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.
ILLIT Official Fandom Name:GLLIT
Fandom Name Meaning:Inspired by the word “glitter,” the fans will shine bright and they will help ILLIT to sparkle.
Official SNS:
Website:beliftlab.com/ILLIT
Instagram:@ILLIT_official/@summermoon_hybe
X:@ILLIT_official/ (Members):@ILLIT_twt/ (Japan):@ILLITjpofficial/@SUMMERMOON_HYBE
TikTok:@illit_official
YouTube:ILLIT Official
Facebook:ILLIT
BiliBili:ILLIT
Weverse:ILLIT
Weibo:@ILLIT_BELIFTLAB
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.
Stage Name:Yunah (윤아)
Birth Name:Noh Yun-ah (노윤아)
Position(s):Leader
Birthdate:January 15th, 2004
Zodiac Sign:Capricorn
Chinese Zodiac Sign:Goat
Height:168 cm (5’6″)
Blood Type:A
MBTI Type:ENFP
Nationality:Korean
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.
Stage Name:Minju (민주)
Birth Name:Park Min-ju (박민주)
Position(s):N/A
Birthdate:May 11th, 2004
Zodiac Sign:Taurus
Chinese Zodiac Sign:Monkey
Height:163 cm (5’4″)
Blood Type:O
MBTI Type:ISTP / ISTJ
Nationality:Korean
Representative Emoji:🐰 (Bunny)
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.
Stage Name:Moka (모카)
Birth Name:Sakai Moka (さかい もか / 사카이 모카)
Position(s):N/A
Birthdate:October 8th, 2004
Zodiac Sign:Libra
Chinese Zodiac Sign:Monkey
Height:162 cm (5’4″)
Blood Type:B
MBTI Type:ISFP
Nationality:Japanese
Representative Emoji:☕ (Coffee)
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.
Stage Name:Wonhee (원희)
Birth Name:Lee Won-hee (이원희)
Position(s):N/A
Birthdate:June 26th, 2007
Zodiac Sign:Cancer
Chinese Zodiac Sign:Pig
Height:162 cm (5’4″)
Blood Type:A
MBTI Type:ISFP
Nationality:Korean
Representative Emoji:️🐿 (Squirrel)
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.”
Stage Name:Iroha (이로하)
Birth Name:Hokazono Iroha (外園 いろは / 호카조노 이로하)
Position(s):Maknae
Birthdate:February 4th, 2008
Zodiac Sign:Aquarius
Chinese Zodiac Sign:Pig
Height:158 cm (5’2″)
Blood Type:A
MBTI Type:INFJ
Nationality:Japanese
Representative Emoji:🐢 (Turtle)
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
