UnityEnt has officially confirmed that IllaFemme will be dropping their highly anticipated 5th mini album, 'CIRCA,' on December 1st, causing a wave of excitement in the K-pop world. The album boasts a total of five songs, with the spotlight on the two title tracks, 'Solstice' and 'Wish.' 'Solstice' is masterfully produced by the renowned Eden Kim, while 'Wish' is the brainchild of the incredibly talented Ellena Kim. As an extra treat for fans, the Mini Album will also feature two music videos, and the directors behind these visual delights are none other than Daniella Choi and Eugene An.

[+8779, -22] Illa~ Let’s aim for that PAK (Perfect All-Kill)!

-> With these top-tier producers on board, IllaFemme is already off to a flying start!

->> Ballads or something else, who cares? IllaFemme is about to bless us with hit after hit!

->>> 'Solstice' seems to be a dance track while 'Wish' might be a heart-wrenching ballad.

->>>> The scent of 'Album of the Year' is in the air!!!

[+7622, -797] This would've been Album of The Year if they'd released it two months ago!!

-> Oh, come on! How can you crown it Album of the Year without hearing the songs?!

->> You've never heard of Eden Kim or Ellena Kim? Do you even know who they are?

->>> It looks like the company couldn't get Eden Kim and Ellena Kim on board for a comeback a few months ago. So they put them on an unexpected album.

->>>> Eden Kim and Ellena Kim don't work with girl groups or boy groups, but they're always up for soloist projects.

[+5647, -98] THE MVS WILL BE DIRECTED BY DANIELLA CHOI AND EUGENE AN! I'm not seeing things, am I?

-> Eugene An as in An Yujin, the owner of Once in the Blue Moon? Don't play with us, UnityEnt, or we might toast your building!!!

->> Whoaahhhh, why is UnityEnt suddenly setting the world on fire like this?! This is the first time Daniella Choi is directing an MV that's not for Royal Ent or Ellas Ent!!!

->>> Top-notch producers and out-of-the-blue directors; I'm itching to find out who was involved in the other tracks.

->>>> It feels like they kicked out the “not-so-useful” team after last month's BOD meeting. This lineup is amazing!

***

Black Pearl, Seoul

Wednesday, November 19th, 2025 

“Oh, my God, Cous! Is what I'm reading true?” The UnityEnt CEO burst into the room with uncontainable excitement. He pulled out a chair and his tablet and eagerly presented an article he had just read. “No wonder our stock in UnityEnt is skyrocketing this morning. Eugene An will be a part of the IllaFemme comeback! Thanks to you. Finally, your connection with Heeyeon Noona is useful for our business.”

Gyuri just shook her head at the enthusiastic antics of her cousin. “I didn't do anything. Wonyoungie is the one who made it, Oppa. You should thank her instead of me.”

“WHAT?!” The CEO was taken by surprise. “My little Wonie did this?! Whoa! How did she manage that? Didn't you just give her a job last week? I remember you announcing her position in the BOD meeting last Friday.”

“I’ve already ordered as usual. You can add whatever you’d like, Oppa.” Gyuri remained composed, calmly handing over the menu. “And yes, Wonie just joined last week, but she has been interested in the entertainment industry for a while and has many connections so-,” Gyuri halted her response as her gaze moved to the door.

“Hello, Oppa. Sorry, we're late. Dohyonie was late picking me up at the office.” Wonyoung appeared, followed by Dohyon.

“Hey! Don't blame me! You were the one who suddenly asked me to pick you up and said, Gyuri Noona and Seongwu Oppa invited us to have lunch together." Dohyon, not wanting to take the blame, walked past Wonyoung to hug Seongwu and Gyuri. “She just called me an hour ago, Hyung.” He defends himself like a child and makes Seongwu and Gyuri laugh.

Seongwu hugged Dohyon and Wonyoung in turn before sitting down.

“Geez! Why do you two always argue every time you're together, huh? But at the same time, you're always together. I saw the article about you two going to the Boussole event.” Seongwu still looked excited and stared at his cousins, who were looking at the menu.

“Wonie didn’t have any friends, Hyung. She used me all the time.” Dohyon stuck out his tongue at Wonyoung, who looked annoyed at him.

The group continued with their humorous banter as they started to savor the food that had already been served.

“Unnie, did you already order this?” Wonyoung pointed to one of the menus. “Dohyon and I want this and this. I heard the signature dishes at Black Pearl are amazing.”

