ITZY wants you to believe in yourself with new EP ‘Cheshire’

Despite the busy schedule of its ongoing world tour, ITZY have still found to put together a brand new EP just 4 months after releasing the last one.

The girl group held a press conference on Friday for its EP “Cheshire,” which drops on Nov. 30, at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeouido, western Seoul. The five members — Lia, Yeji, Yuna, Chaeryeong, and Ryujin — sat down to discuss their new music and its message.

“We prepared really hard for this EP during our world tour,” said Chaeryeong. “Through this release, we will show ITZY’s unique charm based on confidence and independence.”

ITZY premiered the music video for title track “Cheshire,” a game show-themed sequence about the confusing nature of love like the riddles of a Cheshire cat.

“We borrowed the concept of Cheshire Cat from the story ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to express an ambiguous feeling,” Ryujin said.

“There are so many questions and worries [in life],” Chaeryeong said. “This song tells you that there is no definite answer, so just trust yourself and keep doing what feels right to you.”

The members say that is precisely the motto that has kept them going over their three years as K-pop idols.

“I agree so much with the message of our latest EP, to believe in yourself,” Yeji said. “There were times when I struggled because of the uncertainties I faced, ever since I decided to become a singer. But I am able to be where I am now because I believed that I know myself the best, and that I can do it.

“From our debut, our central message has been ‘I love myself’,” said Yuna. “Our lyrics have also had a positive influence on me. They helped me trust myself. I hope this energy is also delivered to those who watch us perform.”

ITZY debuted in 2019 with hit song “Dalla Dalla,” which quickly established the group as one of the most successful third-generation K-pop acts.

It has since become known for hits like “Icy” (2019), “Not Shy” (2020), “Loco” (2021) and “Sneakers” (2021). Its most recent EP “Checkmate,” released in July, ranked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and sold over a million copies worldwide.

Overall, the girl group is known for its upbeat, energetic dance tunes. But this time, “Cheshire” is a slight variation with added mystique.

“When I first heard the song, I thought it had a very unique color of its own,” Lia said. “The unique groove and dreamy vibe are what make the song attractive. We have been receiving so much love for our energetic and exciting songs like ‘Sneakers’ so far, but we wanted to approach fans with a different vibe.”

“But it still contains the signature message that we are known for,” said Yeji. “Trust in yourself and keep going forward, just sounding more mysterious this time.”

ITZY is currently on its first world tour “Itzy The 1st World Tour 〈Checkmate〉” which kicked off with a concert in Seoul in August. It recently concluded its tour of North America. From January 2023, Itzy will continue with its tour of cities in Asia, making stops in Manila, Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok.

“Cheshire” will be available at stores and on music streaming websites from 6 p.m. on Nov. 30.

On the day “Cheshire” is released, ITZY will perform at the 2022 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) ceremony held at the Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30. The stage performance for “Cheshire” will be premiered at the ceremony.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]