ILLIT have a knack for releasing viral songs — or at least dance challenges that make their songs go viral. The ultra-subdued Not Cute Anymore is currently enjoying a run on the charts that has prompted the group to get back on music shows for additional promotions. In the midst of this, they’ve released the video for their newest Japanese single Sunday Morning.
Of all currently active groups, ILLIT feel so ready to appeal to Japanese audiences. Their vocals — especially on a track like this — recall classic J-pop delivery. Sunday Morning is sweet and tuneful, steering their sound into a sunny indie rock zone. Listening to this feels like experiencing a cotton candy cloud wafting over you. Everything is so light and airy it’s almost intangible, but in a pleasant, sedative way that’s designed to appeal to just about anyone. I like the slight influence of jangle pop in the instrumental even if the song isn’t confident enough to move fully in that (or any) direction.
Like most ILLIT singles, I assume that what initially comes across as underwhelming and undercooked will gradually bloom into the kind of earworm you can’t dislodge from your head. Still, I don’t think this is as strong as last year’s Toki Yo Tomare and certainly not up to the level of a Do The Dance or Magnetic. Instead, it’s a pleasant placeholder that will keep ILLIT in listeners’ ears until the next viral moment comes along.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
Grade: C+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
If the Hi-Chew candy were a pop song, it might sound like Illit’s recent Jpop songs. Super candy sweet, but also very good and slightly addictive.
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are they 5? That’s what I think of when I hear this tone of singing. Also, the instrumentals are too much, they clash…at least that’s what it sounds like to my untrained ears.
Pity, because there are good bits in the song, but these two things make it unlistenable to me.
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I feel this way about the first line in the song, I think it’s Moka’s? But that kind of affected voice is popular in Japan so I do understand their singing it that way.
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voices felt fine to me except moka and iroha 😬 this might just be me but I get so uncomfortable when a teenager/adult forces their voice to sound like a literal baby, it’s both weird and unbearable to listen to
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It’s not bad, but I don’t feel like it’s the kind of track I’d replay. I also don’t think it’s something young women in Japan would really be into right now. Honestly, I think ILLIT’s usual songs are more likely to appeal to Japanese listeners.
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“I also don’t think it’s something young women in Japan would really be into right now.”
No, but it’s what 15-40 year-old boys/men are into, and that really is half of their fandom, especially in Japan tbh.
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In Japan, gaining fans of the same gender is really important. The reason is that male fans generally don’t spend much money—they mostly just watch the videos on YouTube. Female fans, on the other hand, actively buy things like fan-sign tickets, merch, and CDs. That’s why I included a perspective focused on female fans in my comment.
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“Half their fandom is male” is kind of a nothingburger comment I have to say lol
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I think there’s a difference between having MALE fans and having male FANS. Japanese fandom culture is disgusting when it comes to young female idols and their “music”
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Meh. All their songs sound the same. And the vocals sound like the producers put a furby or minion filter on top of it. This will appeal to the male weebs for sure.
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did magnetic grow on you? seems like you hold it to a higher regard when comparing it to most of illit’s other songs
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i also found out it’s used in an anime opening.
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The vocals especially Moka’s makes me uncomfortable to listen to the song, the track is okay nevertheless. I think it perfectly does what it set out to do, a fluffy cute little song.
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