A year on, ILLIT says 'magnetic' field growing
One year after their debut, the members of ILLIT, a girl group formed under the HYBE umbrella, say they are only just beginning.
“It’s hard to believe a year has already passed,” said Iroha, a Japanese member of the group, in a press release issued to mark the anniversary on Tuesday. “It was a year full of new experiences that taught me a lot.”
Debuting in March 2023 under Belift Lab after competing on JTBC’s audition series "R U Next?," ILLIT quickly rose to prominence with their first release, "Super Real Me," in March last year. The album not only topped Korean charts but also made a notable impact overseas. Its lead track, “Magnetic,” broke into the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the U.K. Official Singles Chart — a rare feat for a rookie act.
“I will never forget when our song ‘Magnetic’ consistently topped the Melon Chart,” member Yunah recalled. “We were so caught up in everything that we didn’t fully appreciate its significance at the time. It was all new to us, and only later did we realize how remarkable that achievement was, thanks to the incredible love and support from our fans.”
Despite their early global success, the members of ILLIT say they remain focused on growth.
“We’re always trying to improve even the smallest parts of our performances,” said Wonhee. “We’re constantly discussing ways to harmonize better on stage.”
Minju attributed much of the group’s success to the relatability of their lyrics and the accessibility of their choreography. “Our songs and performances resonated with people, especially the finger choreography, which was easy to mimic and perfect for short-form content online,” she said.
“Our music, performances and overall style have really captured our generation’s vibe,” added Wonhee.
Still, the group credited their fans — collectively known as GLLIT — as the core of their journey.
“We were able to come this far thanks to GLLIT’s love and support,” said Iroha. “We’ll keep doing our best to return that love in everything we do.”
BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]
