“NewJeans’ Little Sister” ILLIT is Dominating K-pop with Outstanding Members and Music 

On March 25, HYBE officially introduced its latest girl group ILLIT, managed by the subsidiary company BELIFT LAB. 

ILLIT is formed from trainees who participated in the survival show “R U Next,” initially scheduled to debut with 6 members. However, Youngseo – one of the most popular trainees – withdrew at the last minute, leaving the group’s final line-up to consist of 5 members including Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha.

ILLIT made their official debut with the release of the EP “Super Real Me” and title track and MV “Magnetic”. As ILLIT consists of young girls with straight black hair and embraces a “Y2K” style, they are initially compared to HYBE’s previous girl group – NewJeans. 

However, with the success of “Magnetic”, ILLIT seems to finally be creating their own identity instead of being called “NewJeans-look-alike”.

On the other hand, the name ILLIT (or I’LL-IT) originates from the phrase “I Will Be It,” showing the group’s determined attitude and ambition to express a unique identity. As HYBE’s latest girl group, ILLIT has quickly broken many records, creating promising milestones that made people curious about the 5 young, beautiful, and energetic members.

Below is a breakdown of the 5 members of ILLIT:

Yunah

As the oldest member of ILLIT, Yunah was born in January 2004 and began her trainee journey in 2018 at the age of 14. Yunah trained at Stardium Entertainment before moving to Source Music – a HYBE subsidiary managing LE SSERAFIM, in 2020.

In 2023, Yunah became a contestant on “R U Next” as a trainee of BELIFT LAB and also the contestant with the longest training period (5 years). Based on her training time at Source Music, many fans speculate that Yunah trained with the members of LE SSERAFIM. 

Thanks to her rigorous training, Yunah confidently advanced through each round of “R U Next,” always ranking at the top.

On September 1, 2023, Yunah officially became the last member announced for the new girl group project ILLIT. Yunah is one of the three Korean members of ILLIT, known for her calm and composed personality. 

However, compared to the other 4 members, Yunah has a more mature visual. Therefore, in the group’s first release, which has an innocent and cute concept, Yunah did not fully showcase her potential and was criticized for not fitting the concept.

Minju

Minju, whose appearance exudes innocence and cuteness, is often compared to a doll by Korean fans. In addition, Minju’s small yet round face and big eyes bear resemblance to a “4th generation top visual” – NMIXX’s Sullyoon. Born in 2004, Minju is also one of the oldest members of ILLIT.

Minju embarked on the path to becoming a K-pop idol at the age of 15. She trained under YG Entertainment and was a promising face in the project to debut the BLACKPINK’s little sister – BABYMONSTER. In 2021, Minju left YG to join BELIFT LAB, but still maintain a close relationship with BABYMONSTER member.

Minju was trained and directed to become a vocalist. In addition to her singing ability, the female idol can also play the violin. Minju is the third member to receive a debut slot with ILLIT.

Moka

Among the 5 members, Moka has so far caused the biggest stir. She has been immersed in Korean music and entertainment since childhood because her mother is a hardcore fan of BIGBANG, and nurtured her dream of becoming an idol thanks to this motivation. 

She was born in October 2004.

In 2020, Moka joined HYBE’s label in Japan, and is known to lean towards dancing. However, she aspires to be an “all-rounder” like BLACKPINK’s Jennie. When first introduced on “R U Next,” Moka stood out for her prominent visual, cute, and pure features, reminiscent of “The Glory” star Shin Ye-eun. Moka secured her debut opportunity with ILLIT in the final 5th position.

During the “Magnetic” promotion, Moka gained the most public attention with a series of sensational fancams. Moka’s personal fancam on “The Show” has reached nearly 1 million views in just 2 weeks. She received a flood of praise for her good stage presence, suitable for ILLIT’s concept. However, Moka also sparked controversy for her somewhat lacking live singing skills during the group’s encore stage.

Wonhee

Unlike other members, Wonhee’s trainee journey was quite special. She was scouted at a subway station for her outstanding visual, perfectly matching ILLIT’s concept. Born in 2007, Wonhee never thought she would become an idol before. Scouted in April 2023, she recorded “R U Next” in May. Just after 1 month of training, the female idol was selected and successfully debuted.

Despite having the least experience, Wonhee was a formidable competitor on the show, consistently achieving high rankings. Wonhee received high votes for her adorable, pure, yet extremely unique visual. She was eventually selected as a member of ILLIT via fan votes.

During the “Magnetic” promotion, Wonhee constantly trended with her fancams, which attracted hundreds of thousands of views. Along with Moka, Wonhee also contributed to the virality of “Magnetic”.

Iroha

Iroha was born in 2008, making her the youngest member of ILLIT. One of the two Japanese members, Iroha has been exposed to music and dance since she was 3 years old. Her dancing skills have always ranked top throughout “R U Next.”

Before coming to HYBE, Iroha was a trainee under JYP Entertainment, having trained alongside NiziU and NMIXX. Iroha finished fourth and earned the opportunity to debut with ILLIT. Iroha has a likable appearance, reminiscent of the beauty of girls in comic books.

Source: K14