On May 19, I-DLE held a press conference for their 8th mini-album 'We Are' at the Chosun Palace in Gangnam, Seoul. During the press conference, the group discussed various aspects of their upcoming promotion and explained their choice to rebrand the group name.

This is their first comeback in about 10 months since the release of Klaxon in July 2024. Notably, all members have renewed their contracts with Cube Entertainment, and the group has officially dropped “(G)” and “여자 (Yeoja/ female)" from their name, a move that’s drawn considerable attention.

Miyeon commented, “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.” Yuqi added, “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.”

I-DLE's leader Soyeon explained, “We decided to try something new by having all the members take part in the songwriting and composing process for the first time since renewing our contracts. I was a bit worried about whether we could pull it off, but it turned out to be a fun and meaningful experience.”

The group also shifted their long-running “I” series, which began with their debut album 'I am,' to a new “We” theme, symbolizing unity and shared narratives. For the first time since their debut, every member contributed to the lyrics and compositions, embedding the concept of “we” into the music.

Regarding the title track “Good Thing," Soyeon said, “It uses autotune sounds that were popular in the 2010s, blending nostalgia with freshness. The song paints a scene of confronting a cheating lover, and we wanted to express it in a way rarely done by female artists, something bold and different.”

On the track “Chain," Minnie explained, “I wanted to depict the tightly interwoven relationships within I-DLE, like chains. It can also be interpreted as a romantic relationship. The lyrics are direct and daring.”

Yuqi, who worked on “Love Tease," shared, “It’s my favorite disco genre track. The focus is more on the melody than the lyrics.”

Soyeon praised her, saying, “Yuqi has a knack for creating addictive, catchy melodies, and that shines through in this song.”

Miyeon, who contributed to “Unstoppable," said, “Thanks to the support of the members, I found the courage to write my song. When I write lyrics, I try to focus on universally relatable themes.”

Shuhua, who took part in lyric writing for the first time with "It’s Okay," said, “Soyeon suggested I participate and promised to help me a lot, which gave me confidence. I’m grateful to her. Making music was so fun that I’d love to try composing someday too.”

Soyeon added, “Shuhua used expressions not commonly found in Korean lyrics, which made the song feel fresh. It highlights the beauty of language.”

As for their goals with the new album, Yuqi joked, “I once said I’d shave my head if we hit No.1 on Billboard, and this time Soyeon said she has a good feeling. I’d be happy to go bald if that happens.”

Soyeon added, “Since we took on new challenges, the album reflects a wide range of styles. I’m sure many people are looking forward to seeing Yuqi shave her head.”

Regarding the terms of their contract renewal, Soyeon shared, “The new conditions are more favorable to the artists, but if it only benefits us, the company could suffer. So we worked together to find a balanced agreement.”

Looking ahead, she expressed, “I want us to keep performing for a long time with diverse concepts. I don’t want to be limited to pure, band, or spring-like genres.”

When asked about their group dynamic post-renewal, Yuqi responded, “There was a lot of speculation last year, but the five of us are straightforward and honest. We do fight a lot, too. After renewing our contracts, I felt glad we stuck together. I think we can continue as I-DLE for a long time.”

Though I-DLE has often promoted themes of female empowerment, they’ve also faced criticism for intense dieting and provocative concepts. Soyeon addressed this by saying, “We don’t create songs to push a message. We just express what we feel and want to talk about at the time. It may seem contradictory, but we view it as expressing different sides of ourselves through character.”

On whether external opinions influence their creative process, she admitted, “Of course, there’s some influence. There were times when I thought, ‘Isn’t this too contradictory?’ But songs are naturally abstract, which can lead to misunderstandings.”

With a new name, renewed teamwork, and creative evolution, I-DLE’s comeback not only marks a fresh chapter but also highlights their growing artistry and unity.

SEE ALSO: i-dle drops retro-infused title track 'Good Thing' MV