In an impressive display of enduring popularity, rookie sensation ILLIT continues to capture hearts and climb charts with their single ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE,’ even after concluding official promotions. Their relentless ascent underscores a growing global presence that defies typical industry timelines.
The five-member group—comprising Yunah, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, and Iroha—recently secured another music show trophy on MBC’s ‘Show! Music Core’ broadcast on January 17th. This latest victory marks their third music show win for ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE,’ a remarkable feat considering the track was released two months prior and its initial promotional period had already wrapped up.
Through their agency, BELIFT LAB, ILLIT expressed heartfelt gratitude to their dedicated fanbase, GLLIT. “We were all so happy and thrilled to hear the news of this gift-like first-place win. We are truly thankful that ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE‘ is still receiving so much love,” the group shared. They added, “Thanks to our GLLIT who supported ILLIT‘s new endeavors, we were able to achieve such valuable results. We will continue to work hard to become a group that everyone looks forward to.”
The track’s domestic performance is particularly striking:
- 🏆 On December 13th, when ILLIT wrapped up official activities, ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE‘ was at No. 30 on Melon’s ‘Top 100’.
- 📈 Fueled by fervent fan support, the song made a comeback to music shows and surged to No. 13 on January 16th—a significant climb in just one month.
Beyond Korea, ILLIT‘s global footprint is rapidly expanding. ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE‘ ranked 7th on the U.S. Billboard’s latest ‘Bubbling Under Hot 100‘ chart (dated January 17th), fueling anticipation for its potential entry into the coveted ‘Hot 100‘ main singles chart. Furthermore, their YouTube Music monthly viewership is approaching 600 million as of January 15th, a figure that has dramatically increased since the release of ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE,’ reflecting explosive global engagement.
Adding to their list of achievements, ILLIT made a remarkable impression on the ‘Oricon Annual Ranking 2025‘ in Japan, securing 3rd place in the ‘New Artist Ranking‘ within the Artist Sales category (covering December 9, 2024, to December 7, 2025). This ranking aggregates sales from singles, albums, streaming, and music DVDs. Their success in Japan is bolstered by their debut track ‘Magnetic,’ last year’s first original Japanese song ‘Almond Chocolate,’ and their first Japanese single ‘Toki Yo Tomare‘ (時よ止まれ), collectively generating approximately 1.06 billion JPY (approximately 9.9 billion KRW) in sales.
As a Hidden Gem Traveler, I’m always fascinated by artists who find their own unique path to sustained success, proving that true talent resonates beyond initial buzz. ILLIT‘s organic chart climb and international recognition after promotions showcase a genuine connection with their audience, signaling they are indeed a group whose next steps we should all be eagerly anticipating.
With such a strong post-promotional run and burgeoning global appeal, ILLIT is undeniably cementing their status as a K-Pop group to watch closely in the coming year.
Editor: Jiyoon Lee ✈️
