ILLIT kicked off the week with their comeback single, You’re Under Arrest, and their 5th mini-album, Break Even. It is their second comeback of the year, following their It’s Me/Mamihlapinatapai mini-album. Member MOKA is currently on hiatus, so the group is promoting this comeback with a four-member lineup.
Two elements held strong potential for You’re Under Arrest: the thumping club beat and their Orange Caramel-leaning chorus (something ILLIT touched on in It’s Me but didn’t fully explore). That club beat was very commanding, while KPOP really could use some of that Orange Caramel fun and flair. Unfortunately, You’re Under Arrest fell flat in a few places, making it a very disappointing single. First, the verse mixing was so piercing and uncomfortable to listen to. It was hard to get through. Second, the song should have used the whistles more sparingly throughout. It ain’t the first time we have heard whistles in a KPOP song, but it was so repetitive and overdone in You’re Under Arrest; it quickly lost its charm. We also did not need an extended whistle at the end of the first and final choruses. It is very harsh in real life, and it was equally harsh in the song. Third, the song lacked a strong hook or anything to remember it by. After two days, You’re Under Arrest still hasn’t reeled me in. With only two elements to rely on, You’re Under Arrest leaves much to be desired.
The music video shows the members playing your local neighbourhood watch or spies, trying to find a mysterious, handsome gentleman played by Korean actor Song Kang. But it turns out that the older person who tasks ILLIT with finding the handsome gentleman is no other than Song Kang. This concept fits neatly with the lyrics of You’re Under Arrest, which calls out a partner who led them on with false hope. In this case, the false hope is finding Song Kang, but he is the one who told them to do it and has been everywhere with them. The music video has a hilarious comedic touch as we watch the members struggle in their search (e.g., being scared by a young kid, being technologically challenged, going up against a cheating old man at billiards, and struggling to pass a driver’s test).
Choreography-wise, I really liked how they incorporated some of that wackiness from their Orange Caramel influence into the routine. It was fun, cutesy, and on-brand for ILLIT.
Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10
