ILLIT renews my faith in kpop concepts: I'LL LIKE YOU

[@heartcatchprecure]

totally agree on this! illit actually feels like they actually have a strong aesthetic and theming which is refreshing and helps me get sucked into their music more. now if only said music was LONGER

[@TommyDay-kq1jj]

Yeah i hope they don't stop using the dream core concept

[@sooszn]

i actually don't mind their short songs bc most of them don't lack in substance. they do sound complete to me (they have intros, bridges, and decent verses)

[@smn_tr3asur3]

​@@soosznTHIS

[@moonchild.archive]

I've seen a knet's comment that said ILLIT's mvs look like we're in a liminal space and I can't unsee it now. Especially the bathroom scene. It feels like you're missing something that doesn't exist.

[@AngryBell3]

It reminds me of the back rooms

[@Samuel-hu8uk]

@@AngryBell3 they definitely have back room inspiration istg.

[@moonlightshine2275]

they actually have a yt short with the caption "dream core" which fits into the liminal pace feel so i think they definitely intended it to be that way

[@soomi]

"ILLIT does not deserve the hate their receive." THANK YOU Bless you for this video. I've been dying for ktubers to talk about the art in kpop again

[@happinessD]

the wisdom tooth concept was based around yunah getting her wisdom teeth removed and being the first member to do so

[@Seunghancomebackhome]

Its adorable

[@oofedget]

I also loved how they didint let go of the "liminal space core" that we have seen in Magnetic, parts of the M/V looks like they're trapped in a dollhouse, a room that is similar to the backrooms! And in Cherish too, the bathroom scene. And this one short they uploaded on their YT which had them dancing Cherish in like a weird tile-y room with dark shadows and the music echoes.

[@chelleange1s]

it’s so interesting how many ppl link newjeans & illit together bc illit has always rang as a female version of rookie era txt. the magic, the whismey, the production. it’s all there. hell, illit’s logo literally uses the font from minisode 1 like cmon ppl!!!

[@chelleange1s]

i also think it rlly upsets me when ppl say illit should’ve done a darker concept bc i rlly feel only iroha and yunah would’ve fit it. not only that but they would’ve been stuck between a rock & a hard place due to how oversaturated the industry currently is. like ppl say they got hate bc of belift but they don’t recognize that illit would’ve been hated regardless.

[@strabababerry]

@@chelleange1s I will say that I think Moka could do a darker concept, she's a real chameleon for performance. Not sure about Wonhee and Minju tho

[@Mir-Mirr]

@@strabababerry All of them fit dark concept, and all of them fit this concept very well. I think was the styling of yunah is what really went wrong because she actually fits so well in this concept. And the fact they worked on their concept as well is very creditable.

[@s4m11r]

The whimsicalness and bright themes accompanied by such a playful yet visually pleasing aesthetic and styling is what really makes illit stand out. Not only is their manifestation concept something new and genuinely distinctive in comparison to everything that we see in kpop now, but it’s also fun. And the fact that we’re getting this cute type of feel with both their music and concept feels so refreshing. I’m truly so obsessed with them and I’m so glad I’ve been following them since r u next. Wishing nothing but the best for my girls 🤍

[@meiyiyou_0325]

I personally loved this album. My favorite song was definitely Tick-Tack. On another note, I really hope the bullying towards Illit comes to an end. Those girls did nothing to deserve the amount of hate they get.

[@silkwind78]

seriously! even if nwjns was copied, that's in no way the members fault. (and tick-tack is also my favorite, literally been on repeat for days)

[@carleighlaxton9233]

My favorite KZbinr giving some love to my favorite girls! I'm honestly obsessed with IllIT's concept. I feels like an "updated" cute concept for the modern times and it's great seeing more people giving it some love!

[@christinemarquez1563]

hope they keep going in this unique and weird-kinda-creepy-cute vibe as genuinely as the girls and their team are going at it now,,,, and make their songs longer ..

[@smoking_neoduck]

maybe its just me but i found the cherish and magnetic mvs slightly... horrifying? not in a bloody horror movie kind of way but more like a unsettling, unnatural kind of way, like the backrooms like some of the comments pointed out like the backrooms, you feel like you've seen these places (the scenes featured in the mvs) before in real life but you can't pinpoint when or where. i don't have a better way to describe it but i really do appreciate their aesthetics a ton and im excited for what the future has in store for them

[@puppyproductions964]

I think this is because their main concept is like dreamcore (ofc they have some retro gaming and freshness in there too). I think their styling, sound, and choreo are the fluffy cute parts of dream core, their concept films and clips take on the weird aspects of dream core, and their music videos (at least for their title tracks) take on the unsettling aspects of dreams. It’s very versatile!

