ILLIT, a Korean girl group that debuted in 2024, released their fourth EP, MAMIHLAPINATAPAI, on April 30, 2026. Since their viral debut, “Magnetic,” ILLIT has been releasing music to further set their music identity. MAMIHLAPINATAPAI, however, was a step away from their usual soft, dreamy sound and into a bolder, more energetic sound.
The title track of the album, titled “It’s Me,” is an energetic, fast-paced song. It took a couple of listens for me to warm up to it, but in the end, I do really enjoy the loud EDM-influenced song. My favorite part is the lyrics, which serve as a response to haters who are so obsessed with hating that they may as well be considered fans. The repetition of the lyric, “Who’s your bias? I’m your bias!” in the chorus is a really fun and playful way to hit back at the viewers who are constantly focused on their, often tiny, flaws.
“I feel like it’s an interesting choice, kind of going away from cutesy music to make energetic music, but I enjoyed it,” said senior Sam Liddle.
Mamihlapinatapai, although seeming like a random group of letters, is a word from the Yahgan language of Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago off the southernmost tip of South America. It is translated as “looking at each other, hoping that the other will offer to do something which both parties desire but are unwilling to do.” I think that using this word as the title of the EP is very fitting for ILLIT’s concept because they often utilize a theme of teens catching feelings and developing crushes.
Matching the title of the album, the B-side tracks encapsulate the feeling of youthful love through soft and velvety sounds and vocals. While the title track of MAMIHLAPINATAPAI focused on replying to harsh critics, the rest of the album focused on love, for others and for one’s self. One song that stood out to me among the others was “Love, older you,” it being the gentlest sounding song, and the lyrics being a love letter to one’s younger, more fragile self.
Overall, I think that this was a solid release from ILLIT. They managed to try a new sound in one track while keeping their familiar sweet sound in others. My only criticism is that the songs were quite short, the longest out of the five being only three minutes. With that in mind, I would rate this album a 8/10; every track is well-crafted and worthy of being a hit.
