(G)I-dle
(G)I-dle (), stylized in all caps, is a South Korean girl group formed by Cube Entertainment in 2018. The group consists of five members: Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua. Originally a sextet, Soojin left the lineup on August 14, 2021. (G)I-dle debuted on May 2, 2018, with the single "Latata" from their first extended play (EP) "I Am". They debuted in Japan under U-Cube with "Latata" on July 31, 2019. After signing with Republic Records in the United States in 2020, the group released their third EP "I Trust", which made them only the fourth  girl group to sell 100,000 copies of an album in its first week. Their 2020 single album "Dumdi Dumdi" became the second best-selling single album by a girl group of all time. Since their debut, (G)I-dle have released one studio album and six EPs, as well as singles such as "Latata", "Hann (Alone)", "Senorita", "Uh-Oh", "Lion", "Oh My God", "Dumdi Dumdi", "Hwaa" and "Tomboy". Unlike most K-pop girl groups, (G)I-dle are directly involved in the creation of their music; in particular, Soyeon has helped write and produce a majority of the group's songs, and  Minnie and Yuqi have also co-written numerous album tracks. Dubbed "monster rookies" of 2018, (G)I-dle have since been considered one of the most successful South Korean girl groups from outside of the "big three" record labels. Name. In an interview with "The Star", group leader Soyeon revealed that the name "Idle" came to her when she was composing the "Idle Song". She suggested it to the Cub Entertainment, and the name was finalized after undergoing internal competition. However, the name received mixed reactions in South Korea and internationally since "아이들" ("aideul") means "children", and "idle" in English refers  to someone who avoids work. Accordingly, the group was renamed (G)I-dle, with the "I" standing for individuality, the hyphen showing that the name has been divided into two parts, and "Dle" ("deul") as the plural form of "I" in Korean to indicate a group of six different personalities gathering together. When the name is stated aloud, the "G" enclosed in parentheses is not included. Following their return as a quintet, on an episode of 1theK Original's IDDP released on the March 15, 2022, the group confirmed they would like to be referred to verbally as "I-dle". History . Pre-debut activities. Soyeon was a female trainee who represented Cube Entertainment in the survival show "Produce 101", peaking at 10th place on the fifth episode. However, she did not become a member of the winning girl group, I.O.I. Soyeon also competed in the third season of the rap competition reality show "Unpretty Rapstar", finishing as the second runner-up. She later debuted as a soloist, releasing two digital singles, "Jelly" and "Idle Song". Miyeon previously trained under YG Entertainment between 2010 and 2015, leaving the company after unknown complications regarding her debut with Blackpink and attending a vocal academy . Before joining Cube Entertainment, she was a freelance singer and appeared as an associate singer with Lim Seul-ong in Urban Zakapa's Canada Tour in September 2016. In 2017, Miyeon had a small part in Lim Seul-ong's "You" music video. Soojin was a former trainee under DN Entertainment in 2015. She trained as a member of the girl group Vividiva with the stage name N.NA but left before the group's debut. Minnie featured in Line Friends' album "Dance Party", which was released in November 2017. In September 2017, Shuhua appeared alongside Yoo Seon-Ho in 10 cm's "Pet" music video. On April 5, 2018, Cube Entertainment revealed the name of their upcoming girl group, (G)I-dle. Before their debut, Cube unveiled the lineup to the public through Dingo Music's dance busking at Hongdae, Seoul. The busking performance video exceeded two million views on YouTube less than three weeks after its initial upload on April 15, 2018. 2018: Debut with "I Am" and "Hann (Alone)". (G)I-dle released their debut EP "I Am" on May 2, 2018, with "Latata" serving as lead single. The video for "Latata" exceeded 5.9 million views within the first week , and the EP debuted at number 13 on the Gaon Album Chart issued on May 10. "I Am" also debuted at number seven and peaked at number five on "Billboard"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s World Albums chart on May 9. One week after release, "Latata" debuted at number 35 on Gaon Digital Chart on May 17. (G)I-dle received their first-ever music show win on SBS MTV's "The Show" on May 22, twenty days after their debut. On June 5, they entered "Billboard"'s Social 50 Chart for the first time, charting