The ‘PRESS START’ button that signals the beginning of a game always brings excitement. ILLIT, the representative fifth-generation idol girl group, has officially kicked off their highly anticipated first solo tour, ‘ILLIT LIVE PRESS START♥’, proving their immense global popularity and ticket power just two years after their debut. The group successfully concluded the Seoul leg of their tour at the Ticketlink Live Arena in Songpa-gu, leaving fans mesmerized by their growth and dynamic performances.

A Sold-Out Start in Seoul

The Seoul performances, held over two days on March 14 and 15, 2026, sold out all seats on the very first day of member-specific presales. This remarkable achievement highlights ILLIT’s strong ticket power and the eager anticipation of their global fanbase, GLLIT. The tour name, ‘PRESS START’, signifies the beginning of a new journey, much like pressing the start button of a video game. The ‘heart’ symbol in the title represents the first signal to activate the system and the heartbeat, reflecting the group’s determination to deliver thrilling excitement to their fans.

During the concert, ILLIT performed for over two hours without a break, filling the setlist with hits and album tracks that represent their unique musical identity. The opening stage featured their record-breaking debut song, ‘Magnetic’, followed by fan favorites such as ‘NOT CUTE ANYMORE’, ‘Almond Chocolate’, and ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome’. The stage design, themed around games, added a visually stunning element to the show. For instance, during ‘Little Monster’, the members performed live and danced inside a giant claw machine installed on one side of the stage, creating a memorable spectacle.

First-Ever Unit Performances and Heartfelt Interactions

One of the major highlights of the ‘PRESS START’ concert was the unveiling of unit stages for the first time. Yoon-a, Min-joo, and Iroha formed a unit to perform ‘Desperate (short ver.)’, while Moka and Won-hee presented ‘Scrum (short ver.)’. Both tracks are from the survival audition program ‘R U Next?’, through which the group was formed. These performances showcased the members’ upgraded powerful choreography and clear vocals, moving the audience and demonstrating how much they have grown over the past two years.

ILLIT also made sure to continuously communicate with the audience throughout the event. For the song ‘Pimple’, they set the stage in a classroom and revealed handwritten letters to fans, creating a deeply touching moment. During the encore, the members even entered the audience to greet fans directly. Iroha expressed her joy, saying, “I’m so happy seeing GLLIT filling the venue,” while Won-hee remarked, “My heartbeat has grown so loud from joy that GLLIT might hear it.” Min-joo added, “While performing, I realized why I wanted to be an idol—thanks to GLLIT. I’m so grateful.”

Expanding the Journey Across Asia

Following the successful launch in Seoul, the ‘ILLIT LIVE PRESS START♥’ tour will span a total of 14 shows across seven domestic and international cities. The group will head to Japan for performances in Aichi on June 13–14, Osaka on June 20–21, Fukuoka on June 29–30, Hyogo on July 18–19, and Tokyo on July 23 and July 25–26. The tour will conclude with a grand finale in Hong Kong on August 22. As they embark on this large-scale tour, ILLIT aims to prove their capabilities as live artists and take a significant leap forward as global stars.

References

[1] The Chosun Daily: ILLIT’s First Tour Marks Brilliant Level-Up
[2] The Chosun Daily: ILLIT Kicks Off First Solo Tour with Sold-Out Seoul Concert