Latest news with #Yeji
Korea Herald
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Itzy returns with new EP ‘Girls Will Be Girls,' embracing teamwork and emotional connection
Girl group actively discussing contract renewal with JYP Itzy unveiled their 10th EP 'Girls Will Be Girls' on Monday, marking their first release in eight months since last year's 'Gold.' The new record emphasizes unity, friendship and emotional resilience -- a timely message as the group celebrates its sixth debut anniversary. Speaking at a press showcase in Seoul on Monday, member Yeji said the group chose the theme 'us' to reflect their evolving identity. 'This year marks our sixth anniversary and we wanted to share a new message with fans,' said Yeji. 'We've talked a lot about self-love in the past, but this time we wanted to send a message of strength through togetherness.' Yeji, who made her solo debut with the EP 'Air' in March, added that returning to group promotions deepened her appreciation for her bandmates. 'Preparing this comeback right after my solo album made me realize how much I treasure being in a group,' she said. 'With time, our bond has grown stronger, and I often find myself leaning on the members emotionally, both on and off stage.' 'Girls Will Be Girls' features five tracks: the title song as well as 'Kiss & Tell,' 'Locked N Loaded,' 'Promise' and 'Walk.' 'While our past songs focused more on personal stories, this time we wanted to speak as 'us,'' said Chaeryeong. 'That 'us' can mean the members, or Itzy and our fans. Songs like this give us a real boost on stage.' Lia said she hopes the comeback adds a new layer to Itzy's image. 'I think this album really showcases a charismatic side of Itzy that fans haven't seen before,' she said. 'What do you think of 'Charismatic Itzy' as our new title?' The EP's dynamic sound and rich vocal harmonies are paired with the group's signature high-energy choreography and cinematic visuals. The music video for 'Girls Will Be Girls' is complemented by a dramatic trailer directed by star commercial filmmaker Yu Kwang-goeng. The short film tells the story of the members working together to restart Ryujin's heart, a metaphor for rekindling emotional energy as adults. JYP founder and chief producer Park Jin-young also makes a surprise cameo in the trailer. 'The director suggested his appearance, and producer Park agreed right away,' Ryujin said. 'He really helped lift the mood on set. The trailer visualizes how we support each other through life's emotional numbness, highlighting the message of solidarity that runs through the album.' With the group now in its seventh year, the topic of contract renewals naturally came up. 'It's hard to believe it's already been seven years,' Chaeryeong said. 'We're in active discussions with the company, and we hope to share good news with fans soon.' Itzy wrapped up their second world tour 'Born to Be' last year, performing 32 shows in 28 cities. The group is also scheduled to appear at 'Waterbomb Seoul 2025' next month.
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
ITZY On What 10th Mini-Album, ‘Girls Will Be Girls,' Means To Them
ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept The expression 'Girls will be girls!' can mean anything, because girls can be anything. Girls can be powerful, sensitive, kind, loving, brave, fearful, logical, crazy, and many other things. For the K-pop powerhouse ITZY, 'Girls will be Girls' to them means strength, unity, and their bond as a team. It's why it's the title of their 10th mini-album, as well as the main track, out now. The quintet – Yeji, Ryujin, Lia, Chaeryeong, and Yuna – have embodied women's empowerment and confidence since their debut six years ago. 'Our message has been all about loving ourselves, and now, as we celebrate our 6th anniversary, it felt like the right moment to express the bond of being together,' says Yeji. 'We thought it would be a great opportunity to show the teamwork we've built over the past six years.' The team has achieved massive success together in the music industry. Their 8th mini-album BORN TO BE debuted at #2 on Billboard's World Albums charts and #5 on the Top Album Sales chart. Their 2nd World Tour for BORN TO BE had the group traveling across 18 countries, including the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, the UK, and Australia. Last fall, their 9th mini-album, GOLD, became double platinum in Korea. In the U.S., the group had made appearances on MTV's Fresh Out Live, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and NYC's Head in the Clouds Festival. They continue to grow both domestically and internationally. 'I think our team itself was the biggest source of inspiration [for the new mini-album],' Lia says. 'We've become stronger and more solid when we're together, and I believe it all started from the bond we've built since our debut.' ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept Now that the single and EP are out, ITZY gave insight into their music, what it means to them, their growth over the years, and what to expect next. LAURA SIRIKUL: How are you guys doing? How have you been feeling lately? What have you been up to besides preparing the album? YEJI : We're happily preparing for our comeback. Since there are a lot of festivals and events in May, we've been making lots of memories by attending university festivals while also getting ready for our comeback. LIA: These days, I've been spending time preparing for our album, practicing, and managing myself to stay in shape for our comeback! On days when the weather is nice, I try to go out for a walk too. SIRIKUL: What can you tell me about the concepts (outfits, photoshoots, set design) from this EP? What story are you trying to say with this mini-album? YEJI : In the trailer, we showcased a lot of high-teen style outfits and aimed for a casual mood so that everyone could relate. In the music video, we created a sense of tension with a Mad Max-like concept to amplify the image of overcoming anything together. Through this album, we want to convey the message that all the time and effort we've put in as ITZY over the years was only possible because the five of us were together. And it was also thanks to all the people who helped us, [as well as] our MIDZYs who listened to our music and gave us love. It was all possible because all these people were made up as 'us.' LIA: In the teaser, we went for a more casual look — styles that we would actually wear in our daily lives — to better express the message of the album. For the title track, we went with a more charismatic and powerful concept. And for the B-side track, like 'Kiss & Tell,' the styling is more like something people our age would wear when going out and having fun during the summer! SIRIKUL: How does this EP represent this journey you've all been on as a group? RYUJIN : We tried to capture the feeling of continuously upgrading and evolving. CHAERYEONG: It's a song that suits ITZY as we are now, after being together for six years. It also carries the meaning that there's nothing we can't do as long as we're together, which makes it even more special. ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept SIRIKUL: What is your favorite song or lyric from the EP that you feel closely connected to? RYUJIN : This album's tracks are all so relatable and amazing. It is very hard to choose. However, the lyrics in 'Promise' are messages to our fans, which is probably why it stands out in my memory so much. CHAERYEONG: 'Girls Will Be Girls' is the song I'm most attached to! I feel like it really shows the strength and solidarity we have as a group. SIRIKUL: ITZY as a group has always been an embodiment/representation of [strong, badass women]. Who inspires you as an artist? RYUJIN: We're most inspired by our fans, who return the love and courage we give them many times over. CHAERYEONG: We ourselves are our biggest inspiration! We're always reflecting on who we are and imagining who we'll become in the future, constantly thinking about what new sides of us we want to show or express even more to our fans! SIRIKUL: YEJI, you were the first to release your solo album and videos. How has this experience helped you as a member of ITZY and on the EP? YEJI: After experiencing what it's like to do everything alone as a solo artist, I feel like I gained lots of experience during that period. And I think what truly made me happy was realizing that I could bring those experiences and improved skills back to ITZY as a member and use them to strengthen our album. ITZY "Girls Will Be Girls" Concept SIRIKUL: With the EP [now out], what are your plans – will we see another World Tour? Will there be plans for more solo albums from the others? CHAERYEONG: I can't share too much just yet, but I can say that after this album, our focus will likely be on preparing our next group album with the highest quality possible. We're committed to making sure that what comes next reflects our growth and teamwork even better! YUNA: Even after our album release, we plan to continue staying connected with our fans. While the next world tour hasn't been confirmed yet, we are always hoping to meet our fans! SIRIKUL: What message would you want to send to your fans aka MIDZY through your music? RYUJIN: We want to give back that courage and convey a range of emotions through the way we continue to grow and improve. YUNA: We want to share messages of comfort and courage with our fans through our music. ITZY's Girls Will Be Girls is out now.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
New updates about ‘Alice in Borderland' season 3: is ITZY's Yeji going to be the latest addition to the popular thriller survival series? Read on to know more about the possible feature
'Alice in Borderland' managed to become a blockbuster hit as soon as it was released on online streaming platforms. The show's season 3 has been a much-anticipated topic of discussion for the fans of the popular show, and a recent update about the cast has brought forth more buzz online. ITZY's Yeji to feature in 'Alice in Borderland' season 3? The manga-to-live-action has become a major success on a global level, which has brought forth a lot of speculation on online social media platforms and fan forums. One such speculation about new additions to the cast is about ITZY's Yeji joining the next season. While the news may seem exciting, it is completely fake, as per What's On Netflix. The fake news spread like wildfire online after a fan group on a popular social media platform shared that Yeji will be joining Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki's thriller series 'Alice in Borderland' season 3. The original post ended up getting 134,000 reactions and 2,000 comments. The misinformation was later busted. Alice in Borderland, season 3, is still on its way While the news about Yeji may be fake, season 3 of the beloved thriller and survival hit series is still coming! The popular online video streaming platform shared teasers and announcements on their social media platforms about the new season, keeping fans excited and engaged. More about Yeji from ITZY Yeji from popular K-pop girl group ITZY has been a force to reckon with ever since the group debuted. The idol has mainly been focused on growing in the music industry and has so far made a small entry into the world of acting. In a popular K-drama, ' Twenty Again ', the ITZY member featured in a side role as a backup dancer. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Rosé Loves These Low-Key Sneakers
