ILLIT's "I'll Like You": Why This K-pop Album Is Making Fans Fall in Love

K-pop girl group ILLIT captured attention once again with their second mini album "I'll Like You," released on October 21, 2024. This highly anticipated comeback marks their first return to the music scene since their debut with "SUPER REAL ME" in March 2024. Following the viral success of "Magnetic" from their debut EP, fans eagerly welcomed the group's new musical direction.

Released through Belift Lab, "I'll Like You" features five tracks with a total runtime of 12:18. The EP showcases the group's versatility, with "Cherish (My Love)" serving as the lead single. This dance-pop track conveys the message of cherishing feelings of liking someone, featuring a catchy hook that immediately resonated with listeners.

The comeback story: how 'I'll Like You' was born

Belift Lab officially unveiled ILLIT's sophomore project on September 23, 2024, kicking off an exciting month-long promotional campaign for the highly anticipated mini-album. The announcement included a comprehensive promotion calendar that outlined the group's comeback strategy, building anticipation among fans worldwide.

Announcement and teaser timeline

Initially, the agency released a brand film on September 24, offering fans their first glimpse into the new album's concept. Subsequently, ILLIT's team methodically unveiled a series of teasers throughout October. On October 7, the complete track listing revealed "Cherish (My Love)" as the lead single, accompanied by individual track videos showcasing snippets of each song. The promotional campaign intensified with the highlight medley on October 13, followed by a choreography preview for "Cherish (My Love)" on October 17, and the official music video teaser just one day before the release. This carefully orchestrated timeline kept fans engaged throughout the entire promotional period.

Concept versions: WITH, TO, BETWEEN

ILLIT showcased their versatility through three distinct album concepts:

WITH version (September 30): Portrayed a free-spirited, carefree aesthetic
TO version (October 1): Featured a dreamy, ethereal concept
BETWEEN version (October 2): Displayed a striking dark visual concept with members in black outfits as "cool princesses"

The BETWEEN version particularly captured the emotional struggle between hidden and openly expressed feelings, using heart-shaped symbols creatively to express these conflicts. This version's concept film portrayed the members confronting an uncertain future, starting with anxiety before confidently running through a tunnel toward a shared goal.

Brand film and identity theme

The nearly 9-minute brand film released on September 24 established the conceptual foundation for "I'll Like You". The video blended reality and fantasy while highlighting the personalities of YoonA, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha. Throughout the film, ILLIT describes themselves as a "second family" with a shared determination to move forward together.

At its core, "I'll Like You" tells the story of a young girl who, after meeting someone special, navigates her complicated feelings before ultimately finding her own answer and moving forward with confidence. This narrative perfectly aligns with ILLIT's identity as a confident and honest group, establishing thematic continuity with their debut while showcasing their artistic growth.

Track-by-track breakdown of the album

ILLIT's sophomore EP showcases the group's musical versatility across five distinct tracks, each offering a unique glimpse into their artistic evolution. The mini-album clocks in at just 12:18 minutes total length, yet delivers a surprisingly cohesive listening experience from start to finish.

1. I'll Like You – The opening statement

The album's title track sets the tone with its jubilant, love-at-first-sight energy. This bouncy, shimmery number beats with a house-driven electro-pop heart that feels immediately familiar to fans. The lyrics feature confident self-assurances like "Alright, alright / Okay, okay / I'm the daring type / I can't hide anything" as the members work up the courage to declare their feelings. The song effectively establishes the album's central theme of youthful infatuation.

2. Cherish (My Love) – The emotional centerpiece

As the lead single, "Cherish (My Love)" takes an unexpected approach with its understated vibe. Opening with Wonhee's bold declaration, "You know what? Not even God can stop me / I'll like you", the track features soft guitars and playful vocal repetitions that create a gentle, unhurried atmosphere. Despite being more chill than their debut hit, the song remains equally catchy. Described as a dance-pop track, it expresses curiosity about someone's heart while valuing one's own emotions even more. Minju's pretty vocals notably stand out here.

3. IYKYK – A nod to Gen Z culture

"IYKYK (If You Know You Know)" cleverly incorporates Gen Z social media slang into a lively UK garage-style track. The song explores knowing someone's charm without them having to explain it, comparing the joy of discovering these good points to "sunshine". This infectious track takes ILLIT into previously unexplored musical territory while creating empathy with listeners who have experienced similar feelings. Notably, this was the second song from the album featured during the group's promotional rounds on Korean music shows.

4. Pimple – Vulnerability in youth

This medium-pop song creatively substitutes worries and complicated feelings into "pimples". The dream-pop track may be unexciting to some critics, but its concept perfectly captures today's teenagers who aren't shy about expressing themselves and even use trouble patches as fashion items. Rather than hiding feelings, the song takes a positive approach, comparing affection to "My ugly pimple baby" - a novel if unconventional metaphor. ILLIT's dreamy vocal tone enhances the song's distinctive mood.

