“We thought that there were some things that felt unfair, and we did and followed things because ‘that’s the way it’s done’... We wanted to break away from those things and aim higher,” LE SSERAFIM’s Eunchae told members of the press at a showcase on Monday, 1 May, ahead of the release of UNFORGIVEN, the girl group’s first full-length studio album since debuting a year ago, 2 May 2022.

Composed of Kim Chaewon (김채원), Sakura (사쿠라), Huh Yunjin (허윤진), Kazuha (카주하), and Hong Eunchae (홍은채), the 4th generation five-piece had the EP FEARLESS with its Japanese edition and mini-album ANTIFRAGILE in their catalogue before this.

UNFORGIVEN conveys LE SSERAFIM’s resolve to pave our own path regardless of how others may perceive us,” leader Chaewon said of the record’s core message and thrust.

“If we have shown our confidence through our previous albums, for this album, we try to show a new side of LE SSERAFIM that we haven’t shown before: a more multifaceted side,” said Yunjin in Korean. “We put in a lot of effort to present our diverse voices by trying new genres.”

The new record totals up to 13 tracks – 7 new ones plus fresh reworks of ‘The World Is My Oyster,’ ‘Blue Flame,’ and ‘Fearless’ from their debut EP. Three tracks – including the eponymous single – from their sophomore outing, the mini-album ANTIFRAGILE, are featured on the new record as well.

LE SSERAFIM 1st Studio Album 'UNFORGIVEN'
TRACKLIST

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With its eclectic mix, UNFORGIVEN is a showcase of the members’ range, including hip-hop, funk, Latin pop, Jersey club, and country rock, among others. “You can listen to [the entire album] repeatedly without getting tired,” added Kazuha.

“The lead single and the 7 new songs are all well-connected to the theme of the album, forming a cohesive storyline,” said maknae Eunchae. “It would be enjoyable to listen to the album while trying to decipher those interconnections.”

According to eldest member Sakura, the new songs were mostly recorded in Japan. “This album showcases our vocal abilities which we ourselves didn’t know we had,” she added.

The title track, ‘UNFORGIVEN,’ featuring prolific industry legend Nile Rodgers of CHIC fame, is a guitar-driven hip-hop and funk romp. “This track best showcases LE SSERAFIM’s cool [nonchalant] attitude towards the world’s prejudices,” noted Chaewon.

“This song conveys a message of pursuing our own path – breaking away from the rules of the world. During the recording process, the producers directed me to embody a more mischievous attitude, as if to say, ‘Who do you think you are?’” recounted Eunchae. Each member also received different cues, tailored to each of their parts.

Upon the suggestion of executive producer Bang Si-hyuk 방시혁 (a.k.a. hitman bang), the song notably samples the late Ennio Morricone’s theme for Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone’s 1966 Spaghetti Western flick, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Feli Ferraro (‘Run BTS’) and Roc Nation’s Benjmn are among the many talents credited for its production.

While the choreographies from their previous title songs were challenging, the new lead single is “intense in a different way,” said Chaewon. “There are parts where we have to focus on expressions and especially our facial expression.”

“I think many people think of ambition and persistence when they think of LE SSERAFIM,” said Sakura, referring to their synchronized moves. “But you will also get a feeling that we’re relaxed and enjoying the performance.”

“You will feel like ‘I want to join in and party with them,’ when you watch our performance,” she added.

Filmed in Thailand, the accompanying music video depicts the members as five distinct characters: a swashbuckling Chaewon riding horseback, a sword-wielding Sakura, a fallen angel-esque Kazuha, eagle-eyed archer Yunjin “targeting taboos,” and Eunchae as a kitchen worker gone rogue.

“We look cute and angelic, and then change to a villain the next moment,” Eunchae explained. “One moment, we look like we’ve been done wrong, then turn into a strong character the next.”

“It was LE SSERAFIM plus synchronization up until now, but for this performance, there are parts where [each of us individually] stands out,” added Yunjin.

As this is their first full-length effort, Chaewon said that the members worked equally as hard for the B-side tracks. The other new tracks include ‘이브, 프시케 그리고 푸른 손겸의 아내 (Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard’s Wife),’ ‘Flash Forward,’ the Latin pop-inspired ‘Fire in the Belly,’ the killer part and highlight-laden ‘Burn the Bridge,’ ‘No-Return (Into the Unknown)’ from HYBE’s original story Crimson Heart), and a love letter to their fans, ‘피어나 FEARNOT (Between You, Me and the Lamppost).’

‘피어나,’ literally “blooming” in Korean, is dedicated to their fans, who are officially called FEARNOTs. Yunjin herself has contributed to producing the track, while the other members also contributed to the lyrics.

LE SSERAFIM also said that the confidence they exude and UNFORGIVEN’s message of courage follow from togetherness. “[Our fans] would say that they are becoming better people thanks to LE SSERAFIM, and the same is true for us,” said Chaewon. “This time, we wanted to deliver the message to ‘come to the faraway land together.’”

“In order to become a cool artist, I think you have to be honest and natural,” said Yunjin. “We always try to be honest since our debut album up until now. We’re trying really hard to bring our candid stories through our music – to tell the stories on our own.”

“I want to continue telling our own stories and communicate with our fans,” said Kazuha. “I want to be a person who spreads positive influence through music.”

Listen to UNFORGIVEN here: