illono D

Neverland

[Roni @wheeinji]

Of course, not every step of that process was smooth. Just like a startup goes through a "valley of death," we too faced countless crises. Sometimes we were caught up in unintended controversies, and we faced harsh criticism. And especially, when we went through a big change in our member lineup, there was a moment when the very existence of our team was shaken.

I was about 23 at the time, and I really thought, "This is over. Everything's over." It felt like losing a core founding member of a startup.
We had something we'd planned from the beginning, but suddenly we had to completely abandon it. That's what it felt like.

Our center collapsed. It felt like everything we had built was falling apart. And the words that stuck with me the most, like a dagger, were: "It ended before we could even unfold everything."

That year, I had so many thoughts. And as the leader and the producer, I felt an even stronger sense of responsibility and despair. I actually write songs every day, but at that time, I couldn't write even a single line for several days. Because instead of worrying, "What kind of music should I make?", I kept worrying, "Can we even keep going?" It became a question of survival.

But we couldn't just sit there and do nothing. The members and I gathered and talked countless times, even over Zoom and video calls, we shared so many conversations. At first, we didn't talk about music at all. We just talked about our fears, and hugged each other. That's when we asked ourselves, "Why did we start doing this?" That was the first question I asked myself and the members. And when I thought about it, we were people who came together because we loved music, because we wanted to tell our own stories. So the conclusion was simple: instead of hiding or avoiding, let's face everything head on through our music, through our story. We believed that the place where we could show our sincerity best was, after all, the world of music.

And that's how the album I Never Die was born, a full album that includes the song Tomboy. It was the first album we released after that long hiatus.

As I said on Queendom too, I really love creating narratives. The protagonist always faces trials, that was the idea the album started from. This belief also became what supported us through our hiatus.

So this album wasn't just something that sounded commercially great, or exciting music, nor was it something sad or showing weakness. It has lyrics like: "Those things can't even leave a single scar on my body."
Through lyrics like that, we wanted to show how we turned crisis into our own story, and how we became even stronger through it.

Thankfully, when the public heard that story and the things we had gone through, they really loved it. So luckily for us, Tomboy became our biggest success up to that point.

[SHUN / 션니 ❤️‍🔥🌟 @kuyayuqi]

#SOYEON on BIBIM-POP, 2024:
"Those people writing comments are probably not even experts in this industry. The people commenting on me now aren't responsible for my life anyway. I know what's important to me, so I'm just going to do my thing."

[illono D @IllonoD]

@fcmhoudini Your songs are some of my favorites from (g)i-dle. Can't wait to hear them again on minnie's solo. Hopefully you get a chance to collaborate with more (g)i-dle songs as well.

[keep*r @reminniescence]

- 4 Consecutive Comeback
- K-POP Chart Perfect All Kill
- UNRIVALED K-POP GIRLS

[치만... @mylovelikemy]

아이들 항상 고마워 우리 앞으로도 오래보자 꼭

[𝕾𝖊𝖇 🪽 @forever_sebi]

Someone tell them that they’ll get a daesang, touring the world, getting PAKs…

[김민니댓 👻 @_jaxtaposition]

the girls all getting even more emo the moment they heard the crowd screaming when soyeon announced that all 5 of them decided to renew their contracts 😭😭😭 even miyeon looked teary eyed & like she was going to cry 😭😭😭
https://t.co/Bm0IlIQNiZ

[esha⁷🧚🏻‍♀️ @soyeonsbitch]

Them wearing gold like their first ever mma performance in 2018 🥹

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

THE WAY THE BACKGROUND MUSIC IS NEVERLAND…

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

Soyeon: This is our 7th year, next year is our 8th. For 7 years, we thought a lot about how we could receive such a big award, what song should I write to receive it, what album should we make to be able to receive it. I feel like we received this award thanks to our nebobo, so I want to say thank you very much.

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

Soyeon: It doesn’t feel real that it is my second time receiving this award. Back when I was a trainee, there was no songwriting lessons for female trainees. But recently, there are a lot of new female artists who are writing songs, so I hope this award gives them some encouragement

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

#GIDLE Record of the Year at 2024 MMA

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

soyeon said they didn’t know they would receive a daesang today🥹 she really wanted to win this award and it belongs to nebobo🥹 it’s official now so don’t worry at all🥹 idle together forever😭😭

[Pop Base @PopBase]

SOYEON announces all five members of (G)I-DLE have renewed their contracts with CUBE Entertainment.

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

Soyeon: Recently, because my contract ended, there has been a lot of articles about IDLE disbanding or ending. The five of us, not me alone, all of us together, have decided to renew our contracts. We decided before coming on stage today. Not me alone! All five of us members together. In the future, next year, three years later, forever, the five of us will be together so I hope nebobo don’t worry. Next year we will repay you with even better music. Thank you very much, we will become IDLE who works even harder in the future.

[illono D @IllonoD]

Congrats @G_I_DLE !!! Very well deserved!!!

[i-dle charts @idlecharts]

🏆 (G)I-DLE has won "Record of the Year (Daesang)" at the 2024 MMA

[𝐀𝐲𝐝𝐚✨* @jisurene]

This wife cult wig will forever remain as one of the most iconic things to happen in kpop!

[연이사자 🩵 @2YEONZIP]

🦁: IDLE, good job for the past 7 years. I think it is the first time we are receiving such a big award. Thank you so much. In the future, forever, we will be IDLE who works hard. Neverland thank you 💜

[Jasmine | sad girl in love @reputationfav]

last night got a daesang with idle
tonight got the best solo artist reward

[GZB_우기송끼끼💜 @RunBabyRunnnnnn]

🐯: We are a group that produces our own songs. That's why this award is more meaningful to us. From the recording, writing and mixing the songs, we are recognized as music producers...
We are recognized for our hardwork.

😭😭 Congratulations!! You've worked so hard this year~~~~~
#GIDLE #여자아이들