After overcoming the seven-year jinx and successfully renewing their contract, the group known as (여자)아이들 took their first steps from 'I' to 'We.'
The members of (여자)아이들 (Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Woogie, Shuhua) held a press conference for the release of their mini album 'We are' on the 19th at the Chosun Palace Seoul Gangnam in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul.
Beginning with their debut song 'LATATA,' which was released on May 2, 2018, the group has been loved for hit songs including 'Oh my god,' 'DUMDi DUMDi,' 'Fire,' 'TOMBOY,' 'Nxde,' and 'Queencard.' Last year, they topped domestic and international music charts with the title track 'Super Lady' from their second studio album '2' (Two) and sparked a resurgence with the track 'I dislike being sick' (Fate). They subsequently solidified their position as a 'global music powerhouse' with the title track 'Klaxon' from their mini album 'I SWAY.'
'We are' is a new album released approximately 10 months after the mini album 'I SWAY,' released last July. As this album follows their first win at a music awards ceremony after 7 years and the members all renewed their contracts with CUBE Entertainment last December, it has garnered significant anticipation.
In particular, with the contract renewal and new album announcement, the group has removed the 'woman' and 'G' from their name formerly used as (여자)아이들 (G)I-DLE, reestablishing their identity as a group that cannot be defined by any gender. They also conducted a listening session for the new song with a funeral concept, signifying sending off 'G' and expressed their determination to show limitless music and concepts.
Along with this, the group's new logo and symbol were also unveiled. The logo, consisting of lowercase 'i d l e,' features points that expand in a circular shape, using structural design principles of points, lines, and surfaces to symbolize the group's infinite possibilities and organic connections. In particular, the symbol formed by five i's coming together in a star shape signifies the members' individual personalities uniting to become a single, integrated group.
Regarding the contract renewal, Soyeon stated, 'The process of contract renewal itself brought us great happiness more than it helped the creative process. It's because the members can be together once again. Coming together is not an easy process. In a way, it helped creativity. It has become an opportunity for us to bond closer and be motivated to work hard. While it wasn’t due to conditions that helped, it can benefit artists, but if the company's conditions worsen, we cannot survive, so we renewed our contract under conditions that allow us to work hard together.'
Regarding the name change, Miyeon said, 'I was puzzled by having 'woman' in parentheses since debut. I had mentioned that when the name became known and we got better, we should drop it. When explaining and greeting, we’ve always said '아이들,' so I feel like we have found the name. I’m happy to be able to start again under the name 아이들 while renewing our contract and releasing a new album. Many people were confused. You can simply call us 아이들.'
The mini album 'We are,' marking their first release after the contract renewal, symbolizes the transition from 'I' in the 'I' series that started with their debut album 'I am' to 'We,' telling the story of 'us' that will continue together. Soyeon explained, 'Just as the debut album was 'I AM,' 'WE ARE' marks the beginning of the 'WE' series. If the debut album announced our arrival, this album represents our introduction. Even though it’s our 8th year, it's our 7th anniversary, and I wanted to convey the meanings of starting anew and introducing ourselves.'
The title track 'Good Thing' features the group's signature cool and confident lyrics. The retro sound instruments that lead the track and the witty 8-bit sound in the second verse add a sensory mood to the song. The choreography featuring 'thumbs up' as a key point and the catchy hook garnered significant attention prior to its release.
This album includes a total of six tracks, including the title track 'Good Thing' and the pre-release track 'Girlfriend,' along with 'Love Tease,' 'Chain,' 'Unstoppable,' and 'That's Okay.' Each member—Woogie on 'Love Tease,' Minnie on 'Chain,' Miyeon on 'Unstoppable,' and Shuhua on 'That's Okay'—contributed, adding meaning as the album signals a new start as 'us.'
Soyeon expressed satisfaction, saying, 'From the planning stage of this album, we had the desire for all members to participate in writing lyrics and composing. I was worried if the members would be able to do well. I was unsure if Shuhua, as a foreign member, could be a lyricist, but she did great. So I was very happy. The album's color became more diverse.'
Regarding her involvement in the song's creation, Shuhua said, 'Soyeon asked if I wanted to participate in writing songs, and although I was nervous, she said she would help a lot. I gained courage believing that. Next time, I want to try composing as well.' Miyeon added, 'Previously, the members made great songs which influenced me. I started writing lyrics, and this time I participated in composing and got a song included. In my previous self, I wouldn’t have tried but thanks to the members, I gained courage and confidence. Since it's my first time, I hope you enjoy it.'
Woogie described 'Love Tease' as 'a song that expresses myself. It’s a disco genre. Rather than focusing on the story, I paid attention to the melody. I made the chorus catchy so it could be addictive. In the past, I often wrote for myself, but this time I considered the members while writing.' Minnie commented on 'Chain,' saying, 'Since it's a new chapter for us, I wanted to describe a relationship that is tied together like a chain. Since it’s a firmly tied chain, you can think of it as our relationship or consider it as a romantic relationship. It’s up to interpretation, but it contains my dreamy and sexy style. The lyrics are direct and express emotions that are not often addressed.'
Miyeon reflected on 'Unstoppable,' saying, 'I thought about what kind of song would help if I wrote one, so I started with a genre that I like and can do well. During the process, I worried that this song might deviate from the genre (여자)아이들 usually does, but I didn’t know why I worried because once the members' voices were added, it became the (여자)아이들 genre. My trust in the members grew stronger. The guide was done with my voice, but as soon as the members' voices were added, the completeness increased. I was so happy about that.' Shuhua talked about 'That's Okay,' stating, 'For the first time in 8 years since debut, I wrote lyrics, and it was so much fun. You can think of the lyrics as a letter to my past self. Overall, I wrote it in Korean and presented 3 versions, improving the quality with Soyeon's help.'
Returning with a rebranding, Woogie remarked, 'I don’t know why I said this before, but I once mentioned I would shave my head if we topped Billboard. This time, when I asked Soyeon, she said we’re aiming for No. 1 on Billboard. I really hope we achieve it.' Soyeon expressed, 'Since we challenged ourselves anew with this album, the colors of (여자)아이들 are diverse. I want to instill the thought that you will be able to see more fun things from us in the future. Previously, we often spoke about wanting to succeed, but this time while renewing our contract, we pondered what direction we should head and the answer is to want to last a long time in various ways. We want to be artists who can work outside of genre, concept, and color without feeling out of place.'
Meanwhile, (여자)아이들’s mini album 'We are' will be released on various music streaming sites on the 19th at 6 p.m.
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