2024-04-19 The JoongAng Article

Korean original: 뉴진스와 달라서, 끌린다…'하이브 막내딸' 아일릿의 매력 | 중앙일보 

English translation by Grok AI

Different from NewJeans, Yet Captivating... The Charm of HYBE’s Youngest Daughter, ILLIT

Hwang Ji-young | April 19, 2024, 12:09

ILLIT, the first K-pop group to debut on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Top 100 with their debut song. Photo: BELIFT LAB

Making their first official appearance at a fashion event, sparking a short-form content trend with their debut song, and dominating charts both domestically and internationally—ILLIT (Minju, Moka, Iroha, Wonhee, Yunah), the junior group under the same label as NewJeans (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, Hyein), has followed a similar path to success. NewJeans, who debuted in 2022, first appeared at a Chanel fashion event and shook up the global music scene with their debut tracks Attention and Hype Boy.

On March 25, HYBE’s “youngest daughter” ILLIT debuted and made their first full-group appearance on March 28 (local time) at Acne Studios’ fashion event in Paris, France, marking their entry into the spotlight at an international fashion week before performing as singers.

NewJeans and ILLIT both kicked off their debut schedules at fashion events. NewJeans at a Chanel event in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong in 2022 (top), and ILLIT at Paris Fashion Week last month. Photo: Each group’s SNS

Their debut track Magnetic is a dreamy song with an addictive melody and unique lyrics like “super attraction.” Fueled by music show performances and TikTok promotions, it has gained widespread popularity. It became the first debut song by a K-pop group to chart on the UK Official Singles Top 100 for two consecutive weeks, reaching a peak of No. 63 on Spotify’s Weekly Top Songs U.S. chart and No. 36 on the Daily Top Songs U.S. chart.

On the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (April 20), Magnetic ranked No. 91, breaking the record set by FIFTY FIFTY, who entered the chart with Cupid 130 days after debut, with ILLIT achieving this in just 22 days. ILLIT became the first K-pop group to simultaneously enter both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Official Singles Chart with a debut song, signaling the rise of a new super rookie.

Through their agency BELIFT LAB (a HYBE label), ILLIT shared, “We couldn’t have imagined this. We’re grateful to those who created the amazing song Magnetic and to everyone who loves it. We’ll work hard to grow into even cooler artists and show our best selves.”

How is ILLIT different from NewJeans?

ILLIT set a record as the first K-pop girl group to enter Spotify’s Daily Global Top Songs chart on their debut day (March 25). Photo: BELIFT LAB

NewJeans debuted with the concept of becoming “an icon of the era, like jeans that you reach for every day and never tire of.” Photo: ADOR

HYBE’s chairman Bang Si-hyuk, who produced ILLIT, led the creation of Magnetic, collaborating with teenage producers who understood the group’s vibe to craft an easy-listening melody infused with quirky, youthful energy. For their follow-up track Lucky Girl Syndrome, ILLIT embraced Y2K fashion in the music video—long straight hair, oversized denim, checkered shirts, and low-rise skirts with shorts—following the trendset by their seniors. Their choreography also incorporates hit moves from HYBE groups, such as LE SSERAFIM’s “hero step” from EASY, NewJeans’ hair-flip from Attention, and hip-hand movements from Ditto, continuing the trend.

Some K-pop fans have remarked that ILLIT feels like they’re following NewJeans’ blueprint, with similarities in their easy-listening melodies and unpolished teenage charm, as seen in Hype Boy and Ditto. On YouTube, AI-generated versions of Magnetic sung by NewJeans have garnered over a million views.

ILLIT’s track My World drew attention for choreography similar to NewJeans’ Attention. Photo: Online communities (Mnet, YouTube Studio Dance)

While NewJeans’ producer Min Hee-jin focused on the natural charm of late teens, Bang Si-hyuk’s production for ILLIT evokes the dreamy innocence of 1990s K-pop groups like S.E.S. and Fin.K.L., blended with modern trends. BELIFT LAB noted, “There are moments where the members’ immersive facial expressions add fun to the performance.”

Music critic Kim Do-heon said, “It’s natural that groups emerging after NewJeans are influenced by them. However, their directions are distinct. NewJeans follows a single-producer vision, while ILLIT’s debut concept was shaped by multiple experts. Their future trajectory will be key.”

Powerful backing plays a role

ILLIT’s rapid Billboard entry owes much to HYBE’s influence in the U.S. music market. As a rookie girl group launched by a globally recognized company, with Bang Si-hyuk directly involved in production, ILLIT had built-in viral potential.

ILLIT’s Magnetic expresses the raw emotions of being drawn to someone, with Bang Si-hyuk contributing to its lyrics and composition. Photo: Mnet

Beyond streaming numbers, ILLIT’s surge in U.S. radio exposure and TikTok traction highlights HYBE’s promotional prowess. Billboard reported that during the April 5–11 tracking period, Magnetic garnered 6.2 million U.S. streams (up 1% from the previous week), 428,000 radio impressions (up 43%), and 375,000 TikTok audio clips (up from 170,000 the prior week).

In China and Japan, interest in HYBE’s new girl group is strong. Magnetic topped China’s QQ Music real-time chart within two hours of release and hit No. 1 on the daily trend chart. ILLIT was also invited to Japan’s largest fashion and music festival, Rakuten Girls Award 2024, on May 3, despite not officially debuting in these markets. Their agency emphasized, “ILLIT is rising as the ‘5th generation K-pop it-girl.’”

ILLIT continues activities with their follow-up track Lucky Girl Syndrome. Photo: BELIFT LAB

HYBE stated, “Nothing about ILLIT’s music, performance, visuals, concept, or promotion was planned carelessly. From pre-debut to now, everything has been meticulous. Their songs feel trendy yet nostalgic, appealing to a wide age range.”

However, would ILLIT have achieved this meteoric rise without a powerhouse like HYBE? Music critic Lim Hee-yoon noted, “The capital and expertise of major agencies are growing stronger, widening the gap with smaller companies.”

Some criticize HYBE for focusing on records and trends, producing “factory-style idols.” ILLIT faced backlash for weak vocals and shaky pitch during encore stages without choreography. Following LE SSERAFIM’s Coachella live performance controversy, critics have argued that HYBE’s focus on label achievements risks neglecting the essence of being a singer, dominating recent entertainment news.

Lim Hee-yoon added, “K-pop thrives on visuals and performance, but recent easy-listening trends have raised expectations for vocal ability. Ultimately, the market will favor ‘hexagonal idols’ who excel in appearance, dance, vocals, image, personality, and backing.”

Reporter Hwang Ji-young, hwang.jeeyoung@joongang.co.kr