The group's ILLIT's Japanese debut title song was selected as the theme song for a new local TV program.
On the 4th, according to Japanese OTT platform ABEMA, ILLIT (Yoon-a, Min-ju, Mo-ka, Won-hee, Iroha)'s first Japanese single released last month, 'Toki Yo Tomare' (original title 時よ止まれ/ Toki Yo Tomare), and the title track of the same name became the main OST for the model survival show 'Popteen vs egg MODELS CRUSH' (hereafter 'Models Crush').
'Toki Yo Tomare' means 'time, stop' and is a song about sparkling youthful moments you hope will never end. Popular Japanese musician Mulasaki Ima wrote the bouncy lyrics, and ILLIT maximized the charm of disco pop with their distinctive bright energy and fresh vocals. Upon release, the song reached No. 1 on AWA Music's real-time rising chart, one of Japan's major music sites, and ranked No. 4 on Billboard Japan's comprehensive song chart 'Hot 100,' receiving a positive response from local fans.
'Models Crush,' which premieres on the 28th, is a collaborative audition program between teen magazines Popteen and egg. It follows 20 models competing for the cover spot of a collaboration magazine and growing through the competition. ABEMA said, 'Toki Yo Tomare' is an attractive song with lyrics that capture a brilliant moment of youth and an upbeat melody, and it fits the program's purpose of showcasing Gen Z models' challenges.
ILLIT said, 'We are very happy that the title track of our first Japanese single was chosen as the theme song for Models Crush. It's a song that brings back beautiful times, and we hope people enjoy it along with the program.'
ILLIT's songs have been steadily loved in films and commercials. In February they released their first original Japanese song 'Almond Chocolate,' produced as the theme song for the film I Don't Like You Just By Your Face, and stood out on Japanese music charts. That song surpassed 50 million cumulative streams about five months after its release and received a 'Gold' certification in streaming from the Recording Industry Association of Japan, setting the fastest record among songs by foreign artists released this year. In addition, the Japanese single's B-side 'Topping' drew attention after being selected as the music for global fashion brand Lacoste Japan's new sneaker collection commercial.
Meanwhile, ILLIT will appear on MBC's '2025 Chuseok special Idol Star Championship,' which airs from the 6th to the 8th.
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