The unstoppable force of nature known as Itzy has just released their third EP titled Not Shy, comprised of six songs that challenge our perception of the sound they established early on in their career. With several million streams, an inevitable achievement of crossing one billion music video views, and entirely impressive record sales, the group of five women have cemented a space for themselves in an industry that requires dedication and perseverance. Their artistry remains entirely inventive, displaying versatility through genres and consistently acting as genuine role models to their fanbase (labeled Midzy) around the world.
The group has only been together for just under two years, but in that time, they’ve set a very high bar for what it means to be a rookie group. The women that personify the respectable ideals of Itzy (Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna) undergo countless hours of intense choreography, vocal training, and relentless preparation, so if you’re drawn to the undeniable spark that comes from the group — it’s likely because of the palpable passion they have for crafting exceptional music.
After selling nearly 150,000 copies of their new album in just one week and a video for the first single approaching 100 million views, the new era of Itzy is upon us with one of the strongest, most polished albums this year. We recently spoke with the legendary K-Pop supergroup after the release of Not Shy, and regarding the process of the music video itself, the group’s main vocalist Lia tells us, “Not Shy was a very fast and smooth process. The title song was recorded in a day and was so much fun!”
The music video itself saw many highs for the group, but the group’s youngest and most energetic member Yuna shares her favorite on-set experience, explaining “The walking scene was actually the first scene we shot for the music video [laughs]. It was the most memorable part of the shooting because we started off feeling empowered!” That boldness that they present as a group is a real core part of each member’s individual identity, which is shown through their dedication to music. For example, in the music video, two of the group’s members Yeji and Ryujin actually obtained their driver’s license ahead of filming to accommodate their comeback concept — and Itzy leader Yeji revealed, “The music video was my first time officially driving after getting my license. Naturally, I was very nervous but I wanted to do it well! I actually like driving! It was a lot of fun!”
On the new album, Itzy gets a chance to dabble with music that sounds different from their first few releases, and in some instances experiment with a softer side. Chaeryeong explains her own stylistic preferences in music, sharing, “I think the song ‘Be In Love’ describes my music taste well. Of course, all the songs in the album are nice, but I personally like calm music.” The song “Be In Love” does embrace a mellowed version of the high-energy group, and essentially pivots genres to show their range. Aside from utilizing various styles of music, the group is definitely known for their iconic fashion moments too — and when discussing who has the best day-to-day style, Chaeryeong admits, “Each of us has our own style! But I would choose Lia’s [style].” The dancer, singer, and rapper continues, “Because she has the opposite style of what she wears on stages. She wears a lot of hip streetwear, and she knows how to style her pieces together.”
In under two years, the group has formed a clear bond amongst each member individually, but also with their fanbase, Midzy. In K-Pop, trainees end up living together, forming a bond that is closer than that of your typical bandmate. These women have bonded, and that’s one of the most magical qualities about Itzy. Pertaining to the group itself, Itzy’s main rapper Ryujin tells us, “Our relationships with each other continue to get stronger, and that leads to us feeling more comfortable around each other.” These relationships add depth to the love their fans have for the well-rounded artists, and though they aren’t able to tour currently, they cherish those memories, with main vocalist Lia sharing that her proudest Midzy moment actually comes from a gesture of kindness from Midzy while on tour. Lia explains, “I was so touched and proud of our fans when they showed us the surprise video they made when we were on our showcase tour.”
The aforementioned showcase tour brought the women to several cities across the US to connect with their audience outside of South Korea, and the response was met with the immense love that the group is used to giving back to their fans. The tour was an impressive feat considering their relatively recent introduction, but that’s a testament to how quickly Itzy has proven themselves to audiences worldwide.
With their newest release that holds everything from hard-hitting dance beats to stripped features, or summer anthems, Itzy continues to thrive as K-Pop Queens with a talent that remains unrivaled. Most importantly, each member makes a contribution to Itzy’s success, and their admirable artistry gives us even more reason to appreciate the raw talent of a group that continues to break the mold.
Not Shy is available now on all streaming services, and make sure to check out their Youtube channel for behind the scenes videos, performance rehearsals, fun challenges, and plenty of fun content to enjoy.
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