Plus Magazine

A fresh face has arrived in the fast-paced world of K-pop : ILLIT, a five-member girl group created through the survival program ＜R U Next?＞ in 2023. The group released their 1st EP [SUPER REAL ME], on March 25th, and the response to their debut seems to have sparked quite a buzz. Get ready to be drawn into the magnetic charm of ILLIT! We, at M COUNTDOWN Magazine, have prepared an interview.

Congratulations on your debut, ILLIT! Please greet our readers at M COUNTDOWN Magazine, and share your excitement about taking your first steps.
 

Hello, we are ILLIT! We’ve finally made our debut after 6 months! We’ll do our best to make the stages worth the long wait. Thank you!!

Starting from the album title, [SUPER REAL ME] sounds interesting. Could you please introduce the mood and feelings you were trying to capture?

With the message of ‘the real story is the best story,’ we sincerely captured our everyday lives and thoughts into the album.
 

The title track ‘Magnetic,’ filled with playful electronic sounds, is incredibly attractive. What were the members’ reactions when they first heard the song?

When we first heard the song, we were filled with excitement imagining practicing and performing it on stage! Also, the vibe of the song was ‘ILLIT’ because it wasn’t just cute, but a little hip!

The title track performance is anticipated with as much excitement as its lyrics “super attractive” suggest. Could you give our viewers a glimpse of what they should look out for on stage?

There’s a choreography called ‘Magnetic Dance’ where you use your fingers to create S and N poles and stick them on and off!!

What do you think is the most captivating trait of each ILLIT member that attracts everyone like a magnet? We’d love to hear your personal thoughts.
 

YUNAH:
MINJU - Big, round, deep eyes.
MOKA - Natural-born talent for expression.
WONHEE - Cute smiles.
IROHA - Gap between adorable maknae and dance king.

MINJU:
YUNAH - Irresistible charm in all aspects, sense of humor.
MOKA - Suitable expressions on stage.
WONHEE - Clean and refreshing vocal tone, calmness.
IROHA - Unexpected charm that comes alive when dancing.
 

MOKA:
YUNAH - The mood maker of ILLIT, lively and strong personality.
MINJU - Beautiful and unique voice.
WONHEE - Pretty and cute smiles.
IROHA - Cool idol duality.
 

WONHEE:
YUNAH - YUNAH unnie has a refreshing smile and a face as small as a chickpea.
MINJU - MINJU unnie has a captivating vocal tone and a cuteness like a rabbit or a duck.
MOKA - MOKA unnie excels in any concept and is skilled at facial expressions.
IROHA - ROHA is truly cool on stage yet incredibly cute and full of aegyo offstage!

IROHA:
YUNAH - I think YUNAH unnie’s charm lies in making members laugh and brightening the atmosphere! Of course, she’s also great at dancing and singing, but I feel like her sun-like bright energy is very admirable!
MINJU - I believe MINJU unnie’s beautiful vocal tone is her greatest charm. I’ve been listening to her songs ever since we’ve been together, and I always seem to fall in love with them!
MOKA - I find MOKA unnie’s standout charm in her remarkable ability to express herself! She truly captures the essence of any song style!
WONHEE - I think WONHEE unnie’s biggest charm lies in her beautiful and bright smile! Whenever I see her smile, I can’t help but say “cute”!
 

One of the lyrics in ‘Magnetic’ mentions MBTI. I’m curious about the members’ personalities.
 

YUNAH: I’m the only ‘extroverted’ type among the members, and as an E type, I have an outgoing and positive personality.
 

MINJU: I may seem shy at first, but once someone gets to know me, I become quite talkative.

MOKA: I have an introverted and shy personality.

WONHEE: My MBTI is ISFP! I think I have a timid yet energetic personality.
 

IROHA: My MBTI is INFJ. I think my personality is introverted and positive. Moreover, I enjoy challenges and seem to find enjoyment in everything.
 

The lyrics of the b-side track ‘Midnight Fiction’ are also very unique as it talks about imagining all sorts of things. So, which ILLIT member has the wildest imagination?

I think it’s WONHEE. For example, when asked something, WONHEE always gives cute answers that are different from the typical formal responses. It’s hard to explain the exact situation… but I believe fans will be able to relate!

The first lyrics of your last track ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome’ mentions a “perfect playlist.’ I wonder what kind of music the members actually enjoy listening to. Could you give us hints of each member’s favorite songs or preferred styles?
 

YUNAH: I listen to any pop or k-pop, but the genres I am into these days are hip-hop and R&B.

MINJU: I listen to R&B the most, and nowadays I’m listening to our songs the most :)
 

MOKA: I often listen to music at night, so I listen to a lot of R&B songs that are good to listen to at night.
 

WONHEE: I think I like warm and atmospheric songs overall.
 

IROHA: I listen to a lot of R&B/hip-hop songs! I think I enjoy songs with a good beat.

The attitude of accepting anything with a positive mindset in ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome’ is also impressive. Could you share any ILLIT tips on how to stay positive in everyday life?

I try to think ‘That can happen’ a lot! Also, I try not to fall into negative thinking.
 

Other than the title track ‘Magnetic,’ what’s your favorite track in this album [SUPER REAL ME], and why?
 

YUNAH: I like ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome.’ It has a great beat and is enjoyable to listen to and sing along with.
 

MINJU: ‘My World’. The beats and melodies are unique and fresh so I never get tired of it. I also like it because each member’s lyrics are interesting.
 

MOKA: I like all of them, but I think my favorite is ‘Midnight Fiction.’ I enjoy it because of its comfortable melody, and the lyrics reflect our actual stories.
 

WONHEE: I like ‘Midnight Fiction’ the most because it has such a warm vibe and the lyrics are based on things that the members actually imagined, so I think it’s cute and interesting.
 

IROHA: All four songs are my favorites, but if I had to pick one, it would be ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome.’ Listening to the song and performing it makes me feel like a real lucky girl!
 

The lyrical delivery of MOKA and IROHA, the Japanese members, also stands out. I’m curious about what you usually focus on during practice and recording.
 

MOKA: First, I made sure I understood the song properly and practiced my pronunciation.
 

IROHA: First of all, I focused the most on pronunciation. I tried to pronounce both the Korean and English lyrics to suit the feel of the song. Especially with the Korean lyrics, mastering the final consonant pronunciation was challenging, so I practiced more carefully!
 

The survival program ＜R U Next?＞ also drew a lot of attention at that time. Now that you’ve debuted as an official group, how has your mindset changed compared to the intense times of last year?

Last year, I was thinking, ‘I must debut,’ but now it’s simply about achieving good results together.
 

Could you briefly share your goals for this debut with ‘Magnetic’?
 

It seems like our biggest goal is to win first place on music shows. Since 'Magnetic' is the first song we're introducing as ILLIT, it would be truly meaningful if it were to win first place.
 

As a closing note, please share a last word for our readers!
 

Dear readers!! We’ll show you our hard work, so please support and love ILLIT. Thank you!!