LE SSERAFIM - made up of KIM CHAEWON, SAKURA, HUH YUNJIN, KAZUHA, and HONG EUNCHAE - are back with their latest fifth mini album HOT.
As the final piece of the trilogy that began with EASY (February 2024) and continued with CRAZY (August 2024), HOT explores a bold and blazing attitude toward the things they love.
The lead single, 'HOT' which shares its name with the album, encapsulates the overarching theme—the willingness to risk everything for the things you love, regardless of the outcome. While the title suggests a strong and powerful beat, 'HOT' is LE SSERAFIM’s most melodic and lyrical lead single to date. “The song conveys the message that we will give everything to what we love, no matter the consequences,” said SAKURA at the media showcase for the mini-album on 14 March. “And I think, for the first time since debut, this is our first lead single to centre love as its core theme.”
The pop track, infused with elements of rock and disco, places a strong emphasis on the lyrics. Straightforward lines like “A miracle making me dream again tonight” highlight the beauty of love, while “Don’t be afraid, no doubts at all / Take my hand” convey passion and devotion. “When we were recording the album, we got the direction from our producers that they really want to get this message across: staying true to the feelings," explained leader KIM CHAEWON.
“If you listen to the lyrics of the lead single, you can tell that it's not just about romantic love. I think love can come in a lot of forms. It could be love for your hobby, love for your work, or it could be love for yourself who is still not perfect,” explained HUH YUNJIN.
“Starting from our debut album, what was really important to us was the message that we wanted to convey through these albums,” she said, responding to a query about the sonic direction of the record. “[It’s] the same thing with this album, HOT,” she added, explaining the vintage feel of their new tracks. “The genre is like a vehicle that carries that message.”
Unveiled today on HYBE LABELS’ YouTube channel, the music video showcases the quintet’s fearless approach through unique perspectives and striking choreography. In the video, the members embark on an adventure to reclaim their freedom in a chaotic space where it’s difficult to distinguish between reality and dreams. To convey their longing for freedom, the video creatively utilizes a rough yet dynamic ceiling fan perspective shot with a 360 degree camera. KIM CHAEWON and KAZUHA are filmed in a single take during parts of the music video, keeping viewers captivated throughout.
The perfectly synchronized choreography is highlighted with wide-angle and fisheye lenses from the very start, creating a raw and refreshing visual impact. As the song builds, the quintet enchants with seamless, intricate choreography in a golden-lit fantastical space. The video concludes with a scene of the members reveling in freedom, in a space that remains uncertain—caught between salvation or destruction.
In ‘HOT’, LE SSERAFIM teams up with Ali Tamposi, behind megahits like Camilla Cabello’s ‘Havana’ and BTS’s ‘IDOL’, and reunites with Feli Ferraro, who also worked on their 2023 single, ‘UNFORGIVEN’ (featuring Nile Rodgers). On stage with the song, expect the quintet to dazzle once more with a Moonwalk-inspired point choreography.
The rest of LE SSERAFIM’s new offering includes the prelude ‘Born Fire’, ‘Come Over,’ a slinky track co-produced by J Lloyd and Lydia Kitto of acclaimed funk purveyors Jungle (‘Back on 74’, ‘Busy Earnin’), the mysterious ‘Ash’, and ‘So Cynical’ (Badum), a part of their collaboration with Overwatch 2.
The fearless quintet is gearing up for their highly anticipated EASY CRAZY HOT tour launching in April, covering 10 cities across Asia, with a tease of North American dates set for September.
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