Billlie returns as quintet, reveals unseen side

K-pop act Billlie poses during a press event marking the release of its new album, "side-B: memoirs of echo unseen," at Shinhan pLay Live Hall in Mapo District, western Seoul . Courtesy of Mystic Story

K-pop girl group Billlie released its latest album, "side-B: memoirs of echo unseen," just seven months after its previous release, offering an intimate glimpse into undisclosed facets of the group's personas.

Marking the new release, the group hosted a press event at Shinhan pLay Live Hall in Mapo District, western Seoul, Monday. Dressed in cozy autumn-inspired school attire, each member expressed how she felt about the highly anticipated release, despite performing as a quintet for this album due to the temporary absence of members Moon Sua and Suhyeon for health reasons.

Haruna, one of the Japanese members of the group, said, "I put in a lot of effort leading up to the album's release, and I'm thrilled to kick off this new chapter."

Billlie's distinctive strength lies in its unmatched storytelling within each album.

In this album, the group draws a clear line between "me perceived by others" and "me perceived by myself." Naming the latter "side-b," the album aims to showcase unseen facets of the members' identities.

The album's title track, "Dang! (hocus pocus)," epitomizes this theme, symbolizing the astonishment experienced when encountering different sides of one's identity.

Tsuki, who delivers the song's key line "Dang!," described the title track as "an exclamation that erupts when one's world expands."

"I recorded the 'Dang!' part over 50 times to get that astonishment just right. Even though it's just one word, the preparation was intense," she said.

The track "BYOB (bring your own best friend)" stands out as another gem in the album. Released prior to the album's launch, its easy-listening melody has earned widespread acclaim.

Furthermore, the album features English versions of these two songs, in an effort to strengthen the connection with their global fan base.

Haram shared, "I put in a significant amount of effort to study pronunciation and intonation of the English language, ensuring it doesn't sound awkward to native English speakers. This is our way of expressing our commitment to the global stage."

From left are Siyoon, Sheon, Tsuki, Haram and Haruna, members of K-pop girl group Billlie. Courtesy of Mystic Story

Regarding members Moon and Suhyeon's absense, Siyoon said, "Considering our group's future activities involving all seven Billlie members, it's crucial to manage their health and ensure they fully recover."

While the absent members have been cheering on their bandmates from the sidelines, the exact timing of their return remains undisclosed. "I think it's more important for all our members to stay together and deliver the best we can before discussing their return," Siyoon explained.

When asked about challenges in preparing as a five-member group, Haram reflected, "I came to realize the significance of each member's role through this experience."

"Moon Sua and Suhyeon held pivotal positions in our team. I initially had concerns about their absence, but every member performed so exceptionally well during this album's preparation that my worries faded away. We're a group of individual members who have a substantial impact."

Nonetheless, Haram expressed optimism, suggesting the potential return of the two members in the future.

"I'm also eagerly anticipating presenting the seven-member version of 'Dang!' when we're all together again," she added.