Gyuri nodded and signaled to the waiter to add and serve their orders.

“So, how?” Seongwu looked at his cousin with a curious expression. “How did you convince Eugene An to join the IllaFemme comeback, Wonie?”

Wonyoung responded while putting the menu on the table.

“Before I answer your question, why are you so enthusiastic about Eugene An joining? Aren't Eden Kim, Ellena Kim, and Daniella Choi equally challenging to collaborate with? I heard they are quite hard to persuade into the project. The same goes for other producers.”

Seongwu maintained his gaze on Wonyoung and kept his no-nonsense demeanor. “Nayoungie is my bestie, and Yoojungie, even though she's younger than me, is my senior in this industry. I know how they work. I know precisely what makes them accept or reject a project. And Jiwoo is her bestie,” Seongwu pointed to Gyuri, which prompted a puzzled expression from Wonyoung. "But Gyulie has never been willing to help me meet her. However, I'm confident that eventually, Eden will join our project. And look, they've joined together, right?”

Seongwu wore a triumphant grin. “The three of them share some similarities. Until now, they've primarily worked with soloists, OSTs, or other projects. Jiwoo hasn't even touched an idol group. And you know, all the songs produced by Nayoung and Jiwoo always top the charts. I love their music. Not to mention, Yoojungie always creates trending choreography that people love. They work freely and aren't tied to any contracts. But that's different when it comes to Eugene An.”

Wonyoung's eyes fixed on Seongwu, b with curiosity. “What's the difference?”

“She's at your age, around your age,” Seongwu gestured to Wonyoung and Dohyon in succession.

“By the way, before I forget, I want to let you know that starting next week, Dohyon, you'll join in wherever Wonyoung is on a project,” Seongwu announced.

“Hyung, I've told you I don't want to get involved in all this adult stuff.” Dohyon reminded him with pouty lips.

“Nonetheless, you'll be working with Wonie at least until this project is over. I heard you're pretty close to Eugene's circle at Amethyst, so I hope you can maintain this collaboration with her. I want Eugene An to be a part of our team for a long time,” Seongwu added.

“Hyung, stop calling her by her English name, Eugene. Just use her Korean name, Yujin. And just so you know, Wonie is much closer with...” Dohyon's sentence was cut short by a stern look from Wonyoung, which made him sigh.

“Why don't you meet Yujin Noona and offer her a collaboration? As far as I know, she still doesn't have an agency. You can try your luck, Hyung,” Dohyon suggested.

“Truthfully, I don’t know how to invite her to join the Victory Project or UnityEnt,” Seongwu muttered, a serious look on his face. “As I said, Eugene An is different. She seems out of my league.”

“What do you mean?” Dohyon looked perplexed, glancing at Wonyoung with a small smile. “You're talking about her like you want to date her. She's too young for you, Hyung.”

Seongwu hissed at the mocking tone in Dohyon's voice. “I’m talking about her talent. She started all of this by creating a website and video channel just to indulge her hobbies, but she did it with a brilliant business strategy. At a young age, she managed to build her own 'empire.' Apart from that, she was born into a family of extraordinary geniuses, so I wouldn't be surprised where she gets her intelligence.”

Beside her, Gyuri chuckled as she listened to Seongwu's explanation. “Has Dongmin completed his research on Yujin's web and channel? You seem so excited talking about it, Oppa.”

“I can't help it! What Dongmin found is genuinely mind-blowing. I only met Eugene An once, and she immediately left a strong impression on me,” Seongwu gushed, tapping his fingers enthusiastically on the edge of the table. “Do you remember what the first video Eugene released on her channel was?”

“I don't remember. Maybe a cover dance or song?” Dohyon shrugged. “My friends mostly discuss her song and dance covers.”

“That's the point,” Seongwu said, dramatically snapping his fingers. “From the beginning, Eugene An divided her viewership market, which rapidly boosted her subscribers. Her channel is incredibly diverse, attracting audiences of various ages, cultures, and more.”

“The debut video was a cover of a 90s classic, but she cleverly spiced it up with a twist that charmed Gen X and Millennials. Who would've thought she'd arrange a song like 'Always' by Bon Jovi? A song choice so unusual for someone of her age! Isn't she fascinating? Just a week later, she hits us with a modern hip-hop dance cover. With these two videos alone, she owns the hearts of three generations. In the following week, she released a vlog with a nature walk theme. When I watched that video, I knew the boomers would eat it up. She wrapped it in a modern flair, making the previous three generations fall head over heels.”

