Latest news with #ILLIT
Hype Malaysia
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
M&M'S® x ILLIT's Sweet Collaboration Sparks 'It's More Fun Together' Moments Across Asia!
Things just got a whole lot sweeter! Global chocolate brand M&M'S® has officially announced rising K-pop sensation ILLIT (아일릿) as its Asia ambassadors — fondly introduced as 'Friends of M&M'S®'. This marks the first time a K-pop group has partnered with the iconic colourful bite-sized chocolate brand. The collaboration launches a major regional campaign under the brand's refreshed tagline, 'It's More Fun Together'. If 'Magnetic' has been living rent-free in your playlist since 2024, you're not alone. ILLIT's debut single went viral, hit the Billboard Hot 100, and instantly captivated Gen Zs with its famed dance choreography. Fast forward to 2025, they've dropped their third mini album bomb—bringing back joyful beats, fresh looks, and energy levels that match a handful of M&M'S. Catherine Yap, Mars Wrigley Asia, Chocolate Marketing Director shared, 'ILLIT's vibrant music, captivating performances, and their ability to spread positivity mirror M&M'S mission of bringing people together through the power of fun. Each member brings a unique personality that syncs with the colorful cast of M&M'S Spokescandies – Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Orange, Brown, and Purple – perfectly aligning with our brand message.' ILLIT expressed their excitement, 'We've loved M&M'S since we were kids and they've been part of our growing up, so we're thrilled to be joining them as ambassadors now as ILLIT. We look forward to having lots of 'fun together' through exciting collaborations in the upcoming campaign — M&M'S & ILLIT, FRIENDS FOREVER!' At the heart of this newly formed friendship is the 'M Dance Challenge', inspired by ILLIT's chart-topping debut track 'Magnetic'. Featuring a bespoke, fun, and catchy choreography curated to the song, the challenge invites fans to participate through music and movement. Keep your eyes peeled for tons of bite-sized content packed with sweet moments between ILLIT and our lovable M&M'S Spokescandies—because when chocolate and K-pop collide, it's an undeniable burst of fun. The M&M'S x ILLIT campaign will officially roll out from July 2025, across South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore. Check out the official collaboration teaser and ILLIT's 'Jellyous' dance challenge with the M&M'S mascots:
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
K-Pop Legal Battle: NewJeans vs ILLIT - Accusations of Copying Ignite Fan Fury
The K-Pop Feud That Has Everyone Picking Sides Imagine if two of Bollywood's biggest production houses went to court because one accused the other of copying their movie style. That's exactly what's happening in the K-pop world right now, and it's absolutely wild. Two girl groups - NewJeans and ILLIT - are at the center of a massive legal battle that's got fans arguing on social media, agencies pointing fingers, and the entire Korean entertainment industry watching with popcorn in hand. The drama started when Min Hee-jin, the creative mastermind behind NewJeans, publicly accused the newer group ILLIT of straight-up copying her work. Now ILLIT's agency, BELIFT LAB, is suing Min Hee-jin for ₹180 crore (that's about 20 billion Korean won) because they claim she's spreading lies and damaging their reputation. The court case has turned into a full-blown PowerPoint presentation battle - yes, you read that right - with both sides bringing receipts and evidence to prove their point. BELIFT LAB Says_ "Everything is Fair Game in K-Pop" BELIFT LAB's defense is pretty simple: they're basically saying that Min Hee-jin is acting like she invented everything in K-pop. Their argument is that dance moves, photo styles, and marketing strategies belong to everyone in the industry, not just one person. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indian Investors Are Buying These Dubai Apartments—Here's Why Binghatti Developers FZE Explore Undo Think about it like this - if Shah Rukh Khan claimed he invented the romantic hero pose with arms spread wide, every other Bollywood actor would be in trouble, right? That's exactly what BELIFT LAB is saying about Min Hee-jin's claims. They brought examples showing that NewJeans' famous "hair whip" dance move appears in songs by other groups like ITZY and aespa. They even said that NewJeans' retro Y2K style and mysterious concept is totally different from ILLIT's magical princess theme - like comparing a vintage Bollywood film to a fantasy adventure movie. The agency also threw some serious shade by showing that many things NewJeans did "first" were actually done by older groups like GFRIEND years earlier. It's like saying every romantic comedy copies the same basic formula, but that doesn't make them all the same movie. New Jeans Min Hee-jin Fights Back_ "The Copying is Too Obvious" Min Hee-jin's team isn't backing down though. They're saying that ILLIT didn't just copy one or two things - they copied everything from NewJeans' entire vibe. We're talking about album covers, hairstyles, photoshoot concepts, dance moves, and even the way they promote