generasia:Featured article for 2024 week 5

(G)I-DLE promoting 2 (2024)

(G)I-DLE

(G)I-DLE ((여자)아이들) is a Korean pop girl group formed by CUBE Entertainment. They debuted on May 2, 2018, with their first mini-album I am and its lead single "LATATA". (G)I-DLE was dubbed the "monster rookie" of 2018 and has been considered one of the most successful South Korean girl groups to not hail from the "big three" record labels. Since their debut, the group has released four Korean mini-albums and six lead songs including "LATATA", "HANN", "Senorita", "Uh-Oh", "Oh my god", "HWAA", and their promotional song, "LION", with all of them reaching the top ten on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart.

In conjunction with the release of their third mini-album, I trust, in 2020, the group signed with American record label Republic Records to pursue expansion into the U.S. marketplace. Upon its release, the group set the highest record for a South Korean girl group to top the iTunes Top Albums chart and the fourth girl group to sell 100,000 copies in the first week of sales. Their 2020 single album, "DUMDi DUMDi", broke the single album sales record, making it the second best selling girl group single album of all time. (G)I-DLE also became the first K-pop group to be interviewed by Forbes China.

Their next single, "Tomboy", from their first full-length album I NEVER DIE, topped the Circle charts, remaining at the top of the charts for more than two months. Additionally, the single was certified platinum by Certification Korea Music Content Association (KMCA), followed with their next single, "Nxde", which also topped the Circle Chart. "Nxde" made (G)I-DLE the only artist to have two songs achieving a Perfect All Kill (PAK) in 2022. In 2023, they became the first act from an independent label to rank at #39 on Mediabase Top 40 Radio airplay charts and debuted at #40 on the US Billboard Pop Airplay chart with a non-English song.

Unlike most K-pop girl groups, (G)I-DLE are directly involved in the creation of their music; in particular, Soyeon who has written and produced the majority of the group's songs. Members Minnie and Yuqi have also co-written and produced numerous album tracks. (G)I-DLE is considered one of the most successful South Korean girl groups from outside of the "big three" record labels.

Their second Korean album, 2, is released this week on January 29th.