ILLIT Members Talk 'Magnetic' Debut, 2024 Goals & Learning From HYBE Seniors
Courtesy of BELIFT LAB
New K-pop girl group ILLIT is about to be everywhere. The BELIFT LAB/HYBE Labels group, created from the competition show R U Next?, has officially made their debut with mini album SUPER REAL ME — a four-song run of dancey, playful earworms.
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ILLIT already has a run of accolades, of course: no. 2 on this week’s Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, no. 1 on Korea's MelOn Daily Top 100 chart, and a record as the best-selling debut album among female K-pop artists by first-week sales. The songs sound descended from the kind of skittering electronic and dance music vibes that have made NewJeans so successful, but ILLIT members Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha are ready to show people what makes them stand out in an exciting, abundant girl group landscape.
Teen Vogue caught up with ILLIT's five members over email to hear about how they're processing the success of their debut single “Magnetic” and what they predict for their rookie year as a group — and they also shared some behind-the-scenes photos of their music video filming and first week of promotions.
Teen Vogue: What have you learned about yourself through this process of training and preparing for your debut?
Iroha: During preparations for debut, I came to understand that you truly experience “growth” when you go beyond the limits you set for yourself. As a trainee, I sometimes felt like I was going in circles because, in my head, I had this set definition of what I’m capable of. But at one point, I started to change my perspective, always thinking, “I can do more than this.”
It was a lot more challenging, but with a different mindset, I could see myself grow. So, I learned not to set limits on what I can achieve. I think we went through this learning experience together as a group, too, because I remember there was a day when we all started tearing up as we were dancing. I think we were feeling overwhelmed by things we felt like we can’t do. But once we got past that moment, our performances started getting noticeably better.
Minju: Throughout the process of training and preparing to debut, I realized that there's always so much more for me to learn. I came across a lot of my shortcomings, and learned that making up for such shortcomings always takes time and practice!
TV: What did you learn from the early successes of fellow HYBE groups LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans about the kind of music you want to make and the artists you want to become?
Yunah: There are so many remarkable artists we look up to. I really look up to how they stay true to who they are, staying genuine. When our members come together as who we are, it amplifies our bubbly and high-spirited energy, which I think helps us craft and tell authentic stories of teenagers, people our age. Following in the footsteps of our seniors, I hope that we’ll be able to continue to find ways to express ourselves and become an artist [who] shares music and performances listeners can relate to.
Wonhee: There is so much we can learn from them, but I'm always in awe about their stage presence. I always think to myself, I hope that ILLIT will be an expressive K-pop artist who truly knows how to showcase our uniqueness on stage!
ILLIT Wonhee
TV: What did it feel like to earn your first no. 1 on the MelOn Daily Top 100 chart?
Minju: I just couldn't believe my own eyes! I had to take another close look to fully grasp what was happening and believe it was all real. I was slightly unconvinced it’s all real (haha), surprised, overjoyed, and just so, so happy.
Moka: To be honest, I was confident that our song would be well-received, but topping the chart never crossed my mind! I was incredibly grateful for everyone who listened to our music and was so touched by everyone [who] enjoyed it! It reminded me that we should always put our very best effort into every performance!
TV: How would you describe the energy and vibe of ILLIT? What mood do you want to create with your concept and performance?
Wonhee: Just who ILLIT is! We’re all kind of goofy, and we’re all a bit of a free spirit!
Iroha: On stage, we want to be fun, whimsical, honest girls of our age who aren't afraid to be ourselves. It’s what drives our first mini album SUPER REAL ME, but it's also how we are in our everyday lives. We want to express our genuine selves on stage, share that energy and enjoy the vibe together.
TV: What do you think makes ILLIT stand out in such a competitive girl group era?
Yunah: It’s difficult to clearly define what makes us stand out. I think we’re all naturally different. Even within ILLIT, all five of us have distinct personalities and it shows in everything we do, from how different our facial expressions are on stage to our vocal tones. I think being who we are will allow us to stand out.
Moka: When we’re together as a group, we all bring out the playful side of each other and we become a little mischievous, maybe even more daring? I feel like we have the kind of energy that people would want to be around, go on fun adventures together.
TV: What's something about your personality or personal vibe that you want fans to know about you?
Yunah: I'm often the life of the party within ILLIT, but I also have a serious side.
Minju: At first, I may seem shy, but I become more playful and talkative once we get to know each other!
Moka: I’m very energetic and talkative when I’m with the ILLIT members, but it actually takes some time for people to get to know me.
Wonhee: Most of the time, I’m very bright and bubbly, but I also enjoy having some time to myself!
Iroha: There are many sides to who I am, but I want to showcase how cool I can be (haha). While I may look like the cute, youngest member of the group, I also have a cool side to me.
TV: What do you want to accomplish or do during your rookie year? What are you excited about next?
Yunah: There's so much on my mind, but I really want to celebrate our debut by closing out the year with a Rookie of the Year award!
Wonhee: I totally agree with Yunah! Winning the Rookie of the Year award would be amazing. But above all, I want to create as many memories as possible with our fans since we'll be meeting a lot of them for the first time ever this year!
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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