ITZY 'ICY' (2019)

What is ICY (ITZY)?

"Icy" is a song by South Korean girl group Itzy from their debut extended play (EP) titled It'z Icy, released by JYP Entertainment as the lead single on July 29, 2019. The track serves as the title song for the EP, which marked Itzy's first mini album release following their debut single "Dalla Dalla" earlier that year.

The song conveys a thematic concept of appearing cold on the outside while being filled with hot passion on the inside. Itzy members described "Icy" as an extension of their first record "Dalla Dalla," sharing similar meanings but presenting a more festive and upbeat air. The track was written by J.Y. Park and rapper Penomeco, specifically composed in the key of D major with a tempo of 125 beats per minute. Musical critics characterized the song as a fiery and energetic summer song that promotes the quintet's passions about music.

The pre-chorus lyrics feature the lines "Icy but I'm on fire" and "Look at me, I'm not a liar," which serve as the lead-up to the dynamic chorus and function as what Billboard described may as well be the girl group's anthem. These lyrics express themes of self-confidence, inner dreams, and resistance to external judgment, with the members declaring they don't want to be put in a predetermined box.

Multiple language versions of "Icy" were subsequently released. An English-language version was included on Itzy's first English EP Not Shy (English Ver.), while a Japanese-language version appeared on their first compilation album It'z Itzy with lyrics written by D&H.

Commercially, "Icy" peaked at number ten on the Gaon Digital Chart, earning Itzy their second top-ten hit after "Dalla Dalla". The song topped the Billboard K-pop Hot 100, becoming their first number-one song on the chart. The music video accumulated 18.1 million views within 24 hours of its release, and as of June 2025, has surpassed 270 million views on YouTube.

ICY (ITZY) song composition and production

Key and tempo details

The composition features technical specifications set in D major with a tempo of 125 beats per minute. The track runs 3 minutes and 11 seconds in duration, structured with a time signature of 4 beats per bar. Musical analysis characterizes the song as having high energy levels and strong danceability qualities, composed in a major mode.

Musical style and genre

The sonic architecture incorporates multiple genre influences, opening with a funky guitar riff paired with squelchy acid bass and future house-inflected skittering clicks. The arrangement progresses through various sonic references, including stuttering trap snares, festival EDM power chords, blaring Timbaland horns, gated reverb drum stabs, and percussive piano notes reminiscent of early hip-hop classics. The production sends listeners through Skrillex bro-step and '90s futuristic R&B dial-up synths, with members switching between honeyed R&B glissando and jittery drill delivery. This eclectic approach combines several decades worth of sonic references, positioning the track within the everything-but-the-sink ethos of late-'80s production styles.

Writing and production credits

J.Y. Park and Penomeco handled the songwriting responsibilities, while the composition team consisted of JYP, Cazzi Opeia, Ellen Berg, Daniel Caesar, Ludwig Lindell, Ashley Allisha, Cameron Neilson, and Lauren Dyson. The production duo Caesar & Loui, formed by Daniel Caesar and Ludwig Lindell, co-composed the track alongside Park Jin Young. This production team previously collaborated on Red Velvet's single "Zimzalabim". The song fronted the group's five-track EP It'z Icy.

ITZY It'z Icy album and different versions

It'z Icy (stylized as IT'z ICY) represents the first extended play by Itzy, distributed through JYP Entertainment on July 29, 2019. The physical album was manufactured in two distinct versions: IT'z and ICY. Beyond the CD format, the album became available through digital download and streaming platforms across various regions.

The EP comprises five tracks, including three new songs with the title track serving as the lead single, coupled with two remixes from the group's earlier single album It'z Different. Release formats spanned multiple distribution channels, with South Korea receiving the CD version on the same date as digital platforms.

English version

An English-language adaptation was incorporated into Itzy's first English EP titled Not Shy (English Ver.). The English rendition maintains the original track length of 3 minutes and 11 seconds. Lyrical modifications adapted the Korean lyrics into English while preserving the song's core thematic elements of self-confidence and resistance to external judgment. The English version features altered verses, specifically including lines such as "Don't go mistaking me for cold, I tell it like it is" and "Uh, shout out to my mama, and big ups to my papa".

Japanese version

The Japanese-language version appeared on the compilation album It'z Itzy, released on December 22, 2021. Lyrics for this adaptation were written by D&H. The Japanese rendition retains identical musical elements while featuring translated verses, including phrases such as "Tsumetaku miete mo, ayy, cool na me right" and "Min'na blah, blah, osekkainara mou iin janai". This version maintains the same 3:11 duration as the original recording.

