BABYMONSTER’s 2026 visual campaigns for I LIKE IT and MOON show how much range the group built into its CHOOM era. Within one album cycle, BABYMONSTER moved from yacht-side summer pop to a moonlit, smoky world that put a darker edge on the same seven-member group’s visual identity.
For fans who associate BABYMONSTER with the harder-hitting energy of CHOOM and SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA, the two music video rollouts offer a clear guide to the group’s expanding concept playbook. The bright romance of I LIKE IT and the controlled intensity of MOON were not presented as competing identities, but as two distinct moods within a larger campaign.
How the CHOOM era expanded BABYMONSTER’s visual range
CHOOM, BABYMONSTER’s third mini album, arrived on May 4, 2026. The project gave YG Entertainment room to highlight songs beyond its title track, turning both I LIKE IT and MOON into full visual moments with their own styling, imagery, and music videos.
That approach matters because the two songs sit at opposite ends of the album’s sound and mood. I LIKE IT is a refreshing dance track built around a country-style guitar riff and lyrics about the innocent excitement of young love. MOON, meanwhile, was described by YG as Southern trap-style R and B hip-hop shaped by 808 bass, minimal production, dreamy synth textures, and surreal lyrics.
Both tracks also entered the group’s live era before their videos arrived. BABYMONSTER first performed I LIKE IT and MOON during the Seoul opening concerts for the 2026 to 2027 CHOOM world tour at Jamsil Indoor Stadium, connecting the songs’ stage presence to their later visual campaigns.
I LIKE IT made summer the main character
The BABYMONSTER I LIKE IT music video campaign leaned into escape, sunlight, and a softer kind of confidence. Its announcement poster centered on a white yacht floating on bright blue water, with playful wave and heart graphics that immediately established the track’s romantic vacation mood.
The video expanded that setting with a yacht, clear ocean views, and a foam-filled gas station. Denim, white tops, airy dresses, beach parasols, bold earrings, and playful hair accessories gave the members a coordinated summer palette without making their looks feel identical.
YG said the video was filmed entirely on location to capture the song’s free-spirited and upbeat energy. That detail helps explain why the campaign feels less like a studio-built concept and more like a warm-weather postcard, with the outdoor settings doing as much work as the styling.
The member photos also created a useful visual progression. Ahyeon, Rora, and Asa appeared in one set, followed by Chiquita, Ruka, and Pharita. The latter trio drew attention for their lovely, relaxed styling, but no official subunit was announced for the grouping.
I LIKE IT premiered in Korea on July 6, 2026 at midnight KST, which meant a July 5 release for U.S. viewers at 11 a.m. ET and 8 a.m. PT. The daytime U.S. premiere fit the song’s breezy atmosphere, while giving international fans a visual counterpart to a B-side already available through CHOOM.
MOON traded daylight for controlled intensity
Where I LIKE IT used bright color and open space, the BABYMONSTER MOON concept photos built their identity through darkness, restraint, and atmosphere. The first announcement poster showed a giant full moon over a shadowed forest, with the title set in red typography.
YG then rolled out individual visuals for six participating members: Pharita, Asa, Ahyeon, Rora, Ruka, and Chiquita. Pharita and Asa opened the series, followed by Ahyeon and Rora, before Ruka and Chiquita completed the sequence.
The styling stayed consistent with the poster’s dreamlike tension while allowing each image its own detail. Pharita wore pale brows and smoky makeup, Asa paired statement nails with bold accessories, Ahyeon appeared with naturally waved hair, and Rora held a restrained expression and direct gaze.
Ruka’s braided blonde hair and smoky makeup gave her portrait a sharper texture, while Chiquita’s silver-toned eye makeup and denim top kept the final image cool rather than overly ornate. Across the campaign, darker styling and composed expressions replaced the playful closeness of the I LIKE IT group visuals.
MOON premiered at midnight KST on August 3, 2026, or August 2 at 11 a.m. ET and 8 a.m. PT in the United States. It became the fourth music video in YG’s extended CHOOM campaign, following CHOOM, SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA, and I LIKE IT.
A timeline of BABYMONSTER’s concept switch
- May 4, 2026: BABYMONSTER releases its third mini album, CHOOM.
- June 26 through 28: I LIKE IT and MOON are performed during the Seoul opening shows of the 2026 to 2027 CHOOM world tour.
- June 29 through July 3: The I LIKE IT campaign releases its yacht poster, member-focused visuals, teaser, and group image.
- July 5 through 6: The I LIKE IT music video arrives for U.S. and Korean audiences.
- July 28 through 30: The six-member MOON visual rollout unfolds in three pairings.
- August 2 through 3: The MOON music video reaches U.S. and Korean viewers.
What the two campaigns reveal, and what remains unknown
The strongest link between I LIKE IT and MOON is their contrast. One campaign uses blue water, foam, casual summer styling, and youthful romance to make BABYMONSTER feel approachable. The other uses a moonlit forest, smoky makeup, red lettering, and minimal visual gestures to create a more cinematic, performance-led mood.
Together, they show that BABYMONSTER’s CHOOM era was not limited to one fierce girl crush formula. The group could move from a bright dance song to a darker hip-hop and R and B atmosphere while keeping the visual details closely tied to each track’s sound.
YG has described MOON’s visual direction but has not confirmed a larger plot or narrative connection between its images. The sources also do not explain why the individual MOON visual sequence featured six members. For fans following the world tour, that leaves the live staging of these sharply different songs as the clearest place to watch how BABYMONSTER continues to balance summer ease with darker drama.
Sources
-
K-Cult.com
«This babymonster i like it visual trio teaser has fans watching pharita chiquita and ruka for a concept shift 316» -
K-Cult.com
«This yacht side detail in babymonsters i like it mv teaser has monstiez ready for baemon girl summer 322» -
K-Cult.com
«Babymonsters latest i like it group visual hides one detail fans should not miss before the music video drops 811» -
K-Cult.com
«Babymonster unveils all six moon visuals ahead of aug 2 us premiere»
