Girl group Billlie diverts eyes to inner world on ‘side-B’

October 23, 2023

 

K-pop girl group Billlie has diverted from its own fairytale-like fictional universe for storytelling, to explore deep into one’s inner mind on its new album.

The band has incorporated the mysterious story of a girl named “Billlie Love,” who suddenly goes missing one day, and members of the band who are involved in the case into its previous album series.

During a media showcase in Seoul on Monday for its first single album, titled “side-B: memoirs of echo unseen,” the band said the album is a kind of spinoff from the story, telling what happens to them in a different space-time called “Side-B” inside the universe called “Billliverse.”

K-pop girl group Billlie is seen in this photo provided by Mystic Story (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
K-pop girl group Billlie is seen in this photo provided by Mystic Story (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

It marks the first release from the group in seven months since its fourth EP, “The Billage of Perception: Chapter Three,” in March.

Fronting the new package due out at 6 p.m. is “Dang! (hocus pocus).” The title is an English word used at the beginning of a sentence to express great amazement and awe.

“‘Dang’ is word used when one experiences a crack in what he or she has known before and feels his or her universe has expanded after that,” Tsuki said during the media showcase.

The song is about the gap between who I think I am and who I am perceived to be.

Speaking of the track, Siyoon explained, “It shows that all of those sides constitute you even if you may think they are different.”

Also contained in the four-track single is “BYOB (bring your own best friend)” as well as the English-language versions each of the two new songs.

“BYOB,” released in advance last month, is a song in the trendy easy listening genre.

Asked if it was difficult to sing the English tracks, Haram said, “It wasn’t easy but we tried to make the songs sound not awkward to those who speak English as their native tongue.”

The K-pop septet debuted under Mystic Story in November 2021. But the upcoming album involves only five members, with two — Moon Sua and Suhyeon — currently inactive due to health issues.

“I thought the members’ health was an issue of top priority,” Siyoon said, adding that helping manage their health well now would be the best way for the septet to work longer together.

Asked specifically when the members would be able to return, she answered she can’t say when it would be.

“I think it’s more important to keep our place until all seven members can reunite to work in good shape,” she explained.