ILLIT

Illit (/ˈaɪlɪt/; EYE-lit; Korean: 아일릿; RR: aillit; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean girl group formed by Belift Lab, a sub-label of Hybe, through the JTBC 2023 survival competition show R U Next?. The group consists of five members – Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha. The group debuted on March 25, 2024, with the extended play (EP) Super Real Me.

Career
Name

The name I'll-It (previously) was introduced during the live broadcast of the final episode of R U Next?. In the episode, it was explained that the name "represents choosing your own verb to put between I'll and It", conveying the ability of the members to act and make decisions independently.

2023–2024: Pre-debut activities and formation through R U Next?

The JTBC series R U Next? aired for ten episodes from June 30, through September 1, 2023, in which 22 contestants competed to debut in a six-member girl group under Belift Lab, their first girl group, and the third girl group to debut under Hybe, after Le Sserafim and NewJeans. The final episode saw the formation of the group's six-member lineup, with two members being selected by the public, and four being selected by the company's producers. The final lineup of Wonhee, Youngseo, Minju, Iroha, Moka, and Yunah, was unveiled at the end of the broadcast. On January 5, 2024, Belift Lab announced Youngseo was leaving the group. Previously, Youngseo and Belift Lab had discussed the future activities of her and her group and had decided with mutual agreement to terminate her contract.

2024: Debut with Super Real Me, I'll Like You
On February 13, 2024, Belift Lab confirmed that Illit would be debuting in March. On February 21, it was confirmed again that Illit would debut on March 25 with their first extended play, with Hybe's chairman Bang Si-hyuk participating as producer of their album. On February 26, the agency announced the name of Illit's first extended play Super Real Me, with pre-orders opening on the same day as the announcement. On February 28, Illit made their first public appearance as a group at the Acne Studios show during Paris Fashion Week, making them the first K-pop artist to appear at the event prior to their official debut. The tracklist of Super Real Me was revealed a week later on March 9, with "Magnetic" serving as the lead single. A total of four tracks, including "Magnetic", would be released. The three other tracks on the album are "My World", "Midnight Fiction", and "Lucky Girl Syndrome". The teaser for the music video of their upcoming debut single "Magnetic", was officially released on March 22.

Eight days after the debut of Illit, "Magnetic" entered four U.S. Billboard charts. Illit became the first K-pop group to enter the UK Official Singles with their debut single, which peaked at number 80. On April 16, Illit became the fastest K-pop act to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, when "Magnetic" debuted at number 91. "Magnetic" also became the first debut song by a K-pop act to appear on the Hot 100. The music video for the track "Lucky Girl Syndrome" was released on April 17. In May 2024, Super Real Me entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 93. Additionally, Illit also peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart, and peaked at number two on the Emerging Artist chart. On June 28, Billboard named Illit as their first ever "K-Pop Rookie of the Month". On July 10, the music-themed Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California announced that a special K-pop exhibit will take place in August 2024, displaying the accessories and performance gear worn by artists under Hybe, including Illit.

On September 23, Belift Lab confirmed that the group would release their second extended play I'll Like You on October 21. A comeback album showcase took place two days after the album's official release date. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart and ranked 94th on the list. On November 22, Illit released the English version of "Tick-Tack", titled "Baby It's Both" featuring Ava Max.

2025–present: First Japanese single
On February 14, 2025, Illit released their first Japanese single "Almond Chocolate", which will be included in the soundtrack of the Japanese live-action movie It Takes More Than a Pretty Face to Fall in Love, based on the manga of the same name. On March 10, the Korean version of "Almond Chocolate" was released.