Bang Si-hyuk Praises ILLIT: "An Exceptional Recording"

K-POP girl group ILLIT says praise from producer Bang Si-hyuk boosted their confidence ahead of its comeback.

The group held a media showcase on Oct. 26 at the Woori WON Banking Hall at Blue Square in Seoul's Hannam-dong neighborhood to mark the release of its fifth EP, "BREAK EVEN."

Asked what advice the group received from Bang while working on the new album, member Minju said they had not met him in person during the album's preparations.

"We were abroad a lot while preparing the album, so we weren't able to meet producer Bang Si-hyuk face to face," she said. "But I heard he said the recording had turned out exceptionally well. Hearing that gave us more confidence as we prepared the album."

The new release follows the success of the group's previous hit, "It's Me." That success, however, also brought some pressure.

"Because we received so much love, there was pressure to do even better," Minju said. "But the pressure became positive motivation. We practiced harder to repay the love we received and wanted to show how much we've grown."

Now in their third year since debut, the group has also changed how it approaches the stage.

"As we gradually gained more experience, I naturally became more ambitious about our music and performances and felt the need to be more professional," said member Yunah. "When we first debuted, everything was unfamiliar, so there was a lot we were cautious about. Now we want to show a more polished version of ourselves."

"BREAK EVEN" tells the story of someone who pours their heart into a crush, only to realize the feelings are one-sided, bringing the relationship to a turning point.

The title track, "You're Under Arrest," is an electro-pop song that compares the experience of mistaking someone's habitual kindness for romantic interest to an arrest operation. Upbeat whistle sounds and sharp synths drive the track.

ILLIT's fifth EP, "BREAK EVEN," will be release on music platforms on Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. KST.