at number 36. In June, a survey carried  out between thirty-five participants in the South Korean music industry named (G)I-dle to the "Next Generation of K-pop" category with 39 points overall. On August 6, the group held a small concert and recorded a flash-mob performance of "Latata" in Times Square and Washington Square Park. On August 14, (G)I-dle's first digital single "Hann (Alone)" was released. Within 24 hours, the music video surpassed 4.9 million views on YouTube. "Hann" topped domestic music charts including Bugs, Genie and Olleh Music on August 16 and peaked at number two on the "Billboard" World Digital Song  Sales chart. (G)I-dle received their first music show win for the song on "Show Champion" on August 29. In September, the group made their first appearance at KCON in Thailand. In November, Riot Games released the song "Pop/Stars" by a virtual girl group called K/DA, featuring vocals from Soyeon as Akali and Miyeon as Ahri alongside American singers Madison Beer and Jaira Burns. They performed the single at the "League of Legends" World Championship, and it reached number one on the "Billboard" World Digital Sales chart. Throughout the rest of 2018, (G)I-dle won several rookie awards  at major Korean year-end music award shows, including the Asia Artist Awards, Gaon Chart Music Awards, Genie Music Awards, Golden Disc Awards, Korea Popular Music Awards and Melon Music Awards. 2019: "I Made", "Uh-Oh", Japanese debut and "Queendom". (G)I-dle released their second EP, "I Made", on February 26, 2019. The EP contains five songs, including the lead single "Senorita", written and composed by Soyeon and Big Sancho. On June 26, (G)I-dle released their second digital single, "Uh-Oh". The song ranked number 22 on NetEase Cloud Music China for the first half of 2019, making them  the only K-pop group on the chart. In July, (G)I-dle held their first performance in the United States during the annual KCON convention and music festival at Javits Center, New York City. They later held a live showcase at the Mainabi Blitz Akasaka on July 23. The showcase sold over 1,000 tickets with 1,500 attendees. It was reported that around 15,000 people applied to attend, although many were unable to attend due to the venue's capacity. On July 31, (G)I-dle debuted in the Japanese market with the release of their EP "Latata". On August 19, they  collaborated with makeup brand Kate to release a spin-off music video of "Latata (Japanese ver.)". (G)I-dle subsequently participated in a reality girl group survival show created by Mnet called "Queendom". In the first preliminary round, (G)I-dle finished in first place after performing "Latata" re-imagined with a concept of shamanism. The introduction of the performance, Minnie's Thai "enchantment", was well received and was widely discussed among both Korean and Thai fans. In the second preliminary round, (G)I-dle reinterpreted 2NE1's "Fire" but finished in last place. In September, it was reported that Cube Entertainment would  partner with e2PR and Strategic Communications to establish a new promotion team to handle (G)I-dle's international public relations. That same month, the group held their first fan meeting, Welcome to the Neverland"," at the Yes24 Live Hall in Seoul. Tickets to the show sold out in two minutes. On October 4, (G)I-dle performed as first-time headliner at the Spotify On Stage Jakarta. They were one of the six acts, including Rich Brian, Ateez, and others. On October 5, the group appeared on , a KBS reality television singing competition, the group's first appearance on the program . They performed a rendition of Koyote's "Sad Dream" as a part of the group's 20th anniversary. (G)I-dle performed "Put It Straight (Nightmare Version)" for "Queendom"'s Fan-dora's Box round. The stage performance reached one million views after fourteen hours of release, and (G)I-dle placed fourth in the round. On October 25, (G)I-dle released "Lion" as part of the EP "Queendom Final Comeback". By November 2019, the live performances of "Latata" and "Fire" surpassed 11 and 13 million views, respectively. (G)I-dle finished the show in third place. "Lion" became a sleeper hit, gaining  popularity due to their stage concept and re-entering real-time charts of various music sites. A music video for the song was released on November 4, surpassing five million views in two days. "Lion" debuted at number 13 on the World Digital Song Sales and peaked at number five. Meanwhile, the single rose eighty-nine spots to number 19 on the Gaon Digital Chart and topped China's QQ Music Korean Song chart for two consecutive weeks. On December 21, (G)I-dle performed their hit singles at the 2020 Tainan Christmas & New Year Eve Party at Tainan City, Taiwan . Their segment was the most-viewed of the event, with an audience of 80,000 people. 