ILLIT Wins Rookie of the Year at Japan Record Awards Before Official Debut


ILLIT (members Yuna, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha) has demonstrated immense popularity in Japan by winning the Rookie of the Year award at the prestigious Japan Record Awards, even before their official debut in the country.


On November 21, Belif Lab announced that ILLIT was selected as the recipient of the Rookie of the Year award at the 66th Japan Record Awards, one of Japan's most respected and long-running music awards ceremonies, hosted by the Japan Composer's Association since 1959.


In their acceptance speech, ILLIT shared their excitement: "Winning the Rookie of the Year award was one of our goals this year, and we are incredibly happy and grateful to have achieved it. We will continue to grow and strive to bring fresh music and performances to our fans."


This is the first time in 13 years that a K-pop girl group has won the Rookie of the Year award, following Girls' Generation and 2NE1. Remarkably, ILLIT is also the first artist to win this award without officially debuting in Japan, making their achievement all the more extraordinary.


ILLIT has already captured significant attention in Japan with their Korean album releases. Their first mini-album, SUPER REAL ME, released in March, saw its title track, "Magnetic," achieve over 100 million streams on Oricon and Japan's Recording Industry Association in record time for a girl group. Known for driving short-form trends, the track ranked 5th on TikTok's Songs of Summer 2024 list in Japan.


Additionally, ILLIT topped various charts, including first place in the Rookie Artist category of Tower Records Music Streaming Rankings for the First Half of 2024 and the Artist of the Year category in the Shibuya109 Lab Trend Awards 2024.


ILLIT is also set to appear on Japan’s iconic year-end music program, NHK's Kohaku Uta Gassen, on December 31. Known for showcasing artists with widespread popularity, the program is a staple of Japanese year-end television, boasting unparalleled ratings and cultural influence.


Meanwhile, ILLIT is actively promoting their second mini-album, I'LL LIKE YOU, with the track "Tick-Tack." The song's addictive melody has become a viral sensation across various social media platforms, recently topping the Popular Reels Audio chart in both Korea and Japan on November 20.


Written by Mun Wan Sik
Translated by Lee So Yun