ITZY 'Gold' (2024)

What is ITZY Gold?

GOLD is the ninth mini album by South Korean girl group ITZY, released on October 15, 2024, under JYP Entertainment. The album marks a significant milestone as it presents double title tracks for the first time since the group's debut, featuring both "GOLD" and "Imaginary Friend" as lead singles. The physical release comprises eight distinct versions: Standard, five member-specific Digipack editions, Phone Box, and Platform Album NEMO.

The album contains 11 tracks with a total runtime of approximately 33 minutes and 51 seconds. The tracklist includes five original songs written specifically for this release alongside five re-recorded versions of tracks from the group's earlier Born to Be studio album. These re-recorded tracks, labeled as "Final Ver.," include "BORN TO BE," "UNTOUCHABLE," "Mr. Vampire," "Dynamite," and "Escalator," all completed with the full five-member vocal lineup.

GOLD was released following ITZY's Born to Be world tour and centers on the theme "Our World is still different". The album incorporates the group's unique concept and challenging energy, with visual content designed to establish their distinctive identity in the industry. The title track "GOLD" combines electric guitar rock elements with 808 bass hip-hop sounds, expressing the overwhelming emotions experienced when meeting someone who completely transforms one's world. The second title track, "Imaginary Friend," takes a different musical approach as a pop dance track featuring vintage pop guitar, acoustic band sounds, and vocal harmonies.

The album features collaboration with prominent industry figures, including K-pop producer Ryan Jeon, American producer Dem Jointz, and lyricists Jo Yoon-kyung and Bang Hye-hyun. Furthermore, Stray Kids member Changbin contributed to the album through writing and featuring on the track "VAY".

Background and release of ITZY Gold

Lia's return to the group

ITZY performed as a four-member group from September 2023 to July 2024 while member Lia took a hiatus to focus on her recovery from anxiety. Lia had been diagnosed with extreme tension and anxiety in September 2023, requiring time away from group activities for treatment and rest. During this time, the group released and promoted the extended play Born to Be in January 2024 and the Japanese-language single "Algorhythm" in May 2024. The quartet configuration also saw ITZY embark on their second world tour, with Lia making an appearance in the audience at their Seoul shows at Jamsil Indoor Stadium, where she received warm support from the group.

Lia resumed her group activities on July 8, 2024, during a livestream celebrating the group's fifth anniversary with their fanbase MIDZY. JYP Entertainment released an official statement confirming that following treatment and rest, her tension and symptoms of anxiety had significantly improved. The agency announced that after careful discussion with Lia, she would resume activities starting with the group's new album scheduled for the second half of 2024. Fans brought "WELCOME HOME LIA" to the top five trending topics on social media platform X during the livestream.

Announcement and pre-release activities

JYP Entertainment confirmed that ITZY would release their next album in October on the same day as Lia's return announcement. The record's title and release date were officially announced on September 13, alongside the promotional schedule. The album's concept trailer was released on September 30. On October 7, the six new tracks for the album were previewed through a series of videos accompanied by instrumental snippets.

Official release date

Gold was released on October 15, 2024, alongside the singles "Gold" and "Imaginary Friend," as ITZY's ninth extended play. The release marked Lia's official return to recording with the group after a 10-month hiatus.

ITZY Gold album tracklist and songs

New tracks on Gold

The album features six original compositions that showcase musical diversity across multiple genres. The title track "GOLD" presents a pop-rock sound incorporating electric guitar elements and hip-hop beats, with production handled by Ryan S. Jhun and Dem Jointz. "Imaginary Friend" serves as the second lead single, offering a softer melodic approach through vintage pop guitar, acoustic band sounds, and layered vocal harmonies. "Bad Girls R Us" integrates country pop and jazz elements with assertive lyrical themes centered on self-confidence. The track "Supernatural" emphasizes mysterious and dreamy atmospheres through subdued vocal delivery paired with upbeat instrumental arrangements. "FIVE" functions as a fan song commemorating the group's fifth debut anniversary, blending funk elements with rap-focused verses that celebrate the complete five-member lineup. The sixth new track, "VAY," incorporates hip-hop influences with minimal sound production.

Re-recorded songs from Born to Be

Five tracks from the Born to Be album were re-recorded to include Lia's vocal contributions, labeled as "Final Ver." in the tracklist. These re-recordings comprise "BORN TO BE," "UNTOUCHABLE," "Mr. Vampire," "Dynamite," and "Escalator". The re-recorded versions feature Lia's voice integrated throughout various sections, notably including her falsetto parts in "Mr. Vampire" and her vocal contributions to the final choruses across multiple tracks.

Featured artists and collaborations

Stray Kids member Changbin participated in the album through both writing and performing on "VAY". Changbin, credited under his production unit 3Racha, co-wrote the track alongside producers Restart and Chae Kang-hae. The collaboration marks a notable instance of musical synergy between JYP Entertainment labelmates.

ITZY Gold album versions and photocards

Physical album versions

The physical release encompasses eight distinct configurations across multiple format categories. The Standard edition presents three color variants: Light Gold, Deep Gold, and Rose Gold. Each Standard version includes a 72-page photobook, CD with envelope, outbox, photocard envelope, folding poster, and postcards. The Digipack format features five member-specific editions dedicated to Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna. Each Digipack contains an outbox, photobook, CD with envelope, ticket portrait, 2-cut film photo, and member-specific visual content. The Phone Box edition incorporates specialized packaging with a mini CD, booklet, frame stand, frame photocard, unit accordion paper, mini square poster, and phone strap. The Platform Album NEMO represents a digital-physical hybrid format containing a cover, QR card, manual card, and mini poster.

Photocard variations

Photocard distribution varies significantly across versions. Standard editions include two random photocards selected from 15 possible designs. Digipack versions contain one random photocard from a pool of 10 designs, plus a polaroid for pre-orders. Phone Box editions similarly offer one photocard from 10 variations alongside a frame photocard and a complete photocard set for pre-orders. Platform Album NEMO includes one concept photocard selected from five options plus a standard photocard.

Bonus content and inclusions

Pre-order benefits for Standard versions include profile photos, unit photocards, and strap bracelets. Digipack pre-orders receive folding posters and polaroid photographs. Phone Box pre-orders obtain photocard sets and decorative stickers. Platform Album NEMO purchasers receive mini posters alongside their standard inclusions.

Commercial performance of ITZY Gold EP

Chart achievements

The EP achieved significant commercial success on domestic and international charts. On the Circle Album Chart, the release peaked at number three and secured the 34th position on the year-end chart for 2024. First-day sales reached 195,234 copies on Hanteo, subsequently expanding to 438,713 copies within the first week. The first-month sales totaled 691,511 copies on Circle, with total South Korean sales reaching 707,614 copies.

Internationally, the EP debuted at number 60 on the US Billboard 200 while claiming the third position on the World Albums chart. The release charted across multiple territories, including number 12 on Japanese Albums (Oricon), number 45 on Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders), and number 15 on Greek Albums.

Certifications

The Korea Music Content Association awarded the EP a 2× Platinum certification, representing 500,000 shipped units.

Global reach

Regional sales distribution included 6,222 copies in Japan and 14,000 copies in the United States. The EP accumulated 1.485 million streams on Spotify during its first day, with the title track "Gold" generating 399,235 individual streams.