Feeling the Bond with ILLIT, LE SSERAFIM & KATSEYE: "We Became One in Such a Short Time”

Three globally active girl groups—ILLIT, LE SSERAFIM, and KATSEYE—joined forces to release the digital single "ICONIC BY MISTAKE" on June 12th. Oricon News conducted a written interview with all three groups. Here, we share ILLIT's responses.

The collaboration between these three groups—each known for their own distinctive musical style—came to life from a shared hope of one day performing together, after building friendships through dance challenges and other interactions. The three groups appeared together on Mnet's M COUNTDOWN in South Korea, where they gave the first-ever performance of "ICONIC BY MISTAKE." Their stage, showcasing the outstanding performance skills of all three groups, received an overwhelmingly positive response.

In addition, "ICONIC BY MISTAKE" debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated June 27), becoming the highest-charting song by a K-pop girl group on the Hot 100 this year. It also reached No. 25 on the Billboard Global 200 and No. 22 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.

The song further charted at No. 22 on the UK Official Singles Chart Top 100 and No. 25 on Spotify's Weekly Top Songs Global chart for June 12–18.

Beyond the charts, "ICONIC BY MISTAKE" has gained widespread popularity across Asia, North America, South America, and Europe, appearing on Weekly Top Songs charts in 46 countries and regions, highlighting its strong global appeal.

Reflecting on the collaboration with LE SSERAFIM and KATSEYE, WONHEE said, "Even in such a short amount of time, we were able to come together as one and create an amazing stage. It really made me feel how strong the bond between our three groups is." YUNAH added, "While staying true to ILLIT's identity, we were also able to show a new side of ourselves," expressing her confidence in taking on this new challenge.

[Full Interview Comments]

Q: What impressed you most about the two groups you collaborated with? What qualities do you admire or respect, and what inspired you?

MINJU: Right up until we went on stage, we were joking around, smiling, and chatting together. But the moment the music started, the atmosphere completely changed. Everyone became fully focused, and it felt like we instantly became one team. I thought that was really amazing.

MOKA: The song perfectly showcased each group's unique identity, and I thought all three groups were incredibly captivating in their own way. I learned so much from working with them, and the experience was truly inspiring.

Q: During the process of creating this song, was there a moment when you really felt a sense of "sisterhood"? If so, could you share a specific episode?

WONHEE: Since each group was also busy preparing for their own comeback, we didn't have much time to practice, and there were very few opportunities for all of us to rehearse together. Even so, the three groups quickly found our rhythm with one another. In such a short amount of time, we were able to come together as one and create a wonderful stage. I think that really showed how strong the bond between our three groups is.

Q: Since your debut, ILLIT has been loved by so many people. Through this collaboration, what new side of ILLIT did you discover, and what made you feel, once again, that this is what makes ILLIT unique?

YUNAH: The powerful, cool, girl-crush concept was something we hadn't really tried as ILLIT before. Watching each member perform while expressing her own individuality made me feel that we were able to stay true to ILLIT's identity while also showing a fresh new side of ourselves.

IROHA: Practicing and performing together with the three groups gave me so much inspiration from our seniors in LE SSERAFIM and the members of KATSEYE. Since this was a concept that ILLIT had never shown before, I'm really happy that this collaboration gave us the opportunity to present a completely new side of ourselves.