The techno experiment paid off! Girl group ILLIT (Yuna, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, Iroha) is creating a massive storm with their new song ‘It’s Me’. With its powerful sound, intuitive hook, and cheerful energy, fans are saying they find themselves listening to it on repeat, further solidifying the group’s presence.
‘It’s Me’ is the title track from ILLIT’s 4th mini album ‘MAMIHLAPINATAPAI’, released on the 30th of last month. The song has landed at the top of major domestic music charts, standing out even amidst the intense “May Girl Group War.” As of the 13th, ‘It’s Me’ ranked 5th on the Melon Top 100 and 2nd on the Bugs Daily Chart.
The album title ‘MAMIHLAPINATAPAI’ comes from the Yaghan language of South America, referring to that moment of hesitation when two people desire each other but neither makes the first move. ILLIT filled the new album with songs that capture the excitement, tension, and subtle emotions felt after a first date, delivered with their signature cheeky and energetic vibe.
At the center of it all is ‘It’s Me’, a track that catches the ear with addictive sounds and cheeky lyrics that shout, “Your favorite is me!” during those moments of deep contemplation about defining a relationship with someone you like.
The members described the new song as being “like hotpot, stimulating and impossible to stop once you’ve had a taste.” Regarding the performance, which includes perfectly synchronized movements, they emphasized it is the “highest difficulty level yet,” packing in high-concentration energy.
A combination of “high-stimulation” music and performance. ‘It’s Me’ aligns with the “Dopamine K-pop” trend preferred in today’s short-form consumption environment. With its addictive chorus and intuitive point choreography, the song quickly imprinted itself on K-pop fans and dominated online algorithms.
ILLIT further fueled the song’s popularity with witty promotional activities, including short-form videos parodying famous commercials and movies, as well as workout playlist videos that loop ‘It’s Me’.
Pop music critic Hwang Sun-up noted on the 14th, “‘It’s Me’ is a song that reminds us of the ‘Guilty Pleasure’ sensation that the K-pop scene had momentarily forgotten.” ‘Guilty Pleasure’ refers to a strange addiction that makes you keep seeking something out even if it’s hard to explain why, or a preference you enjoy repeatedly despite a slight sense of guilt.
Critic Hwang added, “The intuitive hook and the various memes created from it produced a strong viral effect,” further explaining, “By layering an addictive chorus over a powerful techno sound, they successfully transformed an unfamiliar texture into public pleasure.”
There is a growing trend in the music industry for idol groups to incorporate hard techno sounds. This is seen as a strategic choice by agencies reflecting trends spreading primarily in Europe and the Americas. Previously, BLACKPINK created a success story with ‘JUMP’, and recently, groups like ILLIT, LE SSERAFIM, and KATSEYE have challenged themselves with techno-based tracks.
Until now, ILLIT has mainly promoted with music and concepts emphasizing an innocent, dreamy atmosphere and girlly sensibilities. While attempting a musical direction different from their previous work, they managed to appropriately maintain their unique team color.
Critic Hwang shared his view that “since hard techno has such a strong sonic personality, it’s not easy for artists to show their distinct differences, but ILLIT effectively overcame that limitation by convincingly combining the new sound while maintaining their unique sensibility and worldview.”
Meanwhile, ILLIT achieved significant results in album sales following this comeback. ‘MAMIHLAPINATAPAI’ surpassed 410,000 copies in first-week sales, setting a new personal record. Additionally, they proved their rising global momentum by reaching 26th on the US Billboard main album chart, the ‘Billboard 200’, which is also a career high.