[@ickicki]

God I was hoping someone would say it. As the ex-weird girl who used to base my personality in Coraline , Alice in Wonderland, and other creepy-whimsical stuff, I feel oddly validated by illit. I love the surreal, the bizarre, but strange and liminal. The pre-release film re-awakened something in me that was pushed way down. The eclectic-ness , the subtle macabre but still whimsical-ness. I just love their concept. I hope it’s pushed further instead of being abandoned.

[@wye0oon]

their aesthetic is so solid that it already conceptualized their image within two releases. i love it sm

[@AwakeningWings]

The part where you talk about being "backed into a corner as they have been." Reminded me of their song "Magnetic," where in the music video they did end up literally in a corner but then broke out of it.

[@WJHallyuLover8365]

Thank you for this review. I really love Cherish so much and i followed ILLIT since their R U Next era at the very start (Wonhee is the first girl that made me watch the show)

[@hyunjinismybias_119]

Like fr illits concept is so cool i always look forward to see what they realse next

[@moonlightpaw5868]

There are three types of kpop fans. Misery, chill, and the one in between. There is no reason for me to be hateful since I like all groups. I might have a favorite but I don't go out and insult other groups because it makes no sense. But because the hate flying left and right it started to make me hate groups that I once liked too. I miss back in 2ne1 day when I could like all groups like 2nel, Big Bang, MBLAQ, infinite, Super Junior, snsd, Tara, zea, ukiss, 2pm, 2am, apink, sister, btob, shinee, fx, 4 minuts, miss a so on and on. Hybe did not ruin kpop. Kpop fans did it themselves.

[@mohhhhhhhhgjghvcy]

Heavy on the hybe did not ruin kpop !!!!! Cause i swear to God kpop fans will blane anything on hybe nowadays

[@XiaoÆlice]

Kpop spaces have become incredibly toxic so I mostly avoid other fans and focus on the groups that I love. Kpop is 100% better when you just focus on listening to and engaging with what you love.

[@mohhhhhhhhgjghvcy]

@@XiaoÆlice FR i started to use X to support Riize’s Seunghan but while using it i also came accross the most ever low level rock bottom stupidity EVEEERRRR like, i don’t even know how their brains functions atp. They are so brain dead it’s shocking. I have so many things to say but i’ll stop there…

[@bardakta_corba]

I love how this song and mv is telling a story, it is so cute.

[@misanayeonz]

kinda random but my wisdom teeth have been quiet for a loooong time, but coincidentally after illits comeback one of them started to grow more and it's hurting a lot rn 😢

[@Mobius-eh8ic]

4:08 i almost had a heartache before he explained 😭 i did not want to imagine how many more "they copied nwjns" we'd have to hear

[@TuhinaSaysHi]

Love the video! I agree with your points, ILLIT and their concepts have more depth and detail than people realise. people need to stop attributing NewsJeans & MHJ for their image when clearly ILLIT are a vastly different, but it’s not like many care. 😕 As you put it, some people’s misery can’t be helped 😂

[@auliamate]

i liked super real me as a release, but imma be real, illit has outdone themselves! belift... in recent light of sm shitfuckery, perhaps i was too harsh on you... wait nvm the enhypen overworking is right there nevermind. but i definitely judged illit too harshly. as one vocal member of the "they shouldnt have done this concept!!! they needed a girl crush concept!!!" crowd, i am in fact happy they stuck to this concept. it was honestly quite foolish of me to think that girls this talented could not slay more than one concept. cherish (my love) is a bop, the music video is excellent, i love the concept work, and frankly, illit has won my stanship!! i also want to point out how with this release, the "its just newjeans all over again" crowd can comfortably shut up now! illit is forging their own path, and the similarities to their label-cousins have weakened further. illit is making a name for themselves, beyond the controversies!! also can we talk about how cvnty and iconic the first line is on cherish??? like "not even god can stop me, i'll like you" LIKE OKAY WONHEE, SLAY!!!! can we put that line alongside "i kissed your brother" and "dear priest, i have a confession" please?????