5. Tick-Tack – Experimental and bold

Though only 2:09 in length, "Tick-Tack" stands out as the album's experimental highlight. The track takes the 8-bit arcade sounds from their debut and amplifies them into an unapologetic chiptune-heavy experience. Its maniacal energy offers a refreshing departure from the current "easy-listening" K-pop trend. The rhythmic chorus immediately establishes a repetitive calling card with its "tick-tack, ti-tack, tick, tack-ta-tick, tack" centerpiece. Despite some critics finding it repetitive, others praise it as "an easy standout" that "gleefully scratches the itch that's been felt since fromis_9's underappreciated 2018 single 'Love Bomb'".

Behind the music: production, vocals, and visuals

Behind ILLIT's sophomore release stands a talented team of producers and songwriters who helped craft the group's evolving sound. From vocal performances to visual storytelling, the album showcases significant artistic growth throughout.

Key producers and songwriters

The album's production features an impressive roster of music professionals. The title track "I'll Like You" was produced by dyvahh and Albin Tengblad, establishing the EP's vibrant sonic foundation. Throughout the mini-album, different producers contributed their unique styles: Deputy and Adam Kapit crafted "Cherish (My Love)," DEEZ and Soul Fish handled "IYKYK," dyvahh took sole production duties for "Pimple," and "Tick-Tack" emerged from a collaboration between Johnny Goldstein, "hitman" Bang, dyvahh, Slow Rabbit, and 신쿵 (Shin Kung). This diverse production team explains the album's varied yet cohesive sound.

Vocal arrangements and standout performances

After receiving criticism for their live vocals earlier in their career, ILLIT made significant improvements for this comeback. Iroha acknowledged this directly: "We've taken the feedback from many people seriously and have put a lot of effort into refining every detail of our live performances". Minju's dedication was particularly noteworthy, as she revealed: "I practiced so hard to the point where I could taste blood in my throat," adding that she felt proud when "the producer recognized that".

Furthermore, the members gained valuable experience performing at overseas concerts and university festivals between their debut and comeback. This dedication paid off — Minju's "very pretty" voice stands out prominently throughout the album, especially in "Cherish (My Love)" where the members' clear vocals shine against minimalist production.

Visual storytelling in music videos

Alongside the album's release on October 21, BELIFT LAB unveiled the music video for "Cherish (My Love)". Later, on November 14, a second visual followed for "Tick-Tack", a track that NME's Mika Chen highlighted as a standout for its "unapologetic chiptune-heavy fare". The videos complemented the three concept versions—"With," "To," and "Between"—that showcased different facets of ILLIT's evolving identity as confident performers unafraid to express their emotions.

Chart success and fan reception

The sophomore mini-album from ILLIT achieved remarkable commercial success, cementing the group's position as rising stars in the global K-pop scene.

Global chart performance

Upon its U.S. release, "I'll Like You" debuted at No. 94 on the Billboard 200, marking ILLIT's second entry on this prestigious chart after their debut mini-album "SUPER REAL ME" reached No. 93 earlier in 2024. The group's chart presence extended beyond the main album chart, as they secured the No. 2 position on Billboard's World Albums chart and claimed the No. 6 spot on both the Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales charts. Additionally, ILLIT reached a new peak on Billboard's Artist 100, re-entering at No. 37.

The title track "Cherish (My Love)" made its mark at No. 105 on Billboard's Global Excl. U.S. chart in its third week, alongside their debut track "Magnetic," which maintained impressive longevity at No. 126 in its 34th consecutive week.

Certifications and sales

"I'll Like You" set a personal record for the group with first-week sales reaching 382,621 copies according to Hanteo Chart data. The album's total sales in South Korea amounted to 501,326 copies per Circle Chart, earning a Platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Industry Association.

Moreover, ILLIT's debut song "Magnetic" achieved double platinum certification from the Japan Record Association after surpassing 200 million cumulative streams in January 2025. This milestone came just 10 months after the song's release, setting a new record for the shortest time a girl group—domestic or international—has reached this achievement in Japan.

Fan reactions and social media buzz

The K-pop community expressed overwhelming support for ILLIT's comeback. One enthusiastic fan commented, "This concept video surpassed the initial one by a long shot! It's engaging, adorable, and humorous. Plus, it aligns perfectly with the visuals". The concept films and brand teasers garnered millions of views on YouTube, with fans particularly appreciating the group's clever use of slang and their school uniform concepts. Comments across platforms revealed how ILLIT successfully connected with their target audience, with many noting the group "brought out their inner teenage girl".