HYBE's first girl group Le Sserafim makes 'Fearless' debut, lives up to high expectations

From left, Kazuha, Kim Chae-won, Kim Ga-ram, Sakura, Hong Eun-chae and Huh Yun-jin of rookie K-pop girl group Le Sserafim pose during a press event in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Source Music

Rookie girl act enjoys unusually high pre-order for debut album

By Dong Sun-hwa

Le Sserafim, the first girl group to debut under K-pop titan BTS' record label HYBE, is unlike any other rookie group. Debuting amid high hopes must have laid a heavy burden on all six members, but they all managed to overcome it and moreover, demonstrated they have what it takes to be the next queens in the K-pop scene where competition among girl groups is fiercer than ever.

The black-clad members took the stage with two songs from the group's debut album, "Fearless" and "Blue Flame," during their first-ever press conference held at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul, Monday. For most of them, it was their first time to perform in front of numerous reporters, but they were far from being amateurish. Looking bold and confident, the rookie singers showed off polished dance movements for their trendy songs, which they say are stories about themselves.

"Since this is my third group to debut, it would be a lie if I said I was not pressured at all," Japanese member Sakura said. The 24-year-old made her first debut as a member of Japanese act HKT48 in 2011 and then re-debuted as part of Korean-Japanese project group IZ*ONE in 2018, after coming in second place on the audition show "Produce 48" in 2018.

"I felt that I should showcase the better version of myself," she said. "But I believe this kind of pressure is helping me to grow, too. Just like the message of our debut track, 'Fearless,' our members focus on what we can do right now instead of being caught up in the judgments of others."

Dutch-Japanese member Kazuha, who studied ballet at the Dutch National Ballet Academy prior to joining HYBE, also disclosed how she felt about the group's debut.

"After doing ballet for 15 years, I fell under the spell of K-pop and decided to become a K-pop singer," she said. "It is like a dream come true for me to team up with such great members."

Made by HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, the group's name is an anagram for the team's motto, "I'm fearless," which reveals the members' determination. And "Fearless," the lead single of Le Sserafim's namesake debut album that came out Monday afternoon, is a punk-based alternative pop song carrying a similar message.

Produced by Bang ― the executive producer of the group's debut album ― and other internationally acclaimed singer-songwriters like BLVSH, the addictive tune includes some eye-catching lyrics that read: "You are telling me to hide my greed, but that sounds weird to me. I will no more act humble."

"Through this track, we also say we will not cling to our past and move forward," leader Kim Chae-won, another former IZ*ONE member, said. "We have been receiving a lot of attention for being HYBE's first girl group, but we will try not to be swayed by others and walk our own path."

Sakura said, "Laying bare ourselves demands a lot of courage, but I think we still need to do so if we want to become truly fearless. We attempted to embed such a message in our album, and hope this can be well delivered to our listeners."

Le Sserafim performs its debut track, "Fearless," during a press event in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Source Music

Le Sserafim members participated in the creative process of their album from the very beginning of their career, with Kim Chae-won and Huh penning the lyrics for the disco-punk track, "Blue Flame."

"It was such a big honor to include my lyrics in our song," Huh, who was also a contender on "Produce 48," said. "Since I have a passion for songwriting, it will be great if I can also take part in the creative process next time."

However, ahead of the group's debut, member Kim Ga-ram was engulfed in a bullying scandal, with some people making claims online that she bullied classmates when she was a middle school student. HYBE immediately denied the rumor, saying the 16-year-old was actually a victim of school bullying, but the statement had limited impact.

"We are still discussing and handling this issue with our company, so we are very cautious about talking about it right now," Kim Chae-won said. "I think we will soon have another chance to talk about this."

Kim Ga-ram added, "It is difficult for me to speak about it at the moment. I will strive to show my best side as part of Le Sserafim."

The road that lies ahead of Le Sserafim seems bright ― the pre-order for its debut album has already racked up 380,000 copies, which is a rare high for any K-pop artist.

After the members showed their appreciation to their fans for their support, Hong Eun-chae, the youngest member of the group, closed the session, saying, "I would say Le Sserafim is a group armed with authentic music and performance. It would be so wonderful to see people saying they want to be as confident as we are. We will endeavor to exert a positive impact on people through our genuine stories in our music."

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