Where Rosé goes, Seoul follows. This past weekend, the solo artist and Blackpink member partnered with Puma to celebrate the latest version of the iconic H-Street sneaker ahead of its June release. To celebrate, the brand kicked things off with a pop-up experience. Fans gathered in crowds outside the venue Layer 41, craning their necks to catch a mere glimpse of the K-pop sensation. The fanfare didn't stop there—other all-star guests included Itsy's Yeji and Squid Game's Yuri Jo. Inside, Rosé toured the immersive installations alongside press and select VIP guests, learning about the history of Puma's sneakers while decked out in her own neon green H-Street pair. 'I think of comfort the most when I head out,' the global ambassador tells ELLE. 'Being able to look cute and comfy all at the same time, whether at rehearsals or in the studio, [working with Puma] has been really rewarding.' For the singer, ease has always been key to her personal style as a performer. As she explains, 'At the very beginning, I didn't understand what made me feel comfortable and what didn't. Now just knowing that, and no matter what other people say, as long as I feel comfortable that's all that matters.' When asked what drew the brand to Rosé and to Seoul, Gregor Abenstein, head of Puma Select, says, 'We very much look to Seoul when we want to see what's next. When we kicked off the Speedcat [sneaker], Seoul was also the first city where we saw the shoes on the feet of the right people. Our Korean team basically gave us the heads up that low profile might be coming back.' Abenstein also explained that they wanted the immersive experience to feel authentic to the venue's neighborhood and the city's style. 'We relied heavily on our partners and the communities that they acquired to help lead us to the heart of the city. From the food that's been chosen, down to the DJs and the nail artists, it has been specifically curated to be part of our cultural community.' As a result, the event tapped vendors including Cold Archive and Inside Tag to curate an installation of interactive art zones. Featuring everything from custom screen-printed T-shirts emblazoned with '___ Sucks' to alien-like nail art, each station complemented the display of archival Puma products. On the main floor, guests were able to walk through the history of the brand, tracing its very first pair of track spikes to the H-Street sneaker's inception in 2003. The Puma H-Street sneakers, including the event's signature neon green colorway, as sported by Rosé, will be available for purchase in late June. You Might Also Like The 15 Best Organic And Clean Shampoos For Any And All Hair Types 100 Gifts That Are $50 Or Under (And Look Way More Expensive Than They Actually Are)
Pink Villa
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Alice in Borderland Season 3: Is ITZY's Yeji part of Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki's survival series? Netflix reveals
Alright, squad, listen up. There's been a lot of noise online claiming Yeji from ITZY is joining the cast of Tao Tsuchiya and Kento Yamazaki's Alice in Borderland Season 3. Spoiler alert: that's fake. K-pop idol Yeji is not part of the cast, so don't get played by those rumors. Everyone's hyped to see what's next, but some sketchy posts are spreading false info that the K-pop idol would join the series. According to What's On Netflix, ITZY's Yeji has no role in Alice in Borderland Season 3. The rumor popped off from a Facebook page run by Gamurs Group, which posted the fake news and racked up 134,000 reactions and 2,000 comments before people caught on. ITZY's Yeji's acting experience is limited to a tiny cameo as a backup dancer in the 2015 K-drama Twenty Again. This would've been her big acting debut on Netflix if it were true. That said, Alice in Borderland Season 3 is definitely real and coming soon, directed by Shinsuke Sato, who's been smashing it with this live-action adaptation. The new season promises crazier games, higher stakes, and more jaw-dropping twists that'll keep fans on the edge of their seats. Netflix officially confirmed the new season, so get ready for more intense games and wild twists—but don't believe everything posted online, especially about Yeji joining. For context, Alice in Borderland is a Japanese Netflix original series based on the manga by Haro Aso. The show's been a massive hit, praised as one of the best manga-to-live-action adaptations Netflix has ever dropped. Fans have been buzzing nonstop about the third season, which is confirmed to drop soon. Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya will be back in Alice in Borderland Season 3. Both actors will reprise their roles as Ryōhei Arisu and Yuzuha Usagi, respectively.
