Among K-pop fans, ILLIT has long been known as a group of “magical girls.” While many have labeled them as such, the group had never officially declared themselves magical girls. This ambiguity led fans to speculate endlessly: were the members truly magical girls, or was it simply a dream they aspired to? With their third mini album 《bomb》, ILLIT finally reveals their transformation from ordinary girls into true magical girls, officially unveiling this narrative for the first time.
To understand what a “magical girl” means to ILLIT and the message they aim to convey, it’s worth tracing the clues embedded in their journey since debut.
The impression that “ILLIT are magical girls” was first cemented through their debut album. The group’s overarching concept revolves around two worlds: “SUPER ME” and “REAL ME.” “SUPER ME” represents imagination and a transcendent version of the members, while “REAL ME” reflects their authentic, real-life selves. Their debut album 《SUPER REAL ME》 blends these two worlds, presenting the unpredictable and lively imagination of real teenage girls. However, visually, audiences are more likely to feel drawn toward the “SUPER ME” side.
This is largely due to the imagery in their title track “Magnetic.” With princess-like outfits reminiscent of anime heroines, dreamy pastel-toned backgrounds, and recurring appearances of mythical creatures like unicorns, the music video portrays a world closer to fantasy than reality. Scenes of telekinesis, magical transformations in rooms filled with elegant dresses, and dancing under moonlight all reinforce the idea that they could indeed be magical girls.
Their popularity was also fueled by borrowing the aesthetic of 1990s magical girl anime. Fans quickly began drawing parallels to classics like Sailor Moon and Full Moon wo Sagashite, eagerly searching for inspirations behind the concept. However, despite these similarities, the group never explicitly confirmed the “magical girl” identity at the time. It was more convincing to interpret them as real girls dreaming of becoming magical girls rather than being one already.
ILLIT is fundamentally a group built on the idea of limitless potential: “you can become anything.” Being magical girls is just one of those possibilities. This interpretation is supported by the ending of the “Magnetic” music video, where the members fall asleep on a bed, and lyrics from “Midnight Fiction” hint that the story may simply be a product of their imagination.
So why do ILLIT dream of becoming magical girls? The group aims to tell stories about the world as they see it. While they believe their personal stories are meaningful, they are not necessarily about saving the world. Instead, the magical girl motif reflects how teenage girls often view magical girls as their inner heroes. When faced with real-life struggles, teens naturally imagine having magical powers to overcome them. Similarly, love a recurring theme in ILLIT’s music represents one of the first overwhelming emotions they encounter. In this sense, the essence lies not in whether they are magical girls, but in the stories they want to tell through that idea.
The release of 《bomb》 marks a turning point, where ILLIT reinterprets the magical girl concept and defines what “magic” truly means to them.
Through this album, ILLIT fully evolves into magical girls. This is evident in the title track, which samples “Elegant Escape” from the anime The Five Star Stories, as well as lyrics resembling magical chants like “dream-nyang” and “doomchit-nyang.” However, the key point is that these magical girls originate from ordinary reality. Unlike the all-powerful figures often seen in fiction, ILLIT’s magic is not physical power it is the inner strength of believing in oneself.
This narrative is clearly depicted in the music video for “little monster,” which also serves as the album’s brand film. The video begins with the members trapped in a confined space, looking gloomy as their magic wands are taken away. This symbolizes the loss of childhood innocence after confronting the reality that magic may not exist. Without the ability to dream, only negative emotions remain.
The turning point comes when the “monsters” inside their hearts transform into jelly-like forms. These jellies approach the trapped members, who then consume them. As they do, their expressions brighten. Once all the jellies are consumed, the confined space shatters, and the members transform into magical girls, soaring into the sky.
To understand this, one must look at the message of “little monster.” The song portrays anxiety and stress as monsters within oneself. By “eating” these monsters, the members symbolically overcome their negative emotions and move forward.
This raises the question: how do they become magical girls afterward? Earlier, their magic wands were taken, symbolizing the loss of hope. However, later scenes reveal that the wands still exist deep within them, indicating that magic was never truly lost it simply wasn’t the kind of all-powerful force they once imagined. By overcoming their inner struggles, the members discover that true magic lies in self-belief and emotional resilience.
ILLIT redefines the concept of a magical girl not as a perfect being, but as someone who confronts anxiety and reality and continues moving forward. This power exists within everyone. If you are overcoming your struggles and growing, then you, too, are a magical girl.
Having realized this, the members grow into individuals capable of understanding not only their own world but also others’. Scenes of them opening doors in the brand film symbolize this expansion.
From “Magnetic” to “Cherish (My Love),” ILLIT’s focus was primarily on their own emotions. Lyrics like “I can’t resist this shining excitement, cooperate, you gotta” and “I’ll protect my feelings until the end” emphasize this. However, in the title track “Do the Dance,” while they still stay true to their emotions, there is also a clear desire to explore a broader world. The members venture into crowded city spaces and even ride a Ferris wheel, signaling a shift beyond their imagined worlds.
The key takeaway is that after realizing their inner “magic,” they become figures capable of understanding others and empowering real-world girls. Perhaps the story unfolding from here is the true narrative ILLIT wants to share with the public.
Their identity defined by anime-like music, sparkling outfits, and transformation-inspired choreography has been widely loved. While some critics argue that this image feels distant from realistic teenage life, understanding that magical girls symbolize inner courage makes it harder to dismiss their concept as unrealistic.
The message “believe in your potential and live boldly” resonates deeply. Even if one does not view magical girls as heroes, ILLIT’s music offers a sense of positivity worth revisiting. As the group continues forward with their playful and vibrant energy, it will be exciting to see what kind of magical stories they tell next.
Sources: Daum