- LE SSERAFIM press appearances have been halted after two members of the K-pop group were involved in a minor car accident
- The rising K-pop girl group made waves when it dropped its debut EP Fearless in May 2022
- In Oct. 2022, the musicians released their sophomore EP, ANTIFRAGILE
Two members of the rising South Korean girl group LE SSERAFIM were involved in a nonfatal car accident on Oct. 19, causing them to delay promotions for the group’s latest EP, ANTIFRAGILE. “On Wednesday, October 19, the vehicle carrying LE SSERAFIM members Kim Chaewon and Huh Yunjin was involved in a minor car accident. Thankfully, none of the members or the staff on board were significantly injured and they immediately visited a hospital where they received diagnosis and treatment,” a statement from the band’s agency, Source Music read, according to an English translation via Soompi.
The statement noted that Chaewon and Yunjin are suffering from “mild muscle pain and bruises”, and therefore, the band has been advised to cancel their next two appearances. Furthermore, two fan events have been rescheduled for a later time. “We will schedule future activities putting our artist’s health as top priority,” the statement continued. “We will do our best to aid in Kim Chaewon and Huh Yunjin’s treatment and recovery so that they can return in full health to their fans as quickly as possible.”
As K-pop fans patiently await the beloved musicians to heal, read on to learn more about the promising girl group, LE SSERAFIM.
1. The Faces And Meaning Behind LE SSERAFIM
LE SSERAFIM burst onto the scene in May 2022 with the debut of their first EP, Fearless, which took the t No. 1 spot on Billboard Japan’s Hot Albums chart. The girl group consists of five members: Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae, the oldest being Sakura at 24-years-old. Sakura and Chaewon new each other before forming their current group because they were both involved in the K-pop group IZ*ONE, according to Rolling Stone. The band is a member of HYBE, the uber-successful entertainment company that signed BTS and other huge South Korean stars.
LE SSERAFIM debuted as a sextet, but founding member Kim Ga-ram left the group after her contract was terminated following claims that she was a bully. A press statement by Source Music (via Soompi) in July 2022 read, “We extend our sincerest apologies to our fans and to those who have shown love and support to the group for causing concern over the controversy involving the member.”
The name of the talented group of musicians has a special meaning to it: It’s an anagram for the phrase “I’m fearless”, which is noticeable when the LE SSERAFIM is read from right to left.
2. Chaewon Is LE SSERAFIM’s Leader
Chaewon is the group leader, and according to her fellow bandmate Yunjin, she has really stepped up her game since LE SSERAFIM’s May debut. “Chaewon’s leadership has grown stronger,” she gushed to The Korea Herald. “As a person who has been together quite some time, I’m proud of her.” How sweet!
3. LE SSERAFIM Has A New EP And Documentary
LE SSERAFIM released its new EP ANTIFRAGILE on Oct. 18, 2022. Before its release, the EP amassed an impressive 620,000 pre-orders, according to The Korea Herald. That’s double the amount ordered ahead of their first EP, Fearless. “We heard the news while we were practicing together, and we were so surprised we screamed together,” Kazuha said in a press conference, per Teen Vogue. She also said she and her bandmates are “so grateful for the fact that many people recognized our hard work.”
Although the hard work the girls put into ANTIGRAGILE is seemingly already paying off, Yunjun confessed to The Herald that she felt “bigger pressure” to make something bigger and better than May’s Fearless. Despite the pressure, Chaewon noted that she is able to better enjoy herself now that she’s more comfortable with her work. “For our debut, I was not able to fully enjoy the moments onstage because I was telling myself that I just had to do well. But this time, I’ve noticed myself enjoying performances and make my facial expressions brighter,” she explained.
In Sept. 2022, LE SSERAFIM got the star treatment and had a documentary made about them. The documentary details the trials and tribulations the members of the South Korean group faced to get to where they are today.
4. LE SSERAFIM Wants To Be Honest With Fans
The fierce women of LE SSERAFIM have detailed on multiple occasions that they want their music to come off as relatable and honest to their fans. “I was more eager to take part in the making of the tracks, that I wanted to express our genuine thoughts so listeners can also relate to our stories,” Yunjin, who is credited on some of the EP’s songs, explained in the Oct. 17 press conference with her fellow bandmates. “So I tried [my hardest] to put our candid stories into the album. I think that’s what makes a lot of people love LE SSERAFIM.”
“We can’t always have good moments in life; however, this EP carries our spirit that no matter what comes, we will overcome it,” group leader Chaewon also noted in the press briefing, per udiscovermusic. “Since it’s our real story, I was so into the process. I tried to be honest about our feelings, so listeners can easily relate to it,” Yunjin added.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Yunjin revealed the most honest song on ANTIGRAGILE may be the song “Blue Flame” because she “wrote really freely” for it. “And all the songs in this EP really are about our story — I think I wanted to be more greedy and try to write even more freely and more honestly,” she added. “Through that, I think we were able to make it more personal.”
5. The Future Goals Of LE SSERAFIM
When asked about what they see in their future by Rolling Stone, Yunjin said she wants the band to become “the one and only LE SSERAFIM as we continue to tell our honest and true stories that only we can tell.” She continued, “‘Le Sserafim is making their own path,’ and everyone can kind of feel it and knows LE SSERAFIM’s color. I want us to be a team like that.”
“I hope in the future we can have an album that all the members produce together,” Chaewon added. “I think it would be fun to do that.”