ICY (ITZY) music video

The music video premiered at midnight KST on July 29, 2019, filmed on the streets of Los Angeles, California. The visual presentation features five members performing choreography while navigating sunny Los Angeles streets, drawing attention from an adoring crowd. Colorful animations appear throughout the footage, paired with clever editing techniques that enhance the energetic aesthetics. The video showcases stomping dance breaks during powerful choreography sequences, with one notable moment featuring member Ryujin displaying affection for parents.

The production accumulated 18.1 million views within its first 24 hours, establishing itself as the sixth most viewed girl group music video in that timeframe and ranking as the seventh most watched K-pop video of 2019. Within five days of release, the video surpassed 50 million streams on YouTube on August 4. The visual became the fourth fastest girl group music video to reach 1 million likes, achieving this milestone in 16 hours and 55 minutes.

Subsequently, the video reached 200 million views on February 18, 2020, at approximately 1:35 p.m. KST, taking seven months, 20 days, and 13 hours from its release date. This marked the group's third music video to hit this threshold, following "Dalla Dalla" and "Wannabe". The video ranked at number seven on YouTube's Most Popular Music Video list in South Korea for 2019, making it the group's second entry on the list alongside "Dalla Dalla," which secured second place. As of November 2023, the video garnered over 263 million views with 3.7 million likes, later surpassing 273 million views.

How did ICY (ITZY) perform on music charts?

South Korea chart performance

The track debuted at number 11 on the Gaon Digital Chart, later ascending to peak at number 10 during its second week of release. This achievement marked the group's second top-ten placement on the chart following "Dalla Dalla". The song topped the Billboard K-pop Hot 100, becoming their first number-one entry on this specific chart.

On realtime streaming platforms, the track demonstrated immediate commercial impact by reaching the top position on six major South Korean music services including Genie, Bugs, Naver, and Soribada as of 8:30 p.m. KST on July 29. Additionally, it secured top-four positions on realtime charts such as Mnet and Melon. The accompanying It'z Icy album peaked at number three on the Gaon Album Chart.

International chart performance

The song reached number 7 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart. In Japan, it peaked at number 34 on the Japan Hot 100. The Singapore RIAS chart saw the track climb to number 11. The It'z Icy album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard World Albums chart and number 19 on the US Heatseekers Albums chart, representing the group's first entries on both rankings.

Coupled with these positions, the album topped the iTunes albums chart in 12 regions. In Japan specifically, It'z Icy debuted at number 12 on the Oricon Albums Chart and number 32 on Japan Hot Albums, with an additional entry at number 10 on the Oricon Digital Albums chart.

Monthly and year-end rankings

The track secured the number 12 position on the monthly Gaon chart for 2019. By the same token, it achieved number 99 on the year-end Gaon chart for 2019.

ICY (ITZY) live performances and awards

The track secured 12 music show wins across major South Korean television programs during its promotional period in August 2019. Show Champion awarded the group three consecutive wins on August 7, 14, and 21. M Countdown presented victories on August 8 and 22, with the final win earning a total score of 7,356 points. Music Bank recognized the song twice on August 16 and 23, while Show! Music Core granted wins on August 10, 17, and 24. Inkigayo completed the win count with a victory on August 25.

This achievement marked the group's third Triple Crown since debut. Notably, these wins positioned Itzy as the K-pop girl group with the most music show victories in 2019. The 11th music show win at MBC's Show! Music Core specifically earned the group this Triple Crown distinction.

At the 9th Gaon Chart Music Awards in 2019, the song received a nomination for Song of the Year in the July category. The same ceremony recognized the group with wins for New Artist of the Year in both Digital and Album categories, though "Dalla Dalla" secured the Artist of the Year nomination for February.

The 2019 Melon Music Awards witnessed a significant stage presentation where the group performed three songs including "Icy" alongside "Want It" and "Dalla Dalla," featuring golden outfits and a marching band accompaniment. This debut performance at the awards ceremony showcased the group's confidence through exceptional dance moves and stage production.

Subsequently, the group received recognition at the TMElive International Music Awards in 2025, winning Best International Stage Performance. Besides these accolades, fan meetings featured live vocal performances of the track, demonstrating the group's continued engagement with the song beyond its initial promotional cycle.