ITZY 'BORN TO BE' (2024)

Background and concept of Born to Be

Lia's hiatus during production

Following the release of ITZY's seventh extended play Kill My Doubt on July 31, 2023, member Lia announced her departure from group activities starting September 18, 2023, citing extreme levels of anxiety as the primary reason. On November 17, JYP Entertainment formally announced that Lia would not participate in the production and promotion of the group's forthcoming January 2024 release, emphasizing her recovery as the priority. Despite her absence from the album's creation process and promotional activities, Lia had recorded her solo track "Blossom" in advance, which was subsequently included in the final tracklist. Leader Yeji characterized the album as precious and meaningful in this context, noting that Lia's contributions were incorporated despite her limited participation. The group proceeded with promotional activities as a quartet while maintaining Lia's presence through her pre-recorded solo contribution.

The female warrior concept

The thematic framework centers on ITZY as charismatic female warriors who embody both outer and inner strength while leaving a lasting impression. JYP Entertainment envisioned the concept as a fusion of wild, bold, and understated charm, positioning the members as powerful figures who transcend conventional expectations. The lyrical themes represent callbacks to the group's initial releases, designed to showcase the strength of female warriors through contemporary artistic expression. Leader Yeji described the album as exceptionally powerful, stating the release possessed intensity to the extent that listeners could taste the smell of flame burning hot. The female warrior concept manifested visually through dystopian imagery and action-oriented aesthetics, with members portrayed in settings evoking strength and determination.

Genre exploration and artistic direction

Born to Be incorporates an extensive range of musical styles including dance, electro dance, EDM, dance pop, Miami bass, hip-hop, pop, hyper-pop, R&B, PB R&B, and modern rock. Yeji stated the album required the group to venture beyond their comfort zones, attempting numerous genres and styles throughout the release. The lead track "Untouchable" exemplifies this diversity as a dance-pop composition featuring prominent guitar elements alongside EDM components, addressing themes of confronting reality's hardships. Member Yuna expressed immediate connection with "Untouchable" upon first hearing, finding personal comfort in its lyrics and recognizing its alignment with ITZY's confident image. Chaeryeong articulated the group's intention to deliver powerful performances meeting both fan and public expectations of ITZY's signature style.

ITZY Born to Be tracklist and songs

Lead single: Untouchable

"Untouchable" serves as the lead single, characterized as a midtempo dance-pop EDM track driven by strong guitar sounds. Written by Bang Hye-hyeon and Lee Seu-ran, the song features extremely addictive refrains supported by an electrifying groove throughout its runtime of three minutes and 14 seconds. The composition was arranged by Tobias Näslund and carries music by Maria Marcus, Zarah Christenson, and Näslund. Set in the key of C minor, the track maintains an average tempo of 105 beats per minute. The lyrics convey resilience in confronting reality's hardships, with members singing about their unstoppable nature and unwavering determination through bilingual verses blending Korean and English.

Album tracks: Born to Be and Mr. Vampire

The opening track "Born to Be" functions as an EDM composition expressing the members' bold ambition to pursue their desires in a free-born world. The song establishes the thematic foundation through its 2 minutes and 58 seconds duration, with lyrics by Noday and music by Arineh Karimi and Gusten Dahlqvist.

"Mr. Vampire," positioned as the third track, explores the thrill of falling in love through vampire-inspired metaphors. The song incorporates sweet, dreamy melodies across its 2 minutes and 50 seconds runtime. Seo Ji-yun penned the lyrics, while composition credits include Kobee, Holy M, Ezit, Noémie Legrand, and Sofia Quinn. The track received pre-release treatment ahead of the official album launch.

Solo tracks by each member

Yeji's "Crown on My Head" incorporates rock and roll influences across 3 minutes and 12 seconds, expressing confidence through its lyrics. Lia's "Blossom" runs 3 minutes and 14 seconds, described by the member as filled with sincerity toward fans. Ryujin's "Run Away" operates as a modern rock song spanning 3 minutes and 36 seconds, depicting willingness to act as a villain for someone lacking courage. Chaeryeong's "Mine" features a groovy shuffle rhythm and dreamy guitar sound within 2 minutes and 48 seconds. Yuna's "Yet, But" incorporates synth sounds and guitar riffs across 3 minutes and 25 seconds, carrying the message of shining like a diamond.

Full track listing

The tracklist concludes with "Dynamite" and "Escalator," the latter running 3 minutes and 20 seconds with lyrics by Lee Tor-eu and composition by G'harah PK' Degeddingseze and Tricia Battani.

Music videos and promotional content

The album received support from seven music videos and one lyric video as part of its promotional rollout. The first visual release occurred on December 18, 2023, with the music video for the title track "Born to Be," which initiated the pre-release campaign ahead of the full album launch.

Born to Be music video

The music video for "Born to Be" depicts the members in computer-generated volcanic settings while performing choreography composed by choreographer Choi Young-jun. The dance-focused visual features Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna executing intense choreography on fiery sets enhanced by eye-popping 3D animation. The quartet performs against backdrops incorporating volcanic imagery and digital effects, establishing the album's thematic direction through its pre-release positioning. The visual was released specifically to build anticipation for the January 8 album drop while showcasing the group's performance capabilities.

Individual solo track videos

Prior to the album's release, solo tracks performed by members were released sequentially, each accompanied by dedicated music videos. The rollout followed a structured timeline:

Lia's "Blossom" received a lyric video on November 18, 2023, rather than a traditional music video, serving as a gift for fans during her extended hiatus
Yeji's "Crown on My Head" followed with a music video on December 20
Ryujin's "Run Away" was released as the third solo track on December 22
Chaeryeong's "Mine" arrived with its visual on December 25
Yuna's "Yet, But" concluded the solo releases on December 27

The solo track videos highlighted each member's individual artistry and vocal capabilities, with fans noting the distinct visual styles matched to each performer's musical direction.

