the release of their first mini album with 150 of their supporters in real life on April 21. According to ILLIT’s Weverse, the celebration will include programs like a talk session with behind-the-scenes details of creating their debut album, games, and a “hi-touch” high-five session for the fans with the group.
ILLIT was also part of the first lineup announcement for the second-ever Weverse Con Festival alongside their HYBE label mates (like fromis_9, BOYNEXTDOOR, TWS and &TEAM) as well as other top K-pop and J-pop acts including imase, Billlie, Chuu and more. The 2024 Weverse Con Festival takes place between June 15-16.
Looking even further ahead into 2024, the first year of a newly debuted rookie group is extremely important in solidifying their place in the industry. With ILLIT’s hot start, there’s no doubt they’ll be back with more music within the year.