themselves. Her lawyers pointed out that as soon as ILLIT debuted, fans on social media immediately started commenting "they look like NewJeans" and "this feels familiar." It's like when a new web series comes out and everyone immediately says it reminds them of another popular show - sometimes the similarities are just too obvious to ignore. They're also arguing that this isn't about legal copyright (like claiming someone stole your song), but about calling out what they see as blatant copying. It's more like saying "Hey, your new dance looks exactly like mine" rather than "You legally stole my choreography." The most interesting part? Min Hee-jin's team says she only spoke up because she was being attacked by the bigger company HYBE, and she had to defend herself and her work. It's giving major David vs. Goliath energy.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
ILLIT prepares for harsh ‘Jellyous' choreo; reveals new method for training
K-pop group ILLIT has been rising to fame ever since their debut with their powerhouse vocals as well as amazing choreographies. Recently, the group came back with their next hit single 'Jellyous', which has been making rounds amongst fans and netizens ever since its release. The group is now sharing behind-the-scenes moments from preparing for their comeback, where they have finally managed to reveal how they manage to balance dancing and live singing so well! ILLIT shares their harsh mantra for balancing singing and dancing on stage As a part of their comeback promotions for their comeback with 'Jellyous', ILLIT recently shared a video on their social media channel that shared exclusive training videos of the members. In the video, the members finally revealed what they do to manage their vocals on stage. The video showcased all of the members singing their latest song, all the while running on a treadmill! The idols managed to keep their vocals and coordination in sync even through the gruelling exercise, impressing fans worldwide. ILLIT singing while running on the treadmill. Look at how stable they are, the girls really worked so hard for "jellyous". We're so proud of you ILLIT, FIGHTING!!! — ILLIT BASE (@base_illit) July 18, 2025 Wonhee revealed that 'We usually dance while singing live for practice, but today we're doing something new!' She went on to mention that in order to cope with 'Jellyous' and its hard choreography, they chose to sing while running on treadmills. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Also mentioning how hard the choreography for their latest comeback is, the members mentioned that singing while they were running on treadmills seemed a lot easier to them as compared to singing on stage while performing. Fans react As soon as the video was shared online, it ended up going viral. Many fans commented on the post, sharing how proud they are of the members for preparing like this. One fan noted, 'Waitttt they're even running in sync, the running footsteps are so satisfyingggg', while another shared 'They are doing so much hard work, I'm so proud of these girls. I hope they get everything they deserve'.
Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
ILLIT drags BTS, Jennie, and aespa to refute Min Hee Jin's accusations of copying NewJeans
On July 15, former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin walked free after the court tossed out HYBE's breach of trust accusation, citing 'no criminal evidence.' After a year-long investigation, Seoul's Yongsan Police announced a non-prosecution decision, to which the Bang Si Hyuk-led company fired back with an objection. With NewJeans still caught in the ADOR vs HYBE crossfire, Min's next move was to call out ILLIT. She accused the rookie group of stealing NewJeans' hanbok concept, not just borrowing it, but lifting the look, the mood, and even the moves. BELIFT LAB, ILLIT's agency, has since responded. Also read: NewJeans makes final call on HYBE settlement after reading fans' letters: ADOR issues statement ILLIT, managed by BELIFT LAB (also under HYBE), is a 5th-gen girl group with Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha. The band was formed through the survival show R U Next? and officially debuted earlier this year. During the third court hearing, Min Hee Jin, the former creative force behind NewJeans, told the judge, 'From the styling to the lighting, props, set design, gaze direction of the members, and even the way the photos were framed, ILLIT's hanbok photoshoot looks just like NewJeans'' (via KBIZoom). She also pointed out how the group copied debut strategy, citing NewJeans' first appearance at a Chanel event, and how ILLIT rolled out at a high-profile fashion show soon after. Her legal team claimed even the makeup, hair, and outfits felt lifted, pointing to fans' reactions online, with comments like 'Isn't this NewJeans?' and 'I thought I was looking at a NewJeans update.' Min even flagged choreography, saying ILLIT borrowed sequences from NewJeans' tracks like Attention and Ditto. Also read: Explained: Controversy and drama at Hybe, the K-pop company behind BTS BELIFT Lab fought back the accusations, telling the court that ILLIT's concept is nothing like NewJeans'. They argued that NewJeans leans into a retro Y2K aesthetic with no fixed storyline, while ILLIT follows a 'fantasy princess meets magical girl' theme with its own narrative and world-building. They also pointed out that ILLIT debuted through the reality show R U Next?, where fans saw the journey from day one. In contrast, NewJeans went for a surprise drop, no teasers, no names, just a music video out of the blue, which they called a completely different market strategy. On the hanbok controversy, the agency pushed back hard, saying plenty of K-pop idols have done hanbok shoots in palace backdrops and Min didn't invent the look. 