Wishing I could go back and discover LE SSERAFIM all over again
I want to go back to the time when I first discovered LE SSERAFIM.
I wasn't a K-pop fan per se, though I knew a few older songs from growing up watching Running Man, as well as some newer hits like Supernova and OMG.
My actual introduction to them happened through the Overwatch collab. I really liked Perfect Night, but at the time, I didn't pay much attention to the group behind it. Later, a Marvel Rivals edit featuring Crazy popped up on my feed. I loved it, checked out the music video, and was blown away by how fun it was. (I'm not usually a fan of English lyrics in older K-pop, but theirs actually make sense and are incredibly catchy).
Because of that, when Different popped up in my recommendations, I gave it a listen and loved it too. Then I let Hot play next—and that was it, I fell in love. I immediately went down the rabbit hole of their other music videos and had an absolute blast.
At that point, I didn't know their personalities, hadn't watched any variety content, and hadn't even listened to their B-sides, but I was already a fan. The release of Spaghetti was the first comeback I actively waited for, and it did not disappoint—what a incredibly fun song. Through that era, I learned that their career journey hasn't been the smoothest and that they've faced a lot of unnecessary hate for some reason.
Naturally wanting to know more, I started watching edits and clips, getting a taste of their personalities. I eventually checked out their documentaries, and man, they were heavy and totally unexpected. That led me straight into Leniverse, Day Off, and all their other content. By then, I can safely say I was a full-fledged FEARNOT.
I love how funny they are together and how incredibly hard they work. Spending every day watching two or three episodes of their variety shows, knowing I still had more to look forward to, was a magical experience. Now that I've caught up on everything—even before the Celebration release—I realize I'll never get that initial feeling of discovery back.
A lot of fans might have a bias, but I can never truly pick one. I just love all five of them individually and their dynamic as a group. Every single member brings something to the table, whether it is in the music or behind the scenes:
Sakura: I stumbled onto the Sakura employment meme, the clip of her crying and then immediately eating fish, and the Justin Bieber interaction, meaning I knew the meme lore before I even knew her actual background! Honestly, I don’t think LE SSERAFIM would be as resilient against the hate train without her years of industry experience.
Chaewon: In Chaewon we trust! Chaebron was truly bizarre, and I can’t forget Kim Dodok. Like Sakura, her past experience as an idol is a massive reason the group can weather the storms they face.
Yunjin: Her journey to LE SSERAFIM was riddled with ups and downs, and I can't imagine what a massive loss it would have been if she hadn't debuted. Don’t even get me started on her musical impact. I love how she normalizes talking about feelings and openly expresses her love for the group. Plus, as a native English speaker, she makes their English interviews so entertaining and ensures their English lyrics are always on point.
Kazuha: The "don’t touch me there" dance was hilarious, and watching her learn Korean has been such a treat. Without her, we wouldn't have all those wholesome moments of the members teaching her about Korean culture. Plus, the group’s "Fearless" identity wouldn't be as impactful—I can't even imagine the courage it took to switch from ballet to a K-pop idol in a brand new country with a new language!
Eunchae: Seeing Eunchae win every single game they play with that massive smile always cracks me up. I think she brings out the motherly and big-sister instincts in the older members, which really helped them bond right from the start.
TL;DR: I love LE SSERAFIM, but I've officially run out of new content to watch. The wild journey of discovering them, their music, and their memes was an absolute blast. I wish I could wipe my brain or travel back in time to experience it all over again.