“I remember that video. The part where Yujin Noona went hiking and visited the nursing home at the foothills was touching. She not only had heartwarming conversations with the elderly but also played the piano and sang with them. She even cooked for them, as if she were part of their society. The comment section was flooded with folks who confessed they missed their parents and grandparents.” Dohyon couldn’t resist sharing her story.

Seongwu was on a roll to talk more about Yujin. “And right after that, she hit us with an instrumental music video as an intro to her channel. With just these four videos, within a month, she amassed over 10 million subscribers! Years ago, that many subscribers were only held by the top 7 idol groups who had been in the industry for at least 5 years! Her popularity is not only in this country but also in the world. She was trending week after week, outshining even some top-tier idol groups who'd been in the game for years! And she wasn't even a public figure; it was mind-blowing!”

“I recall that Dongmin immediately contacted me to get Heeyeon Unnie and Jaehyo Oppa's contact information. Yujin was still a minor, and Dongmin wanted to get permission from her guardian.” Gyuri remembered that day.

“Dongmin went to Stockholm to meet Yujin, but it was all in vain because Yujin didn't want to become an idol.” Wonyoung frowned at the mention of Stockholm. Did Yujin live in Stockholm for a short time? “At the time, many agencies were competing to contact and find out more about Eugene to invite her to join their agencies, but they were all rejected.”

“Rumors say that even Ellas and Royal Ent were turned down by Yujin Noona. After those rumors came out, An Yujin became even more popular.” Dohyon chimed in with some tea-spilling gossip: “Word has it that some agencies tried to tarnish her image with rumors, but Lunatic, her loyal fanbase, clapped back with more information, making their fanbase swell even bigger.”

“Eugene's versatility continued when she stepped into the role of a broadcasting DJ and directed several MVs under the name Cairo Violette. It's like watching a master illusionist at work. While everyone expected her to become an idol, she threw us a curveball, opting to become a DJ and music director instead. She seemed completely unfazed by the ever-evolving landscape since her video debut. Some claimed she was merely toying with her channel. But it's anything but simple! She masterminds her website and video content like a strategic genius. She even nails down the exact dates for new video releases, as if she's been plotting them for eons. It's like she's hiding some invisible codes in her posts. Honestly, there's so much about her I'm dying to unravel. Especially that one unchanging pattern from the get-go.”

“Did Dongmin find anything else besides these four categories of her videos?” Gyuri asked, curious.

“Since the debut of her first video, Eugene has only covered foreign songs, never Korean songs. On the other hand, she did dance covers only with Korean songs. She'd cover Korean songs in her collabs on other channels, never on her own.”

“I think she might change that pattern on a very special day for her,” Dohyon responded. “Lunatic has noticed the same thing, and they're waiting for when Yujin Noona will change her pattern.”

Seongwu nodded.

“I couldn't agree more. There's something strangely methodical about Eugene. Dongmin and I have always felt that the pattern Eugene has been following is related to someone. She's been doing this like she's communicating with someone through her content. A romantic in her elegant way, really. I'm almost convinced she'd change her ways only when she's about to announce her engagement.”  Seongwu returned with his analysis.

At this point, Wonyoung erupted into laughter, breaking the serious tone in the room. Her cousin had a knack for adding drama to the mundane. This crazy side of her cousin… Seongwu always amazed her with how he ran his business.

“So, Wonie, what made Eugene agree to this collaboration?” Seongwu asked that question once more. “What did you offer her that made her want to join?”

“At first, I was just interested in her videos, and I was increasingly impressed by the way she crafted the video content for our project,” Wonyoung replied, slicing into her steak.

“You and Eugene are working on the same project? How?” Seongwu looked taken aback.

“Amethyst is hosting its annual festival, and we're doing a joint project to fill one of the exhibitions as part of the event. I'm working on the paintings, and Yujin Unnie is contributing her photos.”

Seongwu couldn’t contain his excitement. “That’s fantastic! Why didn’t you share any of this with me?”

Wonyoung shrugged. “Well, this is the first time in a while we’ve met in such a casual setting, Oppa. You’ve been swamped with your projects around the world.”

Seongwu leaned forward. “So, what did you say to her?”

“I simply asked her to direct one of the MVs for the group I’m working with. She agreed after I sent her a concept proposal and the song she’d be directing.” Wonyoung explained before taking a bite of her steak.

“That’s it? You got her to say ‘yes’