Illit’s upcoming single “You’re Under Arrest” has sparked debate over whether its police-inspired styling sexualizes female officers, reopening an earlier K-pop controversy over the portrayal of women in occupational uniforms.
The girl group unveiled the song in full for the first time during its “Press Start” encore concerts at Inspire Arena in Incheon on Saturday and Sunday.
The lead track from Illit’s upcoming fifth EP “Break Even” uses crime and law-enforcement imagery to portray frustration with a partner’s confusing behavior.
During the concerts, the group members performed with whistles and police-inspired choreography while wearing outfits featuring fitted silhouettes, short skirts and knee-high socks.
The styling quickly drew criticism online, with some viewers arguing that transforming a professional uniform in ways that emphasize the body reinforces sexualized stereotypes surrounding women in certain occupations.
One X user questioned why a female officer would be portrayed wearing “knee-high socks, a short skirt and a cinched waist.”
“What female police officer actually works in knee-high socks, a short skirt and a cropped police uniform?” the user wrote. “Female officers are already a frequent target of misogyny, and they should not be further reduced to a sexualized image through entertainment.”
Much of the criticism has been directed at label Belift Lab and parent company Hybe rather than the group members themselves. Some fans said the concept could have been retained with less revealing styling, such as longer skirts or trousers.
The controversy echoes an earlier one involving Blackpink’s 2020 single “Lovesick Girls.” In the music video, Jennie appeared in a nurse-inspired outfit featuring a fitted white dress, nurse cap and high heels.
The Korea Health and Medical Workers’ Union argued at the time that the styling reinforced sexual stereotypes surrounding nurses.
YG Entertainment initially said the scene was intended only to visually represent the lyrics, but later removed the nurse scenes and apologized to those who felt uncomfortable with the portrayal.
Not everyone agrees that Illit’s costumes cross the same line.
Supporters have argued that uniform-inspired styling, including school, military and other occupational motifs, has long been common in K-pop and that the use of a stylized uniform alone does not necessarily amount to sexual objectification.
Girls’ Generation’s 2009 “Genie” promotions, for example, featured what SM Entertainment described as a “marine girl” concept, with military- and navy-inspired jackets, hats, shorts and heels.
Others have argued that “You’re Under Arrest” itself is not presented as an overtly sexy song, saying that criticism based largely on the costumes goes too far.
“It is difficult to determine sexual objectification based on clothing alone, or to say there was necessarily an intention to sexualize female police officers in this case,” Shin Kyung-ah, a sociology professor at Hallym University, said. “But regardless of the intent, sexualized portrayals of professional uniforms could contribute to perceptions that trivialize women’s expertise and authority. For that reason, such styling is something the industry should be cautious about.”
Illit is scheduled to release teaser content for “You’re Under Arrest” on Oct. 23 and 25, ahead of the release of “Break Even” on Oct. 26.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com