[@ryantan-]

Their concept refreshes me in a way I only last felt when NJ started out, I’m so thankful to have another group to dedicate my energy to now since NJ has turned into a drainer of my energy and soul instead of the life-giver it once was

[@ellisonni]

…bffr

[@thedeepend2]

you’re genuinely a weirdo if this is your mentality leave illit alone as we all know you’re gonna move on to a "new,better and younger group"

[@bierangtamen]

That whole "Kpop is an outlet for frustration for some miserable people" is the most well thought out explanation I have seen. We all know Kpop is a fantasy for many people and that is why people feel entitled to their idols in an unhealthy parasocial way but recently, I have seen a lot less of that and more so just hatred from trolls and people who literally dislike every Kpop group - they just enjoy "hating". The death threats, misinformation and horrible comments I have seen really reflects this notion It really reminds me of the Seunghan scandal. When SM caved in for the wrong audience - people who turn to Kpop when they want to express misery and discontentment - these people were confident they now had the power to send through those funeral wreaths upon their return. They know SM is more reactive towards the hateful side of Kpop than the actual fans. If SM had ignored these from the very start and issued a statement of pursuing legal action from the get go to NOT appease these people, I think we would have gotten a very different result For example, Jennie and Taehyung's scandal has completely died down now because both YG and Hybe took appropriate action in condemning the hateful posts and threatening legal action against the hacker I do understand though that SM is in a bit of a pickle as they have been for a while due to so many embezzlement scandals and corporate issues with Kakao Entertainment, which is why they want to avoid scandals at this particular time

[@vemarqui]

the wisdom tooth-first love parallel reminds me of a popular indonesian saying (originally from a song) that goes "better a heartache than a toothache", which i think is so interesting bc at least two separate cultures can see how both are uncomfortable and needs something to be done musically, i think i'll like you is so good, even better than super real me 🥲 everything just ties together better despite the songs having more diverse genres. lastly, the part in the mv where they dance in the pink room surrounded by white chairs lined like the letter U gagged me ngl... what a creative way to visualize the teeth and tongue

[@oaaat_oaaat]

Very well said and kind of you. Interested to see if they'll delve into some of the liminal qualities behind their concept.

[@may6v6]

you explain & word your thoughts so wonderfully!!!! as a now big time lover & supporter of illit since magnetic, one thing that always pulled me towards them was how they feel so reminiscent of 2nd gen ggs to me. and already being a huge MeU myself, i liken illit to be like f(x)'s little daughters or princesses 🥹🫶 they both have an aura so refreshing about them that is completely unique and cant be easily replicated! theres something completely new they bring to the table every time and it was so cool of illit to do exactly that with their first cb or first chapter of their story like you said (: thank you for the super cool & awesome analysis!!!! i do really hope for this hate train towards these innocent girls to stop as they keep proving that there is not any active group like them in the industry right now!

[@bopete3204]

I like Cherish a lot! Although I'm more of a theme in song person than a theme in MV person. It does make a lot more sense knowing why it's tooth themed. But for the song, that chorus with the repetition of "ch-ch-ch-ch" and ending on "wanna" is so on point. It's yearning to the point of being whiny which fits a youthful concept so much. The second verse with the repeated "if you"s hits that note perfectly as well. I think the intro and outro give more of a Kiss Me More/Mago/Love You Like a Love Song vibe that doesn't quiet match, but it's still a pleasant introduction to the soundscape.

[@tk-uo4kc]

Thank you so much for this video 😊 I'm so happy people are paying attention to illit's unique concept despite all the noise

[@brunetteartist24]

Really appreciate this video! I had pretty similar sentiments going into this release, and although there are certain elements during their debut that could have established them better, the concept work done here is evident and also smartly growing from their debut in a way i really enjoy! . I like their album covers sm!! Companies take notes on how to do simple but really effective album cover photoshoots! . Also the extreme literal take on a love related concept reminded me of fromis_9 lovebomb and how illit vaguely feels like a spiritual successor of early fromis_9 (born from a survival show, legal "rigging", campy love concept) - really excited to see this group go far

[@kill3008]

nothing about illit is y2k tho

[@lovergirlkae]

@@kill3008people get y2k and the sort of dreamcore aesthetic illit has mixed up esp cause some of their styling was kind of y2k? but yeah

[@kill3008]

@@lovergirlkae y2k has been one of the biggest trends for a couple of years so it'll even be weirder if we don't see at least a little bit of it in their styling

[@brunetteartist24]

@kill3008 it's not y2k, but it does have that early y2k technology nostalgia vibes due to their sound scape Also some of their fits do fall into the "y2k trend" not actual y2k fashion That's why i said its a very surface level comparison and kinda inaccurate in the og comment😭

[@XiaoÆlice]

When I go on twitter all I see is illit hate, when I go on reddit all I see is newjeans hate and not long ago both websites were engaging in le sserafim hate... Kpop fandom has always engaged in fanwars since its inception but this new age of social media is particularly nasty in the way it talks about and treats these young idols. It makes me avoid other fans and not want to participate in my favourite groups fandoms anymore.

