illit to hold encore shows for first tour 'press start♥' in korea and japan

Fans of ILLIT are buzzing with excitement as the girl group announces encore performances for their debut tour, 'PRESS START♥', in South Korea and Japan. This expansion comes thanks to the enthusiastic support from their global fan community, GLLIT.

The HYBE Music Group label Belift Lab revealed on July 27 through ILLIT's official Weverse platform that the encore concerts, titled 'ILLIT LIVE PRESS START♥ ENCORE', will kick off on October 17 and 18 at Inspire Arena in Incheon. The tour will then move to Japan with shows on December 23, 24, 26, and 27 at LaLa Arena TOKYO-BAY in Chiba.

The original 'PRESS START♥' tour impressed audiences with its clever game-like stage concept, presenting performances as different levels while showcasing the group's diverse musical styles. Tickets for all stops in Seoul, five Japanese cities, and Hong Kong sold out rapidly. Due to high demand, additional standing and limited-view seats were released, and the Hong Kong leg was extended from one to two shows. This expansion brought the tour total to 15 performances across seven cities.

Adding to their momentum, ILLIT dropped their second Japanese single, "I Got Your Back," on July 26. The title track quickly climbed to number one on the AWA Music real-time rising charts, while the B-side "Sunday Morning" secured third place. The single features collaborations with JISOO and MOMOKA from the popular Japanese girl group HANA. Fans were thrilled when these two artists made surprise appearances during ILLIT's Tokyo concerts to perform the track together, with the live broadcast sparking an online frenzy.

Looking ahead, ILLIT is scheduled to appear on NHK’s music program "Utacon" on July 28 and Fuji TV’s morning show "Mezamashi TV" on July 29 to promote their new release. In August, the group will continue their activities by performing at major Japanese festivals including the "Mezamashi WANGAN Festival" and "LuckyFes’26," maintaining their rising momentum.