'This claim is baseless and ignores the genre's visual traditions,' they said. As for the choreography, BELIFT Lab argued that moves like hair whips, arm rolls, and sitting poses are standard across K-pop. They cited acts like BTS, Jennie, aespa, G-Dragon, IVE, and ITZY. Letting one group claim ownership over these moves, they warned, would kill creativity and crush fair competition in the industry. While the two seemingly innocent bands are being dragged into the mess, what's really baffling fans is that they've got nothing to do with it. Meanwhile, HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk is now under the scanner, with Korea's financial watchdogs investigating him for allegedly raking in illegal profits during HYBE's 2020 IPO. He skipped out on speaking at a recent hearing, and now it's all going to the prosecutors.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
New Gen K-pop Queens_Why Everyone's Crushing on Anna, Wonhee, and Jiyoo Right Now
Rookie Idols Are Taking Over-And These Three Are Leading the Pack If you thought the K-pop world couldn't get any crazier, hold on to your headphones. The latest rookie idol brand reputation rankings just dropped, and the results are as dramatic as a Bollywood plot twist. According to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute, they analyzed a mind-boggling 50 lakh (5,099,850) data points from June 2 to July 2, 2025, to see which new idols are making the biggest waves online. And guess what? The top three are all queens in their own right: Anna from MEOVV snatched the No.1 spot with a brand reputation index of 3.54 lakh (354,076), which is a jaw-dropping 82.67% jump from last month! Wonhee from ILLIT came in at No.2 with 3.25 lakh (325,376), up 63.88%. Jiyoo from kiiikiii rounded out the top three. For context, last month's rookie idol brand data was around 49.85 lakh (4,985,146), so the buzz is only getting louder. What Makes Anna, Wonhee, and Jiyoo So Popular? Let's break down why these idols are suddenly everywhere: Anna (MEOVV): The internet is calling her "lovable," "pretty," and even "a foodie." Her top keywords? "Teddy," "cat," and-wait for it-"seonji haejangguk" (that's ox blood soup, for the uninitiated). She's got a positivity rating of nearly 89%, so haters, take a seat. Wonhee (ILLIT): She's not just topping charts; she's also winning hearts with her performances and relatable energy. Her brand participation and media buzz are off the charts. Jiyoo (kiiikiii): She's been turning heads since her group's debut and is now officially rookie royalty. If this feels a bit like when a new Bollywood actress suddenly becomes everyone's crush after one hit film, you're not alone. The K-pop fandom moves fast, and these idols are the new "it" girls. The Numbers Don't Lie-It's All About Online Hype What's wild about these rankings is that they're not just about music sales or TV appearances. The brand reputation index is built from: Online participation Media buzz Social communication Community engagement Basically, if you've ever tweeted, posted, or even argued about your favorite idol online, you're part of this data. It's like how Indian fans can make or break a star's career just by trending hashtags or making viral memes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2만원 기부반지 받고 어린이 후원하기 굿네이버스 더 알아보기 Undo For those who love stats: Anna's participation score was 84,368, media score 55,207, social score 72,507, and community score 1.41 lakh (141,994). Wonhee and Jiyoo had similarly impressive numbers. K-pop and Desi Fandoms-More Similar Than You Think Watching these rookie idols explode in popularity feels a lot like seeing a new actor go viral after a blockbuster release. The way fans rally around their faves, create memes, and defend them in comment wars-it's all super familiar. Whether it's K-pop or Bollywood, the power of youth fandom is real, and it's rewriting the rules of celebrity. There's something universal about rooting for the underdog and watching them rise. If you've ever stanned a celeb before they were famous, you know the thrill. This new wave of K-pop rookies is proof that with enough hype (and maybe a few viral moments), anyone can become the next big thing. So, who's your pick for the next superstar? Honestly, seeing how fast these idols are blowing up reminds me of the time a small-town actor suddenly became a household name after one viral movie scene. The energy, the memes, the late-night group chats-it's all the same, just with different music. Maybe that's why K-pop feels so close to our hearts, even from miles away.
