As with any generation of K-pop, it’s difficult to say when exactly the fourth generation began. For instance, (G)I-DLE is generally accepted as a fourth-generation K-pop group now, but there was still debate over whether they were truly fourth generation or some sort of “3.5 generation” for debuting back in 2018. However, as the first K-pop girl group to debut at JYP Entertainment since Twice, it was much easier to cleanly declare Itzy a fourth-generation group when they arrived in 2019. Here, we will explain when exactly did Itzy debut, along with their first album and lead song.
Itzy Debuted on February 12, 2019 with the Song “Dalla Dalla”
Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna debuted as Itzy on February 12, 2019 with the single album It’z Different and the lead song “Dalla Dalla.” It’z Different featured two songs in total: “Dalla Dalla” and “Want It?” “Dalla Dalla” was composed by songwriting team 별들의전쟁 (“Star Wars,” basically) and AthenA, all operating under the studio Galactika. Galactika in general is also credited as the arranger, and 별들의전쟁 is credited for the lyrics at Galactika. Meanwhile, “Want It?” was composed by Emile Ghantous, Keith Hetrick, Allison Gillis, Aimee Proal, Whitney Phillips, and Erin Beck, and lyrics were written by Lee Seuran and Tommy Park. Emile Ghantous and Keith Hetrick also arranged the track.
The music video for “Dalla Dalla” premiered a day earlier in South Korea on February 11, 2019, beginning with the members memorably striking a pose in an elevator as the door opens. That powerful visual would even be used as the thumbnail for the video. At the time of its release, the “Dalla Dalla” video earned the record for the most views of any debut K-pop music video within its first day of release to that point, with Billboard reporting 17.1 million views for that day.
On the day of their debut, Itzy held an event aired through V Live, “The 1st Single Live Premiere” (subsequently archived), in which they performed “Dalla Dalla.” Otherwise, the first time they performed was February 15, 2019 on Music Bank, with “Dalla Dalla.” And amazingly, the group won its first music show on February 21, 2019 at M Countdown, only nine days after debut. In the times since, Itzy have gone on to terrific international success with their comebacks, owing to their talent, their unique energy, and also their impressive English skills!
That is everything you need to know about when Itzy made their debut and what their first album and song was. For more about Itzy, check out who the leader of the group is and why she was initially apprehensive about it, how old the Itzy members are, or what each member’s MBTI is. Or for info about other JYP groups, check out whether Twice can speak English or how old the NMIXX members are.