If you caught my review of the survival show “RU Next?” last year, you’ll know that I have been following the winning six girls for quite some time. Though they underwent hardships leading up to this debut, such as losing a group member and being involved in a few scandals, I had high hopes for their debut EP, “Super Real Me,” released on March 25th. And they did not disappoint! This is my official review and ranking for each of the four songs they released.
4. Lucky Girl Syndrome — This song has an addictive flute melody running through the entire thing, which changes octaves and adds an airy sound to the otherwise typical pop soundtrack. The styling and choreography are also very pink, ephemeral, and playful. The lyrics are (as the title would suggest) about being lucky and happy and believing in yourself. While I definitely love this song, I don’t always gravitate toward it compared to the rest. All of the songs on this EP are a bit short for my liking, but this one has an ending that sounds like a bridge, only it is not followed up by another chorus, which makes the song feel even shorter.
3. My World — This song has my favorite styling and choreography. The girls wear basic black pants and white mock necks, with their hair tied up in various long braided styles. The chorus melody is addictive, and although it is more of an intro than a stand-alone song, coming in at just under two minutes, the production is bubbly and the vocal layering is very satisfying to listen to. The lyrics are similar to the last song, with themes of confidence and taking over the world.
2. Magnetic — This song is the title track, and is currently taking the world by storm. This song topped the charts, and is currently very close to achieving a RAK or PAK (topping all of the four most prevalent charts in Korea), being number one on two charts and number two on the others. This song has tinkly synths and an addictive vocal chop melody for the chorus, along with an adorable choreography that quickly became a popular TikTok dance challenge. I am ADDICTED to this song, and the only reason it did not top my list is because of how stellar their last B side is!
1. Midnight Fiction — THIS SONG IS MAGIC. It is on the softer side, with an almost nostalgic sounding synth featured throughout. It shows the girls’ soft and angelic vocal tones quite well. But then, the chorus picks up with a faster drum beat and fast melody interspersed with the reverbed “midnight fiction,” This song is also on the longer side for this EP, with a bridge and final chorus.
Overall, I think this EP plays into the new trend from NewJean’s debut songs, which is the incorporation of soft synths and fast drums. However, I think ILLIT has a fairytale take on this idea, styled in pastel purples and blues and using tinkling, ephemeral synths that fit in perfectly with the new pop music trend while still being original, thought out and cohesive. This album—though short—is a very cohesive selection that matches the members and the current pop audience base to a T.
Hope you enjoyed my review! What did you think of “Super Real Me?”