(G)I-DLE Rebrands, Launches New Name To Mark 7th Anniversary

K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE has officially rebranded as "I-dle" to celebrate the seventh anniversary of their debut.

Cube Entertainment, the group's agency, announced the change on Friday, stating that the group will now be promoting under the simplified name "I-dle". The announcement coincided with the group's debut anniversary, which falls on May 2.

The updated name drops both the "(G)" and the Korean word "yeoja," meaning "female," which had been part of the group's identity since their debut in 2018. According to Cube Entertainment, this move reflects the act's desire to move beyond gender-based labels and embrace a broader, more inclusive identity.

"By removing the '여자' and 'G' and parentheses, the group will show more limitless music and concepts," the agency explained, as translated via Google Translate.

Alongside the new name, I-dle unveiled a fresh logo and symbol. The new logo features lowercase letters "i d l e" in a structural design. The accompanying symbol, composed of five lowercase "i"s arranged in a star shape, represents the unity and individuality of the five members.

The rebranding was first noticed by fans on May 1, when the group's social media accounts changed their handles from @G_I_DLE to @official_i_dle.

To mark the occasion, I-dle announced the release of two new mini albums in May. The first, a special mini album, was set for release on May 2, followed by their eighth mini album on May 19. The group also released a teaser video titled "for (G)," featuring a remix of their debut track "Latata."

Since their debut, I-dle has produced a string of hits, including "Latata," "Tomboy," "Nxde," and "Queencard."

All five members of (G)I-DLE-Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua-have renewed their contracts with Cube Entertainment. The announcement was made public during the 2024 Melon Music Awards, where leader Soyeon addressed disbandment rumors and assured fans that every member had agreed to stay together.