I Asked K-Pop Group Le Sserafim 15 Questions About Their New Studio Album 'Unforgiven,' And Here's What They Said

The girl group has seen wild success in their first year, and they're back again to wow the world with Unforgiven.

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If you've been keeping up with the K-pop scene in the past year, then you've heard of Le Sserafim. Debuting back in May 2022, this explosive girl group made up of members Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae made immediate waves in the industry with their first EP Fearless. Being the first girl group launched by Source Music under HYBE, many were anticipating their debut, and others were looking to see how their success would measure up in the hyper-competitive South Korean music industry — and Le Sserafim definitely delivered.

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Fearless debuted at No. 1 on iTunes Top Albums chart in a total of 13 countries including Japan, Indonesia, and more. The group released their second EP Antifragile on October 17, 2022 and made their first entry on the Billboard 200 at No. 14. Now, Le Sserafim is back with Unforgiven and has already broken a record, setting a new one for the highest first-day sale for a girl group with an amazing 1.02 million sales.

As the group's name — an anagram of  "I'm Fearless" — implies, Le Sserafim is determined to move forward with unswerving fearlessness in the eyes of the world. Their success over the past year has shown this fearlessness, and they're just getting started.

BuzzFeed sat down with the girls of Le Sserafim to chat about their first studio album Unforgiven, how they've grown since their debut, and more.

1. How are you?

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Hong Eunchae: Never been better! We have been really busy, preparing for our first-ever studio album Unforgiven, but we’re super excited for everyone to hear and see it!

2. Unforgiven is your first studio album — how does it feel to achieve this milestone?

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Sakura: It’s only been a year since we debuted, and the fact that we are going to release our first studio album feels incredibly fulfilling. We put in so much hard work to make this album a reality, so we’re thrilled to finally be able to share it with our fans FEARNOT and listeners. 

Kazuha: It’s definitely a significant milestone for us, and we hope that this album can be a meaningful and memorable experience for both us and our listeners.

3. What message do you hope to convey with your latest album?

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Kim Chaewon: Essentially, our main message is about empowering individuals to be true to themselves and that “It’s okay to go against societal norms.” We hope this album can serve as a reminder that it’s okay to be different, and that you don’t need validation or forgiveness from anyone else as long as you believe in it!

4. In one phrase, what do you think “unforgiven” means to you?

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Hong Eunchae: I’ve never wanted to be forgiven.

Sakura: And it doesn't matter if others point fingers. Because we believe in the choices we make.

5. If you could only choose one of your songs to describe yourself, which one would you pick?

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Kim Chaewon: “Burn the Bridge” — because this track is a direct reflection of our feelings, basically transcribed from things we have said before during interviews and words we wrote.

Huh Yunjin: “Unforgiven” — I feel like inside I am very rebellious and have this desire to break barriers and bring change. But at the same time, a sense of community, togetherness is also important to me, so "Unforgiven" really encapsulates my most outgoing, aspirational self.

6. What are you most excited about as you start promotions for Unforgiven?

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Kim Chaewon: I’m most excited to perform new tracks and show performances we have prepared for in front of our fans FEARNOT.

Sakura: We have prepared a lot of diverse tracks, including our lead single “Unforgiven.” I think we are most excited to show everyone what we can do on stage and how much we have moved forward as a group since our previous EP Antifragile.

7. Can you share a memorable moment you have from making this album?

Source Music and Hybe Labels

Hong Eunchae: I had the opportunity to write the lyrics for the first time ever, and it was a completely new experience for me. There were a lot of things I wanted to write about because “FEARNOT (Between you, me and the lamppost)” was for our first fan song, and I am now eager to improve myself as a lyricist since there is still so much I want to say to FEARNOT and our listeners in the form of music. Seeing my name on the song credits was definitely a surreal moment.

8. Do you think your goals as Le Sserafim and as individuals have changed since your debut? If yes, how?

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Huh Yunjin: As we just passed our one-year mark, we are still focused on our initial goal, which is becoming the one and only Le Sserafim. We have received enormous love while paving our own path, but it’s just the beginning for us. There is still a long way to go. So, we are still dedicated to growing and improving as a group, and to better ourselves to bring out the best version of us every time.

9. Happy one year anniversary! How do you think you’ve grown since your debut?

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Kazuha: Thank you! It’s been an amazing year for us, and we’ve learned so much since our debut. I think I speak for all of us when I say we have grown a lot as performers and as individuals, thanks to the support of our fans FEARNOT. We are just genuinely excited for the years to come.

Kim Chaewon: Over the past year, I think we’ve built a strong bond not just between our members but also with our fans FEARNOT, which is something we absolutely cherish. What we have accomplished up 'til now would not have been possible without their unconditional support. We are able to work harder to become better versions of ourselves in all we do to at least try to repay for all the love and support. 

10. What would you say to your pre-debut self?

Source Music and Hybe Labels / Via youtube.com

Kazuha: It takes time to get used to anything, and you will do just fine. So, don’t worry, keep up the good work, things will eventually work out naturally as long as you go for what you desire.

Hong Eunchae: Be confident in yourself!

11. Has it been difficult to handle the explosive success you’ve seen since your debut? How do you stay grounded?

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Sakura: I always keep my eyes on what I can do today, and try to stay focused on the changes I can make now. All our members, including myself, are ambitious when it comes to our work, and we just have the mindset that where we are right now is just the beginning of our journey.

12. Describe your members in one word.

Le Sserafim / Via youtube.com

Kim Chaewon: My energy.

Sakura: Cute and precious sisters.

Huh Yunjin: Family.

Kazuha: Family.

Hong Eunchae: A tree!

13. Where in the world would you like to visit and perform for your fans?

MNet Countdown / Via youtube.com

Kazuha: Anywhere where there are FEARNOT, we would love to go! Going on a world tour is on the top of our bucket list. We can’t wait for that day to come and see everyone in person! We hope you are looking forward to it as much as we are.

14. Share a message to FEARNOT and our readers!

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Huh Yunjin: FEARNOT, thank you for being there for us since day one. Your love and support are what motivate us to keep going every day. We hope our music can be a source of comfort and strength for you and also empower you to be the best version of yourself. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

15. What does K-pop mean to you?

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Kim Chaewon: We feel blessed that we are able to take part in this phenomenon that impacts and influences people in positive ways. We are sincerely proud of what we do, and we remind ourselves every day of it so that we can become better artists and individuals to return all the support our listeners have shown us.

Stream Unforgiven and follow Le Sserafim on Instagram and Twitter!

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