2020: "I Trust", I-Land: Who Am I online concert, "I'm The Trend", "Dumdi Dumdi" and "Oh My God". On January 28, the group announced their first world tour , which would play in 32 different cities around the world. Later, it was announced their opening show in Bangkok and new album in mid-March were postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak to ensure the health and safety of the artists, fans, and staff. On January 31, the group appeared on "Two Yoo Project Sugar  Man 3" to perform Minnie's composed and rearranged version of "Show", originally Kim Won-jun. On March 26, (G)I-dle was announced as part of the lineup of the 2020 Twitch Stream Aid, a 12-hour live-streamed charity concert aiming to raise money for COVID-19 relief, on March 28. They were the first female K-pop group to participate. On April 6, the group released their third EP titled "I Trust" with "Oh My God" as its lead single. The album consists of five songs, including an English-language version of the title track. In conjunction with the  release of "I Trust", (G)I-dle signed with Republic Records to help break into the American market. The album recorded over 91,311 pre-orders, making it their most pre-ordered EP, and became their highest-selling album, with 100,000 physical copies sold in three days. "I Trust" debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart, (G)I-dle's first number-one album in South Korea; achieved their highest-ever position on "Billboard"'s World Albums chart at number four; and set a record for a South Korean girl group by topping the iTunes Top Albums chart in 62 countries worldwide. The music  video for "Oh My God" broke their personal views record, amassing 17 million views within its first day of release, and won 2020 BreakTudo's International Music Video. It was also nominated for the 2020 MTV Video Music Award for Best K-Pop Video. The song also marked the first time the group appeared on the Scottish Singles Chart and charted at number 97, becoming only the third K-pop artist and the second female act to appear on the chart. (G)I-dle's live promotions for "Oh My God" won four music show awards, including their first grand slam  public broadcast win on KBS's "Music Bank", SBS's "Inkigayo" and MBC's "Show! Music Core". On May 6, (G)I-dle entered "Rolling Stone"'s Top 25 Breakthrough chart as the only K-pop group to chart for the month of April at the top 20 spot with a unit growth of 3.3 million and over 5.5 million total on demand audio streams in the U.S. In May, (G)I-dle released the official English version of their debut song "Latata" on May 15. On May 31, the group announced that they would be joining the 32-artist lineup at  KCON:TACT 2020 Summer on June 23. The group was expected to release two albums in the second half of the year, including a digital single, according to an EBest Investment & Securities Co., Ltd researcher. (G)I-dle held I-Land: Who Am I as an online pay-per-view concert scheduled on July 5 instead of what would have been their first world tour. They performed songs from their debut album as well as "I'm the Trend", composed by Minnie and Yuqi, to a live audience of 11,000 real-time viewers. Subsequently, the group released the digital single, along  with its music video on July 7 as a special present for their fans. On August 3, (G)I-dle released their first single album "Dumdi Dumdi", with a lead single of the same name. With the release, "Dumdi Dumdi" ranked as the second best-selling girl group single album in history, with 94,587 initial sales. However, the song had a slow rise on the Gaon and "Billboard" charts. It debuted at numbers 27 and 15 on the Gaon Digital Chart and the US "Billboard" World Digital Song Sales chart and later peaked at numbers eight and 13, respectively. On iTunes , the song topped in 42 regions in the world. The music video for "Dumdi Dumdi" garnered over 17.6 million views in a single day, breaking their previous record with "Oh My God". The group ended promotions winning first place for two weeks in a row on "Show Champion", "M Countdown" and "Inkigayo", making "Dumdi Dumdi" the group's most-winning title track. On August 26, they made their first Japanese comeback with the release of their second extended play, "Oh My God", along with the Japanese versions of "Oh My God", "Uh-Oh", "Senorita", "Dumdi Dumdi" and an original Japanese  track titled "Tung Tung (Empty)", composed by Minnie. On August 27, (G)I-dle resprised their roles as Akali and Ahri in K/DA for the song "The Baddest", featuring American singers Bea Miller and Wolftyla. It was also announced that they were to be featured on the title track "More" with the original lineup Beer and Burns, along with Chinese singer Lexie Liu, released on October 28. Both songs charted at number one on "Billboard" World Digital Song Sales and were included in K/DA's first EP "All Out". In November, (G)I-dle held an online fan meeting, called  GBC in the Neverland, through Global Interpark; "GBC" is the shortened title for "(G)I-dle Broadcast Club". At the end of the year, (G)I-dle's I-Land: Who Am I concert ranked at number eight for Interpark's Annual Concert in 2020 and the second highest selling online music concert behind Iz*One Online Concert "Oneiric Theater", which ranked fourth overall. 2021: "I Burn", focus on members' solo activities and Soojin's departure. On January 11, the group released their fourth EP, "I Burn", with its lead single, "Hwaa". According to Hanteo Chart, "I Burn" debuted at number one on  the daily album chart with 75,510 copies sold. The album also debuted atop the Gaon Retail Album Chart, with 59,086 copies sold. The music video for "Hwaa" reached 10 million YouTube views in 29 hours. Two days later, the album was reported to have charted on the iTunes Top Album charts in 51 countries, including the Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Italy and Finland. For the first time since their debut in 2018, all songs from "I Burn" was charted on the Melon chart. "Hwaa" topped domestic charts and attained commercial success on "Billboard" charts, peaking at number five  on K-pop Hot 100 and number eight on World Digital Songs. The song also topped on NetEase Music's real-time chart and weekly K-pop chart for two consecutive weeks after release. "Hwaa" also achieved 10 music show wins, the most since their debut in 2018; (G)I-dle was also awarded a triple crown for "Hwaa". On January 27, (G)I-dle released the official English and Chinese versions of "Hwaa". Songwriting credits for the Chinese version of "Hwaa" were given to Yuqi, the group's Chinese member. On February 5, (G)I-dle released a version of "Hwaa" remixed  by Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, the band's first collaboration with foreign artists. On March 4, it was announced that Soojin would go on hiatus following alleged bullying accusations from former classmates. On April 29, (G)I-dle released the song "Last Dance" alongside Universe. Due to Soojin's hiatus, Universe and Cube Entertainment redistributed her vocal parts amongst the remaining five active members in the group. The single peaked at number 142 on the Gaon Digital Chart and at number 16 on the Billboard World Digital Songs Sales chart. Yuqi became the second (G)I-dle member to debut as a  soloist, with the release of her debut single album "A Page" on May 13. The album consists of two lead singles, "Giant" and "Bonnie and Clyde", with the concept of "A page of Yuqi's autobiography story and endless possibilities". On May 21, it was announced that Soyeon was in the final stages of preparing for her comeback, slated for a June release. She released her first solo EP "Windy" on July 5. On August 14, 2021, Cube Entertainment announced that Soojin departed from the group and that (G)I-dle would continue as five-member group thereafter. 2022: "I Never  Die". On January 17, (G)I-dle performed as a five-member group for the first time as part of the Expo 2020 in Dubai on South Korea's country day. On February 24, it was announced that (G)I-dle would return with their first studio album, "I Never Die", and its lead single "Tomboy" on March 14, their first release as a five-member group. Miyeon will become the group's third soloist with the release of her first extended play, "My", on April 27. Image and artistry. Image. (G)I-dle have been praised for their musicality and ambiguity. According  to industry specialists and marketing researchers, the group was noted to embody the spirit a group like 2NE1 once had, adapted to today's sensibilities. The group has been recognized for being a "self-producing" idol group, breaking stereotypes of female idols. The youngest group to appear on "Queendom", the members were actively involved in conceptualizing their own music videos, jacket photoshoots, song arrangements, choreography, and outfits. Instead of appealing to the opposite sex with their femininity, (G)I-dle instead cultivated a fanbase, collectively referred to as "Neverland", backed by a high number of women and girls; around 70% of  listeners