T o the 13th-century Sufi mystic and poet Rumi, love was not merely a feeling but an all-consuming reality. To a romantic sceptic of the 21st century, it might as well be an embroidered cushion of questionable taste. But for K-pop group ILLIT , love is the plot, the punchline and the reason they keep going.

“Ever since our debut, we’ve constantly connected the story of one album to the next. We’ve mostly sung about romance and love over the years,” Iroha, the youngest member, tells NME over a video call from Seoul. Seated next to her, with immaculate posture, are groupmates Wonhee, Yunah and Minju.…