Earlier this month, K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE ((여자)아이들) surprised fans when they announced a rebrand on their 7th anniversary, subsequently dropping the ‘G’ and ‘여자 (Yeoja/ female)’ from their group name. Now going as I-DLE (아이들), the quintet revealed why they decided to make that shocking move.
On 19th May 2025 (Monday), the girl group held a press conference for their new album, “We Are”. During the press conference, the group discussed their album and explained their decision to rebrand as I-DLE. Member Miyeon (미연) said the move aligned with how the group wanted to be represented, saying, “I always found the ‘female’ label in parentheses a bit odd since our debut. It feels like we’ve finally claimed our true identity and name.”
The group reportedly wanted to broaden their musical style and concepts, choosing to remove the female imagery in their old name as they felt it limited their music. However, member Yuqi (우기) admitted that the group needed time to readjust to the new name, saying, “I recently made a mistake when introducing the group name out of habit. I hope the public will get used to the new name along with us.”.
Along with the rebrand, the group re-recorded nine of their past singles, which sparked mixed reactions from fans. As the new versions no longer contain vocals from former member Soojin (수진), many perceived the move as erasing the vocalist’s existence in I-DLE’s discography. The group also shifted their long-running “I” album series, which began with their debut album, to a new “We” theme, symbolising unity and shared narratives.
“We Are” is also significant as it’s the first album in I-DLE’s discography where every member contributed to the lyrics and compositions. Previously, leader Soyeon (소연) was the one in charge of producing, writing and composing most of the group’s songs. She shared her thoughts about the new creative direction, saying, “I was a bit worried about whether we could pull it off, but it turned out to be a fun and meaningful experience.”
I-DLE’s comeback marks a fresh chapter in their career and highlights their desire to continue to grow and reinvent themselves as artists. Check out their new title track, “Good Thing”, below:
Source: Allkpop