of "Oh My God" on Melon were female. Natalie Morin from Refinery29 described (G)I-dle as a group of individuals with different but complementary energies. She called them "bold and sensual", characteristics which she opined set them apart from other K-pop girl groups. "Mor.bo" complemented their sonic diversity and willingness to try different musical styles. "Elle" magazine named the group "independent musicians and artists", contrary to typical girl groups' concepts that work within a mould made by someone else. Idology describes the members of (G)I-dle as "good actors, which is something that idols need to be in  order to express a variety of stories and emotions" with "a strong determination to show something different and benefited from being able to produce themselves". Chun Yoon-Hye of "HeraldPop" called (G)I-dle "a group filled with skills and confidence" who "engraved their presence by successfully expressing their exceptional concepts during "Queendom"" and "gone from super rookie to trending girl group". Choi Ji-sun, a pop music critic and author, discussed how the music industry limited idols, especially female ones, and named (G)I-dle and their performance of "Lion" on Mnet's "Queendom" as an example of change. Choi praised  the song as a "rare case of calling a female wild beast" and stating that he enjoyed "Soyeon's leading creativity" and how they were "integrating the message and the stage". BBC World Service named the group as one of girl groups breaking gender stereotypes. Influences. (G)I-dle revealed that they deem Hyuna, then their labelmate and senior, as a role model in May 2018. Yuqi stated, "I grew up dreaming of becoming a singer after seeing Hyuna sunbae-nim. I want to become a sexy and cute singer like [her]. My mother played her music during preschool. That seems  to have influenced me." Shuhua also noted, "Since I was young, I loved dancing with my friends. I want to stand on stage together." Musical style, themes, and stage. (G)I-dle's songs have explored many genres, including various styles of moombahton ("Latata", "Hann (Alone)", and "Dumdi Dumdi"), Latin pop ("Senorita"), boom bap ("Uh-Oh"), and urban hip hop ("Oh My God"). In the idol industry saturated with songs with themes of love and farewell, the group's song "Lion" diverges from the characteristics of a typical girl group song with lyrics that compare one's dignity to that of  a lion. On "I Trust", the group further experimented with elements of EDM trap, hip hop and urban music, with themes of self-love and self-trust. Taylor Glasby of MTV noted that (G)I-dle songs are "steeped in their very essence—a girl's complex, internal house of mirrors constantly being broken, assessed, understood, and remade, where one style or sound is never enough to reflect who they are." She praised the group's eclectic musical identity and how their lyrics "push back" and can be either "can be boring nonchalance or sharpening desire". Writing for "Herald Pop", Kim  Na-yul stated that (G)I-dle's music can only be performed by them and that they made a good impression on the public. Melon's magazine described (G)I-dle's unique music as their "most powerful weapon." "Korea JoongAng Daily" journalist Yoo Seong-woon complimented the group for blending elements from different sources into a unique mix of concepts and creating something new and fresh for the K-pop idol scene. "Dumdi Dumdi" was praised as having carried the legacy of summer songs. The group has also been praised for their stage presence; their Cleopatra-inspired stage at 2018  Melon Music Awards, their female-focused performance at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards, and their emotional acting demonstration at Fan-dora's Box are often cited as examples of their range and abilities as performers. (G)I-dle's performance of "Lion" on "Queendom" featured a storyline narrated by Minnie, choreography in golden robes ornately decorated with a lion's mane, and an outro with a herd of lion dancers following (G)I-dle to six thrones. It was described as "world-class" and "legendary" and won the group several performance awards, including at Golden Disc Awards. Impact. (G)I-dle have  been recognized for their brand recognition and marketing power, topping the "Girl Group Brand Power Ranking" published by the Korean Business Research Institute in June and September 2018 and peaking in brand reputation index in September 2018. They were dubbed the "monster rookie" of 2018, and "Billboard" ranked them at the top of its list as the best new K-pop acts of 2018. It was reported that Cube Entertainment's music sales in 2018 