ILLIT is no longer relying solely on a cute image. The five-member girl group has stepped away from the bright and bubbly concept it carried since debut and instead made a bold turn in the opposite direction, using its latest release to expand its musical identity.
Through “It’s Me,” the lead track of fourth mini album “MAMIHLAPINATAPAI,” ILLIT has embraced a techno sound inspired by 1990s dance music and showcased a broader musical spectrum. Since debuting with “Magnetic,” the group had built its identity around playful and youthful tracks such as “Cherish,” “Do the Dance” and “Not Cute Anymore,” making the latest transformation stand out even more.
Initial reactions to the new concept were mixed. Some listeners said the song felt unfamiliar because it replaced the group’s previous girlish image with heavy beats, fast-paced progression and dynamic performances.
But the experiment ultimately paid off. Fueled by an addictive melody, powerful “dopamine techno” sound and eye-catching choreography, “It’s Me” quickly gained momentum through word of mouth. On Melon’s Top 100 chart, the track climbed from the 40s into the top 10 shortly after release. The song also gained traction on Spotify’s global Top Song Debut chart and Apple Music’s global rankings. On short-form platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, challenge videos helped further boost the song’s popularity.
More importantly, the comeback achieved more than a simple concept shift. Rather than repeating a formula that had already proven successful, ILLIT chose to move away from familiarity, a decision that ultimately broadened the group’s artistic potential.
In fact, ILLIT’s transformation did not emerge out of nowhere. The group had already hinted through “Not Cute Anymore” that it did not intend to remain confined within a strictly “cute” identity. “It’s Me” can be seen as a more fully realized and daring continuation of that message.
What stands out is that despite the concept change, the group’s signature sensibility remains intact. The cheeky yet confident lyrics, trendy melodies aimed at Generation Z listeners and catchy hooks tailored for the short-form era still leave a distinctly “ILLIT-like” impression. That balance is why many see the comeback as a successful expansion of the group’s musical range without losing its original color.
The performances have also drawn attention. Unlike the group’s earlier stages, the choreography for the faster techno beats demands greater speed and intensity, once again proving the members’ versatility. Observers said the group naturally absorbed not only strong and powerful concepts but also retained its previous youthful charm, demonstrating wider artistic flexibility.
The shift also reflects a broader trend within the K-pop industry. In recent years, many teams strongly associated with a single concept have struggled to expand musically over the long term. Against that backdrop, ILLIT’s ability to preserve its core identity while successfully embracing a new genre carries particular significance.
Commercially, the results support that interpretation. The album surpassed 410,000 copies in first-week sales, setting a new personal best for the group, and also topped Oricon’s daily album ranking in Japan. Strong performances across album sales, streaming charts and global platforms suggest that ILLIT’s “techno transformation” is more than a short-lived talking point.
Source: Korea Times News