[@Samuel-hu8uk]

I love ILLIT because of their concept and overall songs but the controversies because of their company that surrounds them is so sad but I will always love and support them no matter what game HYBE or min hee jin played.

[@HeartandSeoul23]

I will say that through watching their content and listening to this album and then going back to listening to Super Real Me with fresh ears all the way through, the ILLIT girls are growing on me. Do I think there could’ve been certain elements of their debut that could’ve been more established? Yeah. But they definitely have a concept that’s unique so it’s gonna be fun to see where they go from here because their concept is so cool and their music is actually really good{just wish it was longer}. I’m becoming a huge fan of them.

[@Mutsar]

Wooow !! Incredible analysis! The truth is that from the first album I could see a story between universes !! And with this album I'll like you there is a coherence that unites both concepts. Your analysis is amazing ❤❤❤❤

[@chelleange1s]

cherish has to be my favorite kpop mv of 2024, it’s so gorgeous & they rlly take the concept to a whole nother level. as for the album itself, i still do have my gripes (the song length, concept photos, styling) but i hope belift improves on this.

[@Akshayaaaaaa]

I'll admit, after the whole survival show fiasco, I wasn’t a fan of the lineup and didn’t pay much attention to ILLIT. Their music style isn’t usually something I gravitate toward, either. But watching this MV completely changed my perspective. The whimsical yet slightly unsettling visuals had me in awe, even if I didn’t fully understand the "teeth" concept at first. I’ve seen people call them "copycats" of NewJeans, but I don’t get it, their concepts are distinctly different. Anyhow, This song has definitely made me reconsider ILLIT, and now I’m excited to see what they do next!

[@kikaxwinteri]

I really love their concept❤ We can see that they have a clear and coherent concept when making illit… it’s something that makes kpop so thrilling but sadly it seems to be disapearing nowadays 😢

[@aysenurg5609]

6:39 I really like their new concepts too. What drew me in was the songs. No skips for me on both albums. These releases made me happy while waiting for my group. A little nostalgic melancholic feeling reminds me of Gfriend somehow. IDK why. Enjoy the music, leave out the hate everyone.

[@raytsh]

Great comeback, great song!

[@cupidttps]

i actually love their dream core concept so much and i think it suits their image really well

[@tsukasa6364]

I'm always just here for the music, I don't care what happens between mhj and hybe as long as newjeans and illit keep releasing bangers (and the girls are happy too, ofc). I had been scared away from Illit by the controversies surrounding the survival show but when I finally listened to their ep I fell hard for them lol. I was scared they would change their sound after the comparisons to newjeans but I never thought they were too similar. This ep is everything I wanted. Except the choice to say "pimple" so often in the most beautiful song ick... I'll get over it 😂

[@poorni4742]

I really like this album haha

[@ThayzaSouza]

Yes, you're so smart!!!!

[@Anelewx3gl]

Be careful. Mhj might sue you 😂

[@ritzlix]

I’ll-it’s song in and of itself is pretty similar to a lot of ballad songs like off the record yet still holds a certainly specific vibe and originality to it does give it the nostalgic, liminal, “you’ve heard this song before but you haven’t” kind of feel which makes the song original in and of itself if you get what i mean 😭😭

[@mikan143]

Choujimi i have a theory for you. (ik its not nmixx related) but in the story film in nmixx Stick out ( two girls who keep memories ) and in the video kyujin is crying and sullywoon is watching kyujin cry i think kyujin is turning to a bad person (monopole's side) bc in her hand theres green its like spreading in to kyujin and green in nmixx lore it symbolizes monopole ;-;

[@ky-lantrinh3983]

pink tape mentioned!! it was a shame that min hee jin didn't have a say in the mv itself, but watching the art film give you an idea of how things could have been if she was sitting on the driver's side there kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGXYZHWwgpWlp9E

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

Did you hear the twice and Meghan collab yet?

[@dollyvivi_.ৎ]

I love twice but the remix wasn’t it for me😭

[@illitoutsold]

it was terrible ngl

[@josjoererg]

the original song was always cool but hadn’t quite reached it’s potential to me, so in theory a remix would have been good. that being said, i have no idea why she chose twice of all groups to be on the remix. pretty much any other major group right now would have fit better.

[@tk-uo4kc]

What was your favorite track on the album?

