In what’s becoming a clear pattern, ILLIT are the latest HYBE-associated K-pop act to see record-breaking success on the charts with their debut Magnetic. Many fans have become upset about their persistent comparisons to NewJeans, but although the details may be unique for each act, I think the observation is apt. We need a name for this new sub-genre of K-pop: airy, two-minute earworm tracks that feel more like calorie-free appetizers than the main course.
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong or bad about these songs. They certainly succeed at what they’ve set out to do, and there’s often great care taken with the intricacies of their production. It’s just not really my thing, and I’m not sure it ever will be. I expect something bigger more resonant and vibrant in my pop music. Maybe it’s a generational issue.
This is my long way of saying ILLIT’s follow-up track Lucky Girl Syndrome is absolutely fine, even if it does little for me. It’s effervescent, buoyed by candy floss melodies and an understated performance that gives it a youthful charm. The energy stays sprightly throughout, but the whole package is so smooth and sanitized that it robs the music of passion. There’s no sense of emotion or intensity, which makes it difficult to form any response beyond a requisite “hey, that’s kind of catchy!” Try as I might, I can’t see how songs of this style carve an enduring legacy ten or twenty years down the line. It all feels so transient, wafting into your life for two and a half minutes as a pleasant little fever dream.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5