Moka, member of BELIFT LAB’s girl group ILLIT, is to temporarily halt activities due to health concerns. The announcement was made this morning, only several days after her return from a previous hiatus across April and May.

Moka previously went on hiatus on 20 April 2026. Though no specifics were identified publicly, BELIFT LABS shared that she had “recently received medical treatment due to health issues, and the medical professionals have indicated that she will need continued treatment and adequate rest.” This came with the message that Moka “will be unable to participate in scheduled ILLIT activities for the time being,” including promotions of ILLIT’s fourth mini album, MAMIHLAPINATAPAI, released on 30 April.

On 29 May, she briefly resumed activities, appearing on Music Bank, Inkigayo and Music Core with the rest of the group to perform “It’s Me” during the final week of the album’s promotions. Having “recently received medical clearance to resume activities within a manageable scope,” BELIFT LABS said that “the artist strongly expressed her wish to return to the stage and meet fans once again before the conclusion of promotions.” However, the announcement was accompanied by the warning that “certain scheduled activities may be subject to change depending on her condition.”

Today, those changes have shifted into a second hiatus, with Moka temporarily pausing all activities with ILLIT until further notice. Due to “excessive tension and symptoms of anxiety,” BELIFT LABS stated that “it was determined that she requires a more stable period of rest for a sufficient recovery.” 

Unlike physical health concerns, mental health recovery rarely follows a predictable timeline. Though the precise cause of Moka's initial hiatus was not disclosed, the recurrence suggests the issue has been ongoing for several months, and the timeline for her return remains unclear.

What the sequence of events does highlight is the difficulty of managing recovery within the demands of an active promotional schedule. Moka returned briefly at the end of May with medical clearance, but the swift return to hiatus indicates that clearance and readiness are not always the same thing – a distinction that is particularly relevant when mental health is involved.

ILLIT’s remaining four members Yunah, Minju, Wonhee and Iroha will continue to pursue activities in Moka’s absence until further information regarding her return is shared by the company at a later date.