Le Sserafim Discusses New Mini-Album
Le Sserafim spoke with NME about their latest mini-album, “hot,” and their upcoming world tour. Watch the music video for the first NME Cover with the new title track “Stars,” along with our full interview with the K-Pop girl group.
- Read more: Le Sserafim: Girl Group Overwrites Fearless
Overview of the Trilogy
The “hot” album completes the latest trilogy of records, which began with the “Easy” mini-album in February 2024. In this release, they aimed to showcase their behind-the-scenes efforts, ensuring their final result appeared effortless. Last August, the group shared their second release, “Crazy,” embracing chaos and diving into their hobbies.
Continuing this narrative, the new mini-albums, released today, Friday, March 14, reveal how Le Sserafim gives their all for the things and people they love.
“In ‘Easy,’ we wanted to express our inner worries and struggles frankly, and in ‘Crazy,’ we chose not to succumb to those fears and just go wild,” said Kim Chevon to NME in Seoul. “In ‘Hot,’ we aimed to sincerely portray what we truly love. We hope that through this trilogy, we show that Le Sserafim has become very stable and strong.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9aEGPB6QIU
Hong Yuanshi added that she and her group members grew while working on these three installments, thanks to the messages behind them. “If you have internal anxiety and problems, it can be challenging to start because of all your concerns,” she said. “Finding what you genuinely like and want to pursue is a task in itself, but once you do, you’ll discover so much regardless of the outcome. We have seen our mindset grow, realizing that when you find something you love, you need to invest everything into it.”
The overarching concept of Le Sserafim has always revolved around being fearless and pushing through hardships (the name of the group is an anagram for “I am fearless”). The “Hot” track “Ash” strongly ties to this idea. Co-written by member Hu Yunjin, the song portrays new life emerging from ashes and finding beauty in pain. “The more it hurts me, the more I feel alive,” they sing in a beautiful falsetto.
“When writing ‘Pepel,’ I really focused on expressing the moment between life and death and the associated pain,” Yunjin explained. “I wanted to talk about this pain because without it, you could miss out on great appreciation for the beauty of life itself.”
The image of a match also inspired the lyrics, reminding that “you must set fire to your body to sustain the flame.” “It reflects how you should surrender to your passion. At times, you may experience pain and overcome difficulties to keep your flame alive. Even if it feels like it’s the end, you can emerge stronger. In this sense, I believe that by going through pain, you can discover a new aspect of yourself that you never knew existed,” Yunjin added, gesturing to her group members beside her.
The title track “Hot” showcases how Le Sserafim ignites love for the sake of love, celebrating their first focus on romance in a main single. “Just like / Phoenix soaring through the eternal sky,” they sing in a vibrant pop tune. “You are just like / a miracle, making me dream again tonight.
“As a team, much of what we do is convey messages that feel natural, reflecting our experiences or mental processes,” Yuzhin explained. “For ‘Fearless,’ our first album, we focused on our debut and earning our name, which led to messages about boldly moving forward. With ‘Antifragile,’ it was about stability.”
“Now, we have received so much love from our fanbase, Fearnots, and from each other, that it felt natural to want to talk about love. At this point in our career, what could we want to discuss more than love? ” The singer noted that while “Hot” is aimed at romantic love, it can also signify other forms of passion.
The group mentioned various inspirations that ignite this fire in them, with Chaewon referencing their time on stage and their fans. “They always support us, and this fuels our passion,” she shared. “I realize how fortunate we are to be doing what we love, and we are very grateful for it.”
“Le Sserafim is that fire for me,” said Sakura, who was unwell on the day of our NME interview. Later, she added via email, “The message of the album conveys to burn everything for what you love, despite the uncertainty of how things unfold, and this resonates with feelings I experienced when choosing to join Le Sserafim.”
Additionally, on “Hot,” Le Sserafim collaborated with J Jungle, J Lloyd, and Lydia Kitto, exploring a 60s-inspired sound. Last year, the groups met in Los Angeles for a session, which Yunjin described as “surprising to witness everything come to life.” “Their sound is distinct, and it was exciting to see how we blended together,” she added. “I believe this retro sound aligns perfectly with the concept of this album, adding depth.”
The closing track, “So Cynical (Badum),” marks Le Sserafim’s second collaboration with the game Overwatch 2 after their previous project around their 2023 single, “Perfect Night.” The group had performed at the annual BlizzCon and was also featured in the game through dance moves, skins, and themes. “BlizzCon remains a cherished memory for us, and we truly enjoy Overwatch 2 as a game,” Yunjin stated. “It was astonishing to see our songs and characters featured and our dance showcased. With ‘So Cynical (Badum),’ we are thrilled to have our song in the game again—it’s an excellent opportunity to share our music with a wider audience.”
The five-member group is committed to pouring everything into their work as they embark on their new “Light Crazy Hot Tour.” The dates will kick off in South Korea in April before continuing through Asia and North America, with all shows set to be met with enthusiasm.
“You may recall how we started with our backdrop in our previous tour,” the group remarked, referencing their entrance for the Flame Rises 2023 tour, where each member descended onto the stage. “This time, we are also preparing for an unforgettable reveal, so stay tuned for updates,” the singer promised.
While further territories for the Easy Crazy Hot tour are yet to be confirmed, the group hinted that a UK leg could be in the works. “I hope the British leg will also be added; you never know,” Yuzhin said with a smile. “We really want to meet our UK fans,” Chaewon added. “Just call us, and we are ready to see them whenever!”
Le Sserafim’s “Hot” has already been released. The group’s world tour begins next month—see the dates below:
April
19: Incheon, South Korea
20: Incheon, South Korea
May 2025
06: Nagoya, Japan
07: Nagoya, Japan
13: Osaka, Japan
14: Osaka, Japan
June 2025
07: Kitakyushu, Japan
08: Kitakyushu, Japan
12: Saitama, Japan
14: Saitama, Japan
15: Saitama, Japan
July 2025
19: Taipei, Taiwan
25: Hong Kong, China
August 2025
02: Manila, Philippines
09: Bangkok, Thailand
10: Bangkok, Thailand
16: Singapore, Singapore
September 2025
North America
https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/le-sserafim-new-mini-album-hot-interview-jungle-collaboration-world-tour-3846155?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=le-sserafim-new-mini-album-hot-interview-jungle-collaboration-world-tour
