Itzy (; Korean: 있지; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group consists of five members: Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna. They are recognized for their "teen crush" concept and for exploring themes of independence and self-love in their music.
Itzy debuted on February 12, 2019, with the single album It'z Different and its lead single "Dalla Dalla", which emerged as the best-performing girl group song of the year in South Korea. It peaked at number two on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart, the Billboard K-pop Hot 100, and the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart, while its music video set a new record for the most views in 24 hours for a K-pop debut. Later that year, Itzy became the first K-pop girl group in history to achieve a "Rookie Grand Slam", winning all five major Rookie of the Year awards.
Between 2019 and 2021, Itzy released four extended plays (EPs): It'z Icy, It'z Me, Not Shy, and Guess Who, each producing top-ten singles in South Korea, including "Icy", "Wannabe", "Not Shy", and "In the Morning". In 2021, they released their debut studio album Crazy in Love, which debuted at number 11 on the US Billboard 200. In 2022, their fifth EP, Checkmate, became their first to sell over one million copies and entered the Billboard 200 top ten, reaching number eight. Its lead single "Sneakers" rose to number five on the Circle Digital Chart and topped the Billboard South Korea Songs Chart. Following their Checkmate World Tour, the group released two more million-selling EPs: Cheshire (2022) and Kill My Doubt (2023).
Itzy made their official Japanese debut in 2022 with the singles "Voltage" and "Blah Blah Blah", both of which peaked at number three on the Oricon Singles Chart. Their first Japanese studio album, Ringo (2023), reached number seven on the Oricon Combined Albums Chart and number five on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums Chart. In 2024, Itzy released their eighth EP, Born to Be, and embarked on the Born to Be World Tour. In the same year, they released their ninth EP, Gold, which marked their seventh appearance on the Billboard 200. This was followed in 2025 by their tenth EP, Girls Will Be Girls, their second Japanese studio album, Collector, and their eleventh EP, Tunnel Vision.
Name
The group's name is derived from the Korean word itji (있지), which means 'to have'. The members say it means they have everything their fans want. As Lia put it, "'Itzy' means 'to have' in Korean. We have everything you guys expect in us. So, 'all in us', that's what we say all the time".
History
2015–2018: Pre-debut activities
Before their debut, Itzy's members each followed unique paths within the K-pop industry. Chaeryeong and her sister initially auditioned for Fantagio but did not pass. Both were later discovered by JYP Entertainment (JYP) through the television series K-pop Star 3. In 2015, Chaeryeong participated in JYP's survival show Sixteen, which formed the girl group Twice. Although she didn't make the final lineup, she became the first member to join Itzy and trained with JYP for five years prior to debut.
Ryujin was scouted at a Got7 concert and trained with JYP for four years leading up to Itzy's debut. Yuna and Yeji both joined JYP in 2015 after passing auditions and trained for three years. Yuna was discovered at a music festival, while Yeji secured her place through an audition. Lia was initially accepted as a trainee by SM Entertainment after passing a global audition in Canada but backed out due to her parents' concerns. She later auditioned for JYP and trained for two years prior to the group's debut.
In 2017, Yuna and Ryujin appeared in BTS's "Love Yourself" highlight reel. That same year, all members except Lia appeared on the Mnet reality show Stray Kids. Ryujin competed on JTBC's survival show Mix Nine, where she placed first among female contestants, while Yeji participated in SBS's The Fan.
2019: Debut with It'z Different and It'z Icy
On January 21, 2019, JYP Entertainment announced the debut of a new girl group, their first since Twice in 2015 and their first idol group overall since Stray Kids in 2017. A trailer introducing the five members was released the same day. Itzy officially debuted on February 12, with the release of their single album It'z Different, featuring the lead single "Dalla Dalla". The song blends various EDM elements, including a bass house verse, electro house chorus, and a trap-influenced bridge. Its empowering message of self-confidence was well received by critics and audiences alike.
"Dalla Dalla" marked one of the strongest debuts for a new K-pop act in years, entering at number three and peaking at number two on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart. It sold 2,000 downloads in the US during its first week, making it the best-selling K-pop song in the country at the time. The music video amassed over 17.1 million views within its first day, setting a record for the most views in 24 hours by a K-pop debut music video. Eight days after their debut, Itzy won their first music-show trophy on M Countdown, breaking the record for the fastest girl group to earn a music-show win. "Dalla Dalla" went on to achieve nine music-show wins and became the fastest debut music video by a K-pop group to surpass 100 million views.
On July 29, Itzy released their first extended play (EP), It'z Icy, featuring the lead single "Icy". The EP was a commercial success, peaking at number three on the Gaon Album Chart. "Icy" continued the group's success on music-shows, earning 12 wins, including a triple crown on Show Champion. In September, JYP announced Itzy's showcase tour, titled Itzy Premiere Showcase Tour "Itzy? Itzy!". The tour began in Jakarta on November 2 and continued through various cities in Asia, concluding with five US stops in January 2020.
Later that year, "Dalla Dalla" surpassed 100 million streams on the Gaon Music Chart, earning a platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). It became the first debut song by a K-pop group to achieve this milestone since the KMCA began issuing streaming certifications in 2018. The song was ranked eighth on Dazed's list of "The 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2019", which commended the group's confident and refreshing debut. Both "Dalla Dalla" and "Icy" were among the most popular YouTube music videos in South Korea that year, ranking second and seventh, respectively. By the end of 2019, the group made history by achieving a "Rookie Grand Slam", winning all five major Rookie of the Year awards from the 34th Golden Disc Awards, 9th Gaon Chart Music Awards, 2019 Melon Music Awards, 2019 Mnet Asian Music Awards, and 29th Seoul Music Awards. They also won Rookie of the Year at the 2019 Genie Music Awards and the 4th Asia Artist Awards, and were nominated for Best Korean Act at the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards.
2020–2021: US showcase tour, Japanese debut, and commercial success
In early 2020, Itzy embarked on the US leg of their showcase tour. Their first show was in Los Angeles on January 17. On March 9, they released their second EP, It'z Me, led by the single "Wannabe". The EP explores themes of freedom, individuality, and self-confidence, with production contributed by Sophie. It'z Me debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart, marking Itzy's first chart-topping album in their home country. It also reached number five on the Billboard World Albums chart, the group's highest position on the chart at the time. The group went on to achieve eight music-show wins with "Wannabe".
On August 17, 2020, Itzy released their third EP, Not Shy, as well as the music video for the lead single of the same name. While retaining their signature "teen crush" pop sound, the EP marked a subtle lyrical shift as the group began exploring themes of love and self-expression, complementing their ongoing messages of independence and self-confidence. Not Shy debuted at number one on the Gaon…