(G)I-DLE (pronounced idol) is a K-pop band you do *not* want to mess with. The girl group is known for their original songwriting and bold choreography, and they aren’t afraid to put anyone on blast — especially in their own performances. Keep reading for an introduction into (G)I-DLE, the girl group which includes SoyeonMiyeonMinnieYuqiShuhua and former member Soojin.

Who Is (G)I-DLE?

The girl band debuted under the music agency Cube Entertainment with the song “Latata” in May 2018. Originally a sextet, Soojin left the lineup on August 14, 2021, due to bullying allegations.

In an interview with The Star, (G)I-DLE’s group leader Soyeon revealed that the name of the band came to her when she was composing the “Idle Song,” although the name received mixed reactions in South Korea and internationally. Shortly after they renamed themselves (G)I-DLE, the group confirmed they would like to be referred to verbally as “I-dle.”

(G)I-DLE is considered one of the most successful South Korean girl groups from outside of the “big three” record labels, which are YG Entertainment (BLACKPINK), JYP Entertainment (TWICE, Stray Kids) and SM Entertainment (Red Velvet, NCT).

Soyeon, the leader of the group, writes, composes and produces almost every song that the group releases, which is a rarity in the K-pop world. Another rarity in the group is their ability to break stereotypes and speak on controversial issues through songwriting. In their single “NXDE,” released in October 2022, the song serves as an ode to Marilyn Monroe — not for her sex symbol status, but for her intelligence that so few have acknowledged.

In the music video for “NXDE,” the members all went blonde (even Shuhua, who had never bleached her hair before) and contains multiple references to Marilyn’s movies, as well as nods to other artists such as Banksy, Walt Whitman (Marilyn’s favorite poet), and Madonna. While the music video might showcase superficial glamour and beauty, through their lyrics, (G)I-DLE warns audiences there is always more than what meets the eye.

“I think [we] try really hard to keep the balance between popularity and sharing our thoughts into the music,” Soyeon told Grammys.com in October 2022. “If I feel like I’m missing something out, then I try to focus and fill in that with other parts of the music or the concept. At the end of the day, I want to make sure that we put out something that people would like. We try to keep it balanced by utilizing concept images and other elements of production as well.”

Scroll through the gallery to meet the members behind (G)I-DLE.

Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.