increased by 58% to ₩8.8 billion due to the popularity of (G)I-dle's "Latata" and "Hann (Alone)". In 2019, (G)I-dle gained further  recognition from the general public after appearing on "Queendom". The performance of their finale song "Lion" was considered one of K-pop's biggest moments of 2019 by CTV News and resulted in them topping the "Girl Group Brand Power Ranking" for two consecutive months in October and November 2019. "Rolling Stone India" included "Lion" in their list of the 10 best K-pop music videos of 2019 and named it the third-best K-pop Feminist Anthems Perfect for Women's Day as it "[symbolizes] the fierce leadership, fighter and survivor instincts exhibited by women." The song was considered  by "Billboard" "one of the most visceral tracks of 2019" and topped the list of songs released in 2019. In January 2020, (G)I-dle was voted one of the most anticipated artists in 2020 based on surveys of several Korean music agencies, broadcasting and program officials, composers and popular music critics. In February, the group achieved number one in ranking brand power with the most-interacted topics, "Lion", and world touring. According to Hyundai Motors Investment Firm, during the coronavirus pandemic, Cube Entertainment target shares increased by 36.67% due to (G)I-dle's growth with "Oh My God". On August  13, the label released a report of their earnings in the second quarter of the year; the sales in their record and broadcasting sectors rose by 349% (₩2 billion) from one year earlier as a result of "I Trust", which sold 151,108 copies, the success of their concert, and "Dumdi Dumdi"'s 98,587 sales. The same month, (G)I-dle surpassed 500 million streams on Spotify, becoming the first fourth-generation K-pop girl group to reach this mark. On August 26, it was reported that they were the first K-pop group to be interviewed by "Forbes China". (G)I -dle has been named an influence by female artists such as Dal Shabet's Park Subin, former Wonder Girls' Yubin, and STAYC's Yoon. Other ventures. Philanthropy. On April 22, 2020, (G)I-dle donated 30,000 bottles of hand sanitizer worth ₩100 million through Holt Children's Services for children and their families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. For the release of "Dumdi Dumdi" in August 2020, (G)I-dle took part in Naver's Happybean Good Action event. Donations collected through the campaign were used to support psychological and mental health counseling treatment, snacks and nutritional kits  for medical staff through Sports Doctors during the pandemic. Ambassadorships. Seoul Metropolitan City appointed (G)I-dle as the city's goodwill ambassadors, alongside Yura, Park Jin-hee, and eight other nominees on December 6, 2018. The group held the title "City Ambassadors" for two years. At the tenth annual Children's Diabetes Celebration Festival held at Lotte World Underground Kingdom on June 8, 2019, in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, they were named the new ambassadors for Korean Children's Diabetes Association. Endorsements. In 2019, (G)I-dle began endorsing Kaja, a beauty brand by Sephora and Memebox to create a new form  combining K-beauty and K-pop. The reality TV series "To Neverland" and the "Senorita" music video were released through the partnership. In 2020, Akiii Classic selected (G)I-dle as new models to reinforce the sensitivity of Gen Z's culture and trends pioneering the brand image. In early April 2020, the group was revealed as promotional models for South Korea's largest contact lens brand, LensMe. A representative from LensMe explained that the group's unique music and charismatic stage performances matched well with their "Basic, Trendy, Easy" company image. When choosing (G)I-dle as their models, the high  fashion brand LipHop—emerging among young people predominantly in South Korea, United States, Thailand, and Japan—stated that they considered the group to be "global artists who boast confident music and attractive visuals". Awards and nominations. (G)I-dle received their first music show win on SBS MTV's "The Show" with "Latata" on May 22, 2018. They won their first new artist award, "Female Rookie Idol of the Year", on July 24, 2018, at the Brand of the Year Awards, and went on to receive a total of seven rookie awards at various awards ceremonies in their debut year. In  2020, (G)I-dle won the International Music Video award at the 5th BreakTudo Awards with "Oh My God"; they also received a nomination for Best K-Pop Video at the 37th MTV Video Music Awards. In 2021, (G)I-dle received a nomination for K-pop Bomb at Nickelodeon Mexico Kids' Choice Awards.