Itzy member Lia to return from hiatus, will participate in group's upcoming album
The 23-year-old K-pop idol had been on a break since September 2023 due to anxiety.
After months of inactivity, Lia appeared in a livestream on Jul 8 – celebrating the fifth anniversary of Itzy's fan club Midzy. (Photo: YouTube/Itzy)
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South Korean singer Lia, who is a member of the popular K-pop girl group Itzy, is set to return from her 10-month-long hiatus. Back in September 2023, her agency JYP Entertainment announced that the 23-year-old would be taking a break from her activities due to "extreme stress and tension".
As a result, Lia did not participate in the production and promotion of Itzy's album Born To Be as well as the group's world tour.
On Monday (Jul 8), Lia made her first official appearance in months, in a livestream celebrating the fifth anniversary of Midzy – Itzy's fan club.
Dressed as the character Mathilda Lando, played by Natalie Portman in 1994's Leon: The Professional, Lia played games with her groupmates and shared a few memories from Itzy's early days.
During the livestream, Lia got emotional as she addressed Midzys, saying: "For a while, I couldn't see Midzys but I'm thankful that you all waited for me, even for 10 months."
Fighting tears, she continued: "Even though I couldn't meet or talk to you directly, I'm grateful for your kindness. I always see and hear your cheers, so I want to thank you so much."
Lia also thanked her other members – Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna – for "working really hard". She then assured fans that she was "preparing hard" for Itzy's next activity so that it can be "a complete group" again.
Minutes after the livestream, JYP Entertainment announced on its platform Fans that Lia would be returning to Itzy.
"Lia's tension and anxiety have improved significantly through treatment and rest. After careful consideration with her, we decided that she would resume activities, starting with Itzy's new album which is set to be released in the second half of the year."
However, the agency clarified that pre-arranged materials and filming events prior to the new album's release would be carried out by Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna.
"We would like to thank the fans for their warm encouragement and support for Lia's recovery. We hope that she will be able to meet fans in good health in the future."
