...🎶 About LE SSERAFIM's "HOT"~

For the past few days I've been meaning to write about LE SSERAFIM's new mini-album "HOT". Despite being ready to sing praises about how cohesive it sounds, I struggled to find the right words due to my brain being tired from my internship so I decided to read other people's thoughts on the release to understand the opinions of those who don't follow the group as closely as I do.

During the second and third generation of k-pop my favorite groups were the ones known for trying new concepts and sounds during their comebacks: f(x) and CLC.

Hailing from SM Entertainment, a company seen as part of the "Big 3", f(x) can be seen as a successful group for their impact and legacy even if the mismanagement in the last years of their contracts made all four members leave, placing the group on indefinite hiatus.

CLC on the other hand struggled to gain sympathy from the general public as their contemporaries had stronger releases. I'm sure you recognize the names "Red Velvet" and "Twice" so you can guess which groups stood the test of time. What's unfortunate is that the CLC girls had a clear vision of the concept they wanted to follow after "Hobgoblin" but the company constantly changed their image until a quiet disbandment in 2021 claiming that they "no longer had plans for the group". Ouch!

What does it all have to do with LE SSERAFIM? From what I gathered, casual listeners think it's confusing how their title tracks all explore different music genres. From reggaeton to R&B to baltimore club, I'd personally say that there's never a dull moment in their discography so far but I'm aware that I may be biased since I've been following them since debut.

Another critique focuses on the public's confusion towards what their concept is supposed to be when compared to other fourth generation groups like the futuristic aespa or the elegant IVE. If I were to describe LE SSERAFIM's concept, it would be "angels as fashion models" since many of their songs have lyrics describing the experience of angels on Earth and for many a time now the accompanying visuals have the members posing or walking the runway. All of these can be seen in the "HOT" era as well, from the comeback trailer to the lyrics of the highly praised b-side "Ash" which describes being surrounded by angels at 11:11 (repeating digits are known as "angel numbers" in new age spirituality).

It would be remiss not to mention that the group has been facing an intense wave of hate comments since last year when their Coachella performance coincided with the ongoing feud between NewJeans and HYBE, which damaged the company's reputation and affected the image of LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT who were mentioned by the former Ador CEO Min Heejin as being favored over NewJeans. While that is for the court to decide, the public opinion has shifted since then making me wonder if fellow k-pop fans have been approaching their new releases with an open mind or if the drama has impacted what could've been a solid legacy for the "fimmies".

As a fan, I'm rarely disappointed with the girls and my only complaint is that the new mini-album is too short for my tastes. Their versatility in music doesn't create a conflict with the growth and courage promised since they first stepped on a stage to perform "Fearless". I'll leave you with the performance of the b-side "Come Over", sung completely in english, so you can make your own conclusions as well.

Thanks for reading!