Recently, ILLIT released five-track videos from their 2nd mini album “I’LL LIKE YOU” on the HYBE LABELS YouTube channel, each showcasing part of the instrumental along with visuals reflecting the song’s mood.
The title track, “Cherish (My Love),” stands out with its addictive beat, hinting at a potential hit. In the song, ILLIT emphasizes that while they care about others’ feelings, their own emotions take priority.
The other tracks feature distinct vibes: “I’ll Like You” has a sweet atmosphere, “IYKYK” exudes playful charm, “Pimple” feels dreamy, and “Tick-Tack” captivates with its unique electronic sound, raising expectations for the album’s release.
Notably, track ‘IYKYK’ is accused of copying the NewJeans‘ new demo. Min Heejin spoiled this demo at the Hyundai Card event on September 27, while ILLIT’s track video was just released on October 7.
At the “2024 Hyundai Card Da Vinci Model” lecture on April 28, Min Hee-jin, former CEO of ADOR, she expressed her love for NewJeans, sharing an unreleased demo that sparked excitement on SNS.
ILLIT new song sounds so similar to the demo MHJ released for NJ1 I wonder why pic.twitter.com/c64Xn226vK
— Lia ʚɞ (@Liabizz) October 7, 2024
Currently, the comparison video (created by a Bunnies) has reached 1.4 million views.
The controversy over ILLIT copying NewJeans is one of the main reasons for the internal conflict between HYBE and ADOR. Following Min Hee-jin’s statements, the public agreed that HYBE’s new girl group bears too much resemblance to their “senior” group within the same company. Even Korean music experts view this as a violation of creativity.
Since their debut, ILLIT has been criticized for being too similar to NewJeans. Both groups are known for fast-paced, energetic electronic tracks, promoting with a dreamy school uniform concept, and having choreography that resembles each other. Additionally, both groups appeared at fashion brand events shortly after their debut. Even the album covers and accompanying products feature cartoon characters with similar styles.
Therefore, many fans praise Min Heejin for being clever in predicting that HYBE might steal NewJeans’ music and give it to another group, so she preemptively exposed it to outmaneuver HYBE.
