The ladies of LE SSERAFIM (KIM CHAEWON, SAKURA, HUH YUNJIN, KAZUHA, and HONG EUNCHAE) are known for being bold; it’s baked into their group name, after all, which is an anagram for I’M FEARLESS. For this continuously rising K-pop act’s latest project, though, it felt like time to get a little vulnerable.
Their 2024 EP, EASY, still possesses the confidence (and catchiness) of previous LE SSERAFIM releases, like “ANTIFRAGILE” or late 2023 English-language hit “Perfect Night,” but this drop also acknowledges internal insecurities in a way that’s new for the band. “The one thing we always try to do is be as transparent and honest as we can in terms of the emotional growth we’ve gone through,” says HUH YUNJIN.
“When we’re in the dance practice studio, we’re all working together to create something, and it’s tangible,” observes SAKURA.
While the youngest member of the team, HONG EUNCHAE, wasn’t able to join for the video interview, she made sure to chime in with some thoughts over email. Her bandmates also call out her hard work on the project throughout the production of EASY, and everyone especially seems to love the “Good Bones” trailer, which involved HONG EUNCHAE committing to a (fake) fall down a staircase. “Before the shoot began, I was worried that I wouldn’t look realistic or convincing enough, but I was complimented by everyone at the shoot on how well I did,” she recalls. “I felt very proud of the outcome.”
The music video for the album’s focus track, “EASY,” was directed by Nina McNeely, a prominent choreographer and creative director who has worked with names like Doja Cat and Melanie Martinez.
“As a choreographer herself, she’s so knowledgable about dance and performance, so the way she incorporated her experience in the field into our music video was so cool,” explains HUH YUNJIN, emphasizing details like specific camera angles timed to their movement.
LE SSERAFIM are known for their razor-sharp synchronization, which isn’t always as easy to achieve when it comes to songs like “EASY” that incorporate more fluid, hip-hop elements into the movement. “It was my first time trying out this style of choreography,” says KAZUHA, who trained extensively as a ballet dancer prior to jumping into the K-pop idol world. “It did take an effort to familiarize myself with it at the beginning.”
This latest release is just the beginning of a huge 2024 for LE SSERAFIM — the girls are gearing up to make their Coachella debut this spring. They express a certain joyful disbelief about sharing a lineup with names like Lana Del Rey, FLO, Jungle, and Tyler, the Creator.
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“When we first heard that we will be performing at Coachella, I couldn’t believe it, and still have a hard time believing it now,” says KIM CHAEWON. “This is happening much faster than we anticipated, so it’s amazing, and such a huge honor.”
While it’s certainly exciting that EASY earned LE SSERAFIM’s highest first week of sales in South Korea to date, they’re most proud of their extensive involvement with the lyrics and composition on the project. “When you look at the track list, you’ll be able to notice each and every one of our names,” confirms HUH YUNJIN.
“‘We got so much’ is the second track I participated in writing lyrics for, after ‘FEARNOT (Between you, me, and the lamppost),’ from our first album, UNFORGIVEN,” explains HONG EUNCHAE. “Both songs mean so much to me, as they are dedicated to our fans. I realized during the songwriting process that there’s so much I want to say to them, and it was a great experience to be able to put those words into a song.”
If you’re having trouble with the above player, you can watch the interview on YouTube.