Rookie girl group Le Sserafim poses during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. (Source Music)
Amid frenzied hype, Hybe’s first-ever girl group Le Sserafim finally made their official debut and stepped into the spotlight on Monday evening with the release of their five-song package “Fearless.” The six-member group threw their glitzy hats into the ring under Source Music, an affiliate label of Hybe, as the first all-female act launched by the multi-label entertainment company.
Among the six members, there are four Korean members -- Chae-won, Yun-jin, Garam, and Eun-chae – and two Japanese members, Sakura and Kazuha. Chae-won and Sakura are bandmates from the now-disbanded girl group IZ*ONE.
Sakura said being called Hybe’s first-ever girl group was definitely a burden. But at the same time, the Japanese member said she was grateful to be in the limelight and the center of attention. She added that the group had many conversations before their debut, and kept reminding each other to stop worrying about what others say.
Le Sserafim’s road to the debut stage was no walk in the park. But the worry and excitement surrounding the dawn of a new girl group to lead the 4th generation of K-pop groups landed well with the six-member group. And now, the rookie band is eager to set off on their musical journey.
Speaking about how it feels to make the first step, Yun-jin said she’s happy to debut as a group where all six bandmates have different backgrounds. “It feels like we are destined to be together. I’m glad my hard work paid off, and we’ll continue to give good performances,” she said.
When asked about the band’s name, Chae-won said Le Sserafim is an anagram of “I’m fearless.” The leader went on to say that the band’s name also contains a message that it will not be swayed by what the world says and boldly march forward. This is also the message the group aims to convey through its debut album, she said.
As much as music listeners and fans are excited to see a new female act from the K-pop powerhouse, expectations for what kind of music and performances the band would put out are also high. Hybe’s founder and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, often referred to as the mastermind behind BTS, has executively produced the group’s first album.
When asked about Bang Si-hyuk’s advice, Chae-won said that since the debut album is about Le Sserafim’s story about being bold and daring, Bang told the rookie band to express being fearless with confidence.
Sakura described the album produced by the K-pop mogul as “a story about Le Sserafim who strives to be the strongest and the best.”
Rookie girl group Le Sserafim performs its debut song “Fearless” during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. (Source Music)
Leading the album is the title track “Fearless,” which Chae-won described as “a funk-based alternative pop genre song that talks about marching forward without thinking about the past.”
Eun-chae said she got emotional when she first heard the original track with the group’s voices, saying she couldn’t believe the song was making its way to the world.
Garam went on to say that the powerful catwalk dance moves to the frenzied beats are also something fans can look forward to.
“I think the choreography during Kazuha’s rap verse is really nice, and I would have to say I like my part. But other than that, there’s a part where we all walk down the stage like cats, and that part is cool,” she said.
Kazuha chimed in, saying her favorite dance move occurs during the chorus when the bandmates dance along to the track covering their faces. She added that the introductory choreography of the song starts with the bandmates lying down on the floor to express freedom, which is another point to look forward to in its title track.
Other sidetracks that round out the album are: “The World Is My Oyster,” “Blue Flame,” “The Great Mermaid” and “Sour Grapes.”
Chae-won and Yun-jin listed themselves as lyricists for “Blue Fame” on their debut album. Chae-won said she’s happy to be credited on the debut album, and wants to keep working on other songs in other albums.
Yun-jin also said she was happy when the lyrics she wrote were chosen during the song selection process.
“I remember I was happy when I did the recording for this track, because I could sing the line I wrote. I’m a bit greedy when it comes to songs, so I hope I can participate as a composer or lyricist for our next album,” the vocalist said.
During the event, Le Sserafim also opened up about school bullying rumors surrounding Garam.
“We are currently discussing and responding to the rumors of school bullying surrounding Garam with our company, so I don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about it. There will be an opportunity where we’ll be able to talk about this later,” Chae-won said.
Closing the event, Sakura said she hoped the band would be featured in year-end music programs to perform the band’s songs and showcase at other special gigs. She also said she hopes to see the band notch the rookie of the year award at various award ceremonies. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she can achieve as part of Le Sserafim, she added.
Prior to the band’s debut Monday, Le Sserafim sold 380,000 copies of its debut album, making the grand record the first of its kind.
The five-track package hit global music platforms on Monday at 6 p.m.
By Park Jun-hee (
junheee@heraldcorp.com)