'We are' now i-dle, girl group announces with new EP

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'We are' now i-dle, girl group announces with new EP

Published: 19 May. 2025, 18:48 Updated: 19 May. 2025, 18:48

SHIN HA-NEE
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Girl group i-dle poses for a photo during a press conference held at Josun Palace hotel in southern Seoul for the release of its eighth EP ″We are″ on May 19. [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]

With the final nail to the coffin for the good ol’ “G” in parentheses, girl group i-dle entered a bold new era with its eighth EP “We are” — the beginning of a so-called “We” series.

The new album’s title is a nod to the quintet’s 2018 debut EP “I am,” which was followed by a series of albums starting with the letter i: “I made” (2019), “I trust” (2020), “I burn” (2021), “I love” (2022), “I feel” (2023)” and “I sway” (2024).

“Just like how our debut album was titled ‘I am,’ the new album marks the beginning of the ‘We’ series,” said member Soyeon — who also produces the group’s music — during a press showcase held at Josun Palace hotel in southern Seoul ahead of the album’s release at 6 p.m. that day.

Girl group i-dle poses for a photo during a press conference held at Josun Palace hotel in southern Seoul for the release of its eighth EP ″We are″ on May 19. [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]

A concept photo for girl group i-dle's ″Good Thing,″ the lead track for its eighth EP ″We are,″ released on May 19 [CUBE ENTERTAINMENT]

“Back then, we were introducing each one of us as individuals making a debut — and now, we are presenting ourselves together as the group i-dle, which also represents a new beginning for us.”

“We are,” which comes 10 months after the girl group’s previous EP “I Sway,” is i-dle’s first new release since the members renewed their contracts with Cube Entertainment last December.

This time, all five members — Soyeon, Minnie, Miyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua — participated in the production of the album, composing and writing lyrics for B-side tracks.

The album consists of six songs: the lead track “Good Thing,” the prerelease “Girlfriend,” “Love Tease,” “Chain,” “Unstoppable,” and “If You Want.”

Members of girl group i-dle speak during a press conference held at Josun Palace hotel in southern Seoul for the release of its eighth EP ″We are″ on May 19. [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]

The lead track is retro-themed electro-pop marked by strong autotune, reminiscent of electronic dance songs that swept up the K-pop scene in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

“When I first heard the song ‘Good Thing,’ it felt so electrifying,” recalled Yuqi. “So I had to text Soyeon to ask, ‘Is this for real?’”

Soyeon, who once again composed the lead track, surprised her fans with a striking new look — platinum blonde short hair.

“I thought the hairstyle would match the vibe of the new song,” the singer said.

Though a bit hesitant at first, Soyeon added, “Now I’m really happy with the new haircut.”

A concept photo for girl group i-dle's ″Good Thing,″ the lead track for its eighth EP ″We are,″ released on May 19 [CUBE ENTERTAINMENT]

The quintet, initially named (G)I-DLE, officially dropped the “G” from its name to “reestablish the group’s identity in that it can’t be defined by any gender,” according to Cube Entertainment’s release on May 2.

“We’ve been planning to drop ‘G’ someday when our name is recognized by more people,” said Miyeon. “We’ve been introducing ourselves as ‘i-dle’ in Korea even before the rebranding, so it feels like we finally got our actual name back.”

During the press event, Yuqi also addressed a recent controversy over her comment implying that artists should receive unlimited free tickets for their concerts, offering an apology.

“I’m sorry for upsetting our fans, and that really was not my intention at all,” Yuqi said, explaining that it was meant as a good-natured joke directed at its agency.

She added, “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Members of girl group i-dle speak during a press conference held at Josun Palace hotel in southern Seoul for the release of its eighth EP ″We are″ on May 19. [DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ]