ILLIT is rapidly evolving into one of K-pop’s most powerful meme-driven acts, as its latest track "It’s Me" sparks a widespread retro revival inspired by 1990s and 2000s pop culture.
According to trends across the music industry and short-form platform ecosystems on May 18, the group’s fourth mini album title track "It’s Me" has continued expanding through organically generated online meme culture, creating new waves of popularity far beyond the original release itself.
One major factor behind the song’s explosive reach has been the agency’s unusually quick response to fan-created mashups. Internet users first combined "It’s Me" with iconic cultural references including Lee Jung-hyun’s techno classic "Wa," PSY’s "Gangnam Style," and comedic moments from the tvN variety show Amazing Saturday featuring Boom. BELIFT LAB later embraced those fan-made trends and developed them into official content.
The group further amplified its generational appeal through short-form videos inspired by nostalgic commercials and famous movie scenes from past decades. As a result, ILLIT has expanded beyond the role of a typical performance-focused idol group, positioning itself as a platform-like cultural playground where audiences actively participate in the fun.
That growing public resonance naturally extended into mainstream television. On May 17, the members appeared as surprise "Morning Angels" on 2 Days & 1 Night Season 4, bringing the same playful and approachable energy seen in their short-form content directly to broadcast audiences and reinforcing their cross-generational appeal.
More than just a successful digital hit, ILLIT’s recent momentum highlights how the group has successfully established a new form of participatory K-pop culture. Rather than simply presenting finished performances for passive consumption, the members have built an environment where audiences actively remix, reinterpret, and share the music together.
Meanwhile, ILLIT’s "It’s Me" recently ranked No. 1 on YouTube’s weekly popular songs chart in Korea, alongside No. 5 in Japan, No. 52 in the United States, and No. 13 globally. The track has also entered TikTok Music’s Viral 50 chart, continuing its strong long-term global momentum.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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