Mr. Vampire pre-release visual

The pre-release music video for "Mr. Vampire" was revealed through a teaser on December 29 at midnight KST before its full release on January 2, 2024. The choreography-based visual is set in an enclosed space where members discuss their ideal types while expressing the thrill of falling in love. The music video focuses largely on the quartet's choreography. Fans identified symbolic details throughout the visual, including burning bouquets, silver jewelry, and crosses that emphasize the irony of the song's vampiric theme. The track was positioned as the second pre-release single ahead of the January 8 album launch.

Chart performance and reception

The album debuted at number 62 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the group's sixth consecutive entry on this ranking. Additionally, the release re-entered at number two on Billboard's World Albums chart. On domestic charts, Born to Be reached the top position on the South Korean Circle Album Chart. The EP debuted at number five on both Top Album Sales and Top Current Albums Sales charts. Correspondingly, ITZY re-entered at number 15 on Billboard's Artist 100, accumulating their ninth overall week on the chart.

International chart performance included a peak position of number 14 on the UK Album Downloads chart and number 22 on the Japanese Albums Oricon chart. The album achieved number one on iTunes Top Albums charts across 23 regions. The monthly performance on the South Korean Circle chart positioned the album at number three, while the year-end ranking placed it at number 44.

First week sales recorded 318,693 copies on Hanteo, representing a significant decline from the previous album's 820,000 copies. The first month accumulated 553,423 copies on Circle, with total South Korean sales reaching 583,560 copies. This sales decrease contributed to stock fluctuations for JYP Entertainment, as noted by analyst Noh Dong Il from Shinhan Investment Corp.

Critical reception reflected mixed perspectives on the release. Reviews identified "Born to Be" as the strongest track on the album, with some critics suggesting it would have served better as the title track than "Untouchable". The absence of Lia was notably present throughout the album's tracks. The pre-release strategy of seven music videos released weekly before the album launch generated both fan engagement and confusion regarding promotional focus. Reviewers characterized the album as representing experimentation with new sounds while maintaining ITZY's signature style.

ITZY Born to Be world tour

Tour announcement and dates

JYP Entertainment revealed the second world tour schedule on January 26, 2024, initially encompassing 27 cities worldwide. The announcement came less than two months after the December 3, 2023 teaser confirming the tour would accompany the album release. The tour was produced by JYP Entertainment and promoted by Live Nation, spanning 18 countries across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Europe, and North America. Subsequently, additional performances were added, expanding the tour to 30 total shows with a second Toronto date on June 29, an extra Tokyo show on May 17, and a new Osaka performance.

Seoul kickoff shows

The tour commenced on February 24 and 25, 2024 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul, South Korea. These performances marked the group's first concerts in ten months following the conclusion of their inaugural Checkmate world tour in April 2023. Each show ran approximately 150 minutes. The second Seoul performance on February 25 received live streaming through Beyond LIVE for paid subscribers, with re-streaming scheduled for March 31. The Osaka show on May 22 also received Beyond LIVE streaming. Tickets for Seoul concerts opened first to third-generation Midzy fan club members on January 29 at 8 p.m. through Yes24, with general sales beginning January 30 at 8 p.m..

Global tour destinations

Following Seoul, performances spanned multiple continents beginning with Bangkok's Impact Arena on March 16. The Oceania leg included Auckland's Spark Arena, Sydney's ICC Sydney Theatre, and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena. Latin American stops featured Mexico City's Pepsi Center WTC on April 15 and Santiago's Movistar Arena on April 18, representing the group's first standalone concerts in South America. European performances ran from April 24 through May 4, marking their inaugural standalone European shows at venues including London's OVO Arena Wembley, Paris's Zénith Paris, Berlin's Velodrom, Amsterdam's AFAS Live, and Madrid's Palacio Vistalegre. The North American leg began June 6 in Seattle and concluded June 28 in Toronto. Final performances took place in Taipei on July 20, Manila on August 3, and concluded August 10 in Hong Kong.

FAQs

Why did Lia not participate in promotional activities?

Lia experienced extreme tension and anxiety about carrying out scheduled activities, leading to medical consultation and examination. Medical professionals advised rest and treatment, prompting JYP Entertainment to prioritize her health and withdraw her from activities beginning September 2023. In her personal statement, Lia expressed the need to take time off to love and fill herself first, expressing hope that fans would remain happy while she worked toward returning in good health.

How many physical versions were released?

Seven versions were released: three Standard editions (A, B, C), one Limited edition, two Special versions (Mr. Vampire and UNTOUCHABLE), and two Platform Album Nemo versions.

What was the album's lead single?

"Untouchable" served as the lead single, functioning as a midtempo dance-pop EDM track driven by guitar sounds and maintaining a tempo of 105 beats per minute.

How many solo tracks are included?

Five solo tracks were included, with each member contributing an individual song: Yeji's "Crown on My Head," Lia's "Blossom," Ryujin's "Run Away," Chaeryeong's "Mine," and Yuna's "Yet, But."

Did Lia participate in the world tour?

The world tour proceeded with four members (Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna) performing as a quartet, as Lia remained on hiatus throughout the tour dates.

What genres does the album incorporate?

The album spans multiple genres including dance, electro dance, EDM, dance pop, Miami bass, hip-hop, pop, hyper-pop, R&B, PB R&B, and modern rock.

How many music videos were released for promotion?

Seven music videos and one lyric video were released, including visuals for the title track, pre-release single "Mr. Vampire," and individual solo tracks from each member.