[@SadiaNoor-fe1xs]

Can you please please please 🙏🥺🥺🥺🥺🙏🙏🙏 make a video about imaginary friend by itzy ❤

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

I don’t know how I feel about this mini yet, I haven’t found really good copies of the full project (I think the Hybe boycotts are still going on) and what I have heard sounds like a JYP project of what I did here. I don’t know how to feel about it right now but glad at least someone enjoyed it

[@springss1861]

I don’t think the mv actually lived out to the concept. I feel they felt too preoccupied in showing stylized sets and dance that it sort of made the members look static. I was reminded by CSR’s Loveticon because the mv was just ‘okay’. Also I might be the sole one, but the mv made me a bit uncomfortable

[@cryingsobbing]

you would love girls captialism by tripleS which came out first

[@astronautsamuel_xxv2295]

You should talk about the leaked internal documents from Hybe.

[@blacklikethesun]

The concept is fun but the songs are incredibly basic imo. They aren't bad or anything but i feel like they regressed sonically

[@custardiii]

too bad the tracks have no identity

[@wh4ttaman]

(NOT HATE) the meaning of cherish my love reminds me a lot of rum pum pum pum by f(x)

[@oaaat_oaaat]

Did you even watch the video?

[@wh4ttaman]

@@oaaat_oaaatdid you read my comment

[@puppyproductions964]

@@wh4ttaman I think they might have said that since the creator mentioned rum pum pum pum half way through the vid, no hate

[@wh4ttaman]

@@puppyproductions964yes thats why I said it…

[@Idreamtthatiwasacat]

​@@wh4ttamanGirl are you seriously that dense? If you watched the video, you obviously wouldn't write down this comment cuz its explained in the vid itself 😭

[@nightcoreedits266]

the concept film was really good, however the title track just didnt do it at all for me. the title track felt like a watered down fifty fifty song and it was very lackluster and not musically interesting compared to magnetic. their b sides were so much better tho and i wish tick tack, i'll like you or IYKYK was the title track. hope the girls escape hybe somehow, cuz in the end especially after today. we all know how corrupt and evil hybe is and the fact that hybe group stans haven't boycotted hybe yet (they should've already because of zionism but ig dead palestinians aren't that much of a deal..). anyway, im hoping karma gets hybe.

[@Atwood05]

I don’t mind them, but the drama with new jeans has turned me off of illit 😭 Edit: ofc I don’t blame them or hate them, but I just feel weird about it all

[@groupie8773]

do you personally believe that there is a real similarity between both groups? in my opinion it was just a min heejin tactic to deflect the media attention she was getting after it was revealed she was meeting with investors and sharing inside information on hybe.

[@illitoutsold]

me but with newjeans, I completely unstanned them and blocked them on everything lol

[@Atwood05]

@@illitoutsold why’d you unstan them 😭 if you already liked their music then there’s no reason lol

[@sarabeatriz5569]

​@@Atwood05 tbh personally after this mess njs just don't really seem like good people to me anymore, but anyways

[@Atwood05]

@@sarabeatriz5569 what’s your reasoning behind newjeans themselves not being good ppl, im curious. Because they haven’t done anything to my knowledge other than be groomed by Min heejin 😭 and min heejin no longer has any input on the group

[@exoticfry1032]

not when they literally ripped off tripleS, the blatant copying is funny

[@Lvwnh]

Shut up they have same director??😭😭

[@StanBTSLESSERAFIMILLITANDAESPA]

Oh please.

[@cheribitch5396]

You’re stupid cause they have the same director … great try at rage bait

[@whoopthy]

Bait used to be believable

[@prunejuice22]

And half the things from cherish my love comes from girls capitalism (tripleS) they certainly don’t renew my faith in K-pop when all they do is copy other group and follow the main trend

[@ajak281]

My first real intro to KPOP was basically a Twice concert in Vegas this year and ever since, I've been hooked! I discovered Illit like 3 days after debut, (so sad it wasn't a bit earlier- I would have LOVED to watch R U Next while it was airing!) and fell in love with them immediately!! I bought a few Weverse Super Real Me albums and won a fancall and I NEVER win anything... I can't remember much because it went by so fast and I couldn't believe it still-but every one of those girls seems so sweet and genuine!! Maybe because of that I'm biased but, I don't think I could ever hate the girls, they will always have a special place in my heart!! 😊 They work so so hard and I am so happy they keep making bops!! 😂 I hope they are happy and healthy and don't get too much hate!! IYKYK, I'll Like You, and Tick Tack are my faves from the new album! And LOVING the vibes and styles and outfits! 😍 Illit fighting!!

[@Idreamtthatiwasacat]

Reading your comment brought a smile to my face. 💕