[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] "We will captivate the hearts of the entire nation by showing you Ailette’s dark side."

Girl group ILLIT (Yuna, Minju, Moka, Wonhee, Iroha) made this statement while highlighting key points of their fifth mini-album, “BREAK EVEN,” at a media showcase held at 2:00 p.m. on the 26th at the Woori WON Banking Hall in Blue Square, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Wonhee said, “I’m so confident in this album that I’d call it my ‘favorite.’ We prepared for this comeback with complete confidence in the album,” adding, “We’ll do our best to make this a promotional run that no one misses and that everyone watches more than once.”
“BREAK EVEN” is an album centered on the candid declaration: “I will no longer pour my heart and time into a relationship that doesn’t give back as much as I’ve put in.” The album title is derived from the “break-even point.” It’s particularly striking how the concept of the break-even point is used to describe a situation where one doesn’t receive as much emotional return as they’ve invested.
Minju explained, “There are many songs that express emotions very candidly,” adding, “We arranged the tracks organically to follow the flow of emotions.” Yuna elaborated, “The narrative surrounding relationships—which has been central to Ailette’s albums so far—is reaching a turning point.” Wonhee added, “This album also connects to the stories told in our previous album tracks.”

The title track, “I’ll Arrest You,” is an electro-pop song featuring lyrics that depict the moment of decisively severing ties by firmly declaring the other person guilty of causing misunderstandings in a relationship, highlighted by a whistle sound that embodies intense anger.
Wonhee explained, “‘I’m Going to Arrest You’ is a message to someone who committed the ‘crime of habitual kindness’ and led me to have false hopes. It’s a song that serves as a bold warning that I’m going to end this frustrating relationship myself.” Minju emphasized, “It’s a song with maximum addictiveness. You’ll find yourself humming along naturally as soon as you hear it.”
The outfit and performance concept is set as “Black Agents.” Ailette plans to enhance the song’s appeal with precise, synchronized choreography, including a gesture where they form a gun shape with their hands.
Yuna said, “Since it’s a song with a distinct concept, we paid close attention to every detail, from recording to choreography.” Minju added, “We put energy into every single movement to match the concept and worked hard to align even the angles of our arms and legs.” Iroha reflected, “We also practiced hard to grab the whistle in perfect timing.”

◇Bang Si-hyuk, HYBE Chairman, Participated in All Tracks… Song Kang Appears in Music Video
Another highlight is actor Song Kang’s surprise appearance in the music video. Yuna expressed her gratitude, saying, “Senior Song Kang told me he’s been keeping a close eye on our activities and offered words of encouragement.”
Ailette held their first tour, “PRESS START,” at the Inspire Arena in Incheon on the 17th and 18th ahead of this comeback, where they unveiled performances of their new songs. They subsequently posted footage of the performances on their official YouTube channel, putting significant effort into promoting the new songs even before the official comeback.
I-Litt’s Iroha said, “The reaction to the new song’s performance during the concert was so enthusiastic that it made us look forward to this comeback even more. We’ll show you a side of I-Litt that has taken a step forward.”
When asked why they’re known as “short-form platform powerhouses,” Yuna replied, “It’s because Ailette’s music is highly addictive,” adding, “Since the music is so catchy, it keeps lingering in people’s ears, and I think that’s why the challenges are trending.”
The album includes tracks such as “Super in Love,” which tells the story of realizing a crush was one-sided after hearing a friend’s blunt remark; “More,” which sings about the process of shyness gradually turning into irritation; and “Pop,” which depicts the moment of falling head over heels for a new person who appeared out of the blue, thereby forgetting a past failed relationship.
Bang Si-hyuk, Chairman of HYBE, personally participated in the production of every track on the album. Minju said, “I didn’t get to meet Producer Bang Si-hyuk in person because I had so many overseas schedules,” but added, “When I heard that he said, ‘The recording went better than ever before,’ it gave me even more confidence as I prepared the album.”

“Break Even” marks Ailette’s comeback six months after the release of their fourth mini-album, “MAMIHLAPINATAPAI,” last April.
Launched on March 3, 2024, by HYBE’s Belief Lab, Ailette further boosted their popularity by taking the music charts by storm with their previous title track, “It’s Me.” They also achieved notable results on major international charts, including No. 38 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 22 on the UK Official Singles Top 100.
Minju said, “While ‘It’s Me’ received so much love that I felt pressure to do well, I viewed that pressure as a positive motivator as I prepared for this comeback,” adding emphatically, “We’re going to capture the hearts of the entire nation.”
All tracks from the new album will be released at 6 p.m. today via various online music platforms. Moka, who is currently taking a break from activities due to health issues, did not participate in the production of this album.
Yuna said, “As we enter our third year since debut, I’ve resolved to ‘become more professional,’” and pledged, “We’ll show you a more polished performance than ever before.”
Iroha stated, “Every time I see people singing along to our songs and dancing to our choreography, I feel loved. We’ll make sure even more people can listen to Ailette’s music,” adding, “We’ll strive to earn the reputation of being ‘Ailette—a group you can trust to deliver great music.’”