K-Pop Group ILLIT Wins Prestigious Newcomer Award in Japan Before Official Debut

K-pop group ILLIT has proven their immense popularity in Japan by winning a prestigious newcomer award even before their official debut in the country.

According to their agency, Belief Lab, on the 21st, ILLIT (comprising members Yuna, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha) was selected as the recipient of the 'Newcomer Award' at the 66th Japan Record Awards.

ILLIT expressed their joy, stating, “Our goal for this year was to win a newcomer award, and we are very happy and thrilled to have achieved that dream. We will continue to grow and present new music and performances.”

The Japan Record Awards, organized by the Japan Composer's Association, is a music awards ceremony that began in 1959 and is known for its long-standing tradition and prestige in Japan. It has been 13 years since a K-pop girl group received the newcomer award, with Girls' Generation and 2NE1 being the last to do so. Notably, ILLIT is the first artist to win this award without having officially debuted in Japan.

ILLIT has garnered significant love in Japan with their Korean album this year. Their mini-album 'SUPER REAL ME,' released in March, featured the title track 'Magnetic,' which broke records by surpassing 100 million cumulative plays on the Japan Record Association and Oricon charts in the shortest time for a single track by a female group. True to their reputation for leading short-form trends, the song ranked 5th on TikTok's 'Summer Song of the Year 2024' list in Japan.

Additionally, ILLIT topped various charts, including the 'Tower Records Music 2024 First Half Streaming Ranking' for new artists and the 'Trend Awards 2024' artist category announced by Shibuya109 lab.

Riding on this wave of popularity, ILLIT will also appear on NHK's 'Kohaku Uta Gassen' on December 31st. This year-end special music program is a staple in Japan, featuring artists with widespread popularity and boasting impressive viewership and buzz.

Meanwhile, ILLIT is actively promoting their mini-album 'I'LL LIKE YOU,' with the track 'Tick-Tack.' Known for its addictive melody, 'Tick-Tack' has gained significant traction on various social media platforms, reaching the top spot on the Reels popular audio charts in both Korea and Japan on the 20th.