For the 13th-century Sufi mystic and poet Rumi, love represented far more than an emotion. It was something that consumed every part of life. A modern-day romantic sceptic might dismiss that idea as nothing more than a rather questionable decorative cushion. But for K-pop group ILLIT, love remains at the centre of everything, shaping their stories, their humour and their motivation.

“Since making our debut, we’ve always tried to connect the story of each album with the next. Most of our music has explored romance and love,” the group's youngest member, Iroha, tells NME during a video interview from Seoul. Sitting beside her are fellow members Wonhee, Yunah and Minju, all maintaining impeccable posture. Their journey began with the glitchy electropop hit ‘Magnetic’, which became one of the most inescapable songs of spring 2024. It also made history as the first debut single by a K-pop group to enter the Billboard Hot 100, introducing the group through a story about the excitement and magic of falling for someone.

Since then, the members have continued exploring different sides of romance through the confident affection of ‘Cherish (My Love)’, the nervous excitement of a first date in ‘Billyeoon Goyangi (Do The Dance)’, and, earlier this year, the energetic techno-inspired declaration of your favourite person in ‘It’s Me’, which follows the excitement of an unexpected first meeting.

Initially, their continued focus on love might seem like they're telling the same story repeatedly. However, a closer look at ILLIT's music reveals that their songs have never really been about the person they're falling for. “It’s not really about the crush or the romance itself,” Minju explains. “I think what we wanted to focus on is our emotions, you know? The feelings that we were going through [while in love].” For the four members, these “honest emotions”, driven by one of the most powerful forces in the universe, are reflected in “our songs and our performances, how our emotions are shifting as we go along”.

On their fifth EP, ‘Break Even’, released earlier this week, the group approaches those emotions from a completely different perspective. Taking its name from an economic term describing the point where expenses and earnings balance out, the story follows a romantic protagonist who finally decides to stop investing in a relationship that isn't giving anything back. Rather than continuing to hold on because of everything already invested, she chooses to walk away. Interestingly, this change in direction caught even the members by surprise. “I thought the girl, or the character in the album, would continue being in love. But suddenly we were talking about a break, a break even. So I was a little startled at first!” Iroha recalls with a laugh, as Yunah looks over with a smile.

Throughout its four tracks, the EP takes listeners through different stages of that emotional journey. It begins with a friend's straightforward reality check on ‘Super In Love’, followed by the lively speed-garage track ‘More’, where the protagonist starts seeing things clearly without her rose-tinted glasses. The story then reaches its conclusion with the whistle-led single ‘You’re Under Arrest’, as she finally confronts someone who has been playing with her feelings. Meanwhile, the playful closing track ‘Pop’ hints at a new romantic interest beginning to emerge. Taking on this storyline also meant stepping outside their usual performance style. “Until now, we've mainly shown cute, adorable and cool expressions,” Wonhee explains. “This is the first time we've had to portray someone who's annoyed and angry.” Minju agrees that exploring those emotions “made it feel fresh and like a different challenge”.

Just three days before our conversation, the group had their first opportunity to bring those new characters to life at Incheon's Inspire Arena, where they performed ‘You’re Under Arrest’ in front of an audience for the first time. According to Minju, the fans made their excitement impossible to miss. “I still remember the screams and the cheers that the fans were sending us,” she says. “I was so nervous… I just really wanted to properly pull off the expressions and performance we’d prepared.”

Throughout the interview, the members' determination to remain genuine with their supporters, affectionately known as GLLITs, is evident. Wonhee, who previously described honesty as one of ILLIT's defining qualities, continues to believe that it is essential to everything they create. “To make music that other people can relate to, we have to be honest,” she says confidently.

“I know how hard the members tried over the past three years – all the effort, tears and sweat that they’ve put in” – Wonhee

That commitment has remained important even during some of the group's most difficult experiences. In their debut year, the five members, who were all between 16 and 20 at the time, found themselves caught up in a very public dispute involving their label and its corporate relationships. Much of their early career also involved dealing with comparisons and criticism that they had never invited. Rather than allowing those experiences to define them, the group continued developing, adapting and moving forward, much like the magical characters they have often portrayed throughout their career.

“Things don't always come easily, and I think it's fair to say that our journey hasn't been all roses and rainbows,” Yunah says quietly. “But it was all thanks to our amazing fans, GLLIT… that we were able to make it here.” Wonhee agrees and takes the opportunity to recognise everything her fellow members have overcome together. “I know how hard the members tried over the past three years, all the effort, tears and sweat that they've put in. So I just want to say to them, great job, you know, and let's keep up the good work.”

Their affection for their supporters is clearly returned. A concert video that recently circulated online featured a caption that has since become a familiar expression within the fandom: there is something about ILLIT that makes people feel ‘so happy to be a girl’. Asked about representing and celebrating girlhood, Yunah expresses her appreciation. “We're really grateful,” she says. “The fact that so many are connecting and relating to our stories that we're weaving into our music [makes us want to] keep making stories many people can relate to. We just hope that our music can keep healing them and stir up emotions in their hearts.”

However, one of the most meaningful relationships in ILLIT's story may be the bond shared between the members themselves. Their fellow groupmate Moka was unable to join the interview, having been on hiatus since June to concentrate on her health. Nevertheless, Iroha makes it clear that her absence has not changed the closeness between them. “Moka was still with us in spirit, because she always came to watch our shows… She's always rooting for us and supporting us,” she explains. “It may look like it's only the four of us from the outside, but in our hearts she's right next to us.”

Looking back on the two and a half years since their debut, the members recognise just how much they have changed. Growing up in the public eye has also meant learning to embrace experiences that once made them uncomfortable. “Right after our debut, we used to get nervous all the time,” Minju reflects. “But now we've learned how to enjoy those moments on stage.” Iroha also has some honest advice for her younger self: “That nervousness may never go away 100 per cent, because I'm still a little nervous to this day. But you have to learn to enjoy that nervousness.”

Like any memorable love story, what comes next for ILLIT after ‘Break Even’ remains uncertain. For Minju, however, that unpredictability is part of what makes the group's journey exciting. “You never know. And I think that's the best part about us, that everything is unexpected, unpredictable,” she says. “[We've] grown so much compared to three years ago… so I can't say for sure, but one thing is for certain: we're going to [continue] performing brilliantly on stage.”

ILLIT’s ‘Break Even’ EP is out now via BELIFT LAB.