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| ▲ K-pop girl group Le Sserafim poses for a photo during a media showcase for its fifth EP, "Hot," at a concert venue in Seoul on March 14, 2025. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ K-pop girl group Le Sserafim performs the title track of its fifth EP, "Hot," at a concert venue in Seoul on March 14, 2025. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ K-pop girl group Le Sserafim performs the title track of its fifth EP, "Hot," at a concert venue in Seoul on March 14, 2025. (Yonhap) |
Le Sserafim-new album
Le Sserafim returns with sentimental love song 'Hot'
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, March 14 (Yonhap) -- K-pop girl group Le Sserafim returned Friday with its fifth EP, "Hot," marking a striking departure from previous concepts, which focused on a chic and urban image, and powerful dance moves.
The album's title track is a pop genre song infused with rock and disco elements, featuring a sentimental melody. Its lyrics portray the speaker's unwavering dedication to something she loves, despite its uncertainties.
At a media showcase in Seoul, leader Kim Chaewon introduced the song, highlighting the unexpected contrast with its title.
"Unlike what the title might suggest, the sentimental melody may surprise listeners. It brings a fresh vibe compared with our previous title tracks," she said.
Huh Yunjin shared her initial impression of the song, describing it as having a dual nature. "When I first heard it, it felt both static yet dynamic, cold yet lingering," she said.
Kazuha added that balancing the song's emotional yet energetic tone was a challenge. "It's about burning everything for what you love," she said. "This is our first time featuring a love song as a title track."
The album serves as the final installment in a trilogy that began with last year's "Easy" and "Crazy."
"If we sang about anxiety and worries on 'Easy' and encouraged listeners to embrace excitement rather than succumb to fear on 'Crazy,' we aimed to express our growth and strengthened mindset on the trilogy's final album, 'Hot,'" the group's youngest member, Hong Eunchae, said.
When asked about the group's shift in musical direction, Kim Chaewon explained: "Since our debut, we have always sought concepts that can best convey our message. This time, the message of 'Hot' naturally led us to a vintage and retro sound," she said. "We put a lot of thought into showing a different side of ourselves."
The album features five tracks: "Hot," "Born Fire," "Come Over," "Ash" and "So Cynical."
Asked what they currently love with all their hearts, Hong Eunchae responded, "Every moment as Le Sserafim."
"Our five members coming together to do music is the message of this album itself," she said.
Kazuha echoed this sentiment, saying: "This album resonated with me the most out of the trilogy. I love many things, but this team is what I love the most."
As Le Sserafim approaches its third anniversary in May, the group is gearing up for its first world tour, kicking off next month at Inspire Arena in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The tour will then take the group to Nagoya, Osaka, Kitakyushu, Saitama, Taipei, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
Sakura expressed her excitement, recalling the group's fan meeting last year. "It was disappointing that we couldn't hold a world tour then, so I'm thrilled for this one," she said.
Huh Yunjin hinted at changes in the setlist, adding: "We haven't had a world tour during this trilogy, so the setlist will be very different from before. There might be some rearrangements as well."
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