Go Bananas for These Girl Group Songs

Photo: ICHILLIN’ Official X

When a girl group releases a song with “banana” in the title, it likely will prioritize entertaining through a playfully catchy energy. With last month’s release of ICHILLIN’ J’s “BANANA (Look At Me!),” it calls to mind other songs with similar titles, and how surprisingly common it is for those tracks to share a central idea. No matter the differences in genre and visual concepts, unabashed fun lies at the core of each song. 

ICHILLIN’ J: “BANANA (Look At Me!)” 

E.Ji, Joonie, and Yeju debuted as ICHILLIN’ J, the group’s first sub-unit. On September 2, 2026, they released their first single album, Look at Me. The pop-rock title track “BANANA (Look At Me)” is about quickly falling in love with someone. Co-written by Kang Jiwon and Joonie, the song compares falling in love to slipping on a banana peel—something that catches you completely off guard. 

Its music video combines video game-style pixel art with real-life shots of ICHILLIN’ J spending their day together. Though no real bananas show up, the sub-unit still keeps the mood lighthearted with its easygoing energy. The addition of the remaining ICHILLIN’ members in the video’s ending shot reinforces this idea of a strong bond. 

YOUNG POSSE: “Bananas” 

“Bananas” features as the third track on YOUNG POSSE’s third EP, ATE THAT. Released on August 21, 2024, this snap song, a subgenre of hip-hop, spreads the message that YOUNG POSSE will move forward at their own pace and on their own terms. It’s not their fault if bystanders “slip” on the trail they have left behind. With quick, hard-hitting beats that convey urgent energy, the song playfully champions staying true to oneself. 

Oh My Girl Banhana: “Banana Allergy Monkey” 

Oh My Girl’s Hyojung, Yubin, and Arin debuted as Oh My Girl Banhana on April 2, 2018. Their first song, “Banana Allergy Monkey” turns out as ridiculously fun as the title implies. With a chirpy electronic and pop beat and drawn-out, high-pitched vocals, the song knows its identity. It tells of the conundrum of a monkey developing an allergy towards bananas, the food they love the most, and their struggle to find alternatives.* 

This song matches the campy energy of other girl group sub-units like Orange Caramel and WJSN Chocome. The song’s hilarity also extended towards a real-life situation: in November 2019, an infamous technical error on the HANTEO Chart’s website incorrectly stated that the Banana Allergy Monkey EP sold over 2.7 billion units. Though an error, the EP once held the title for the best-selling album of all time.   

*Note: lyrics taken from the English captions in the official music video.