Keeping up with K-Pop

Serve it ancient city-style with LE SSERAFIM’s debut single, “Fearless”

Source Music recently debuted their newest girl group, LE SSERAFIM on May 2, wit

h the release of their EP, “FEARLESS.”

The title song, “FEARLESS,” is the definition of what a 90s supermodel would hear strutting down the runway. This fierce anthem is clean and simple. 

However, the song does not stand out vocally whatsoever. The members sing in a lower register, which is a surprise. Most times, with a debut single, companies make the track a competition to see which member can belt the highest. 

With LE SSERAFIM, there is a fierceness in this debut single, and the song never strays from its club-like structure, which makes for a consistent song. 

In the pre-chorus, the bass fades as the guitar guides the instrumentals. The group kicks it into a higher register, harmonizing with one another. The voices blend to create a refreshing, cohesive sound. 

“FEARLESS,” best serves as background music to vibe to. This is why the song emulates model energy — it is emotionless yet still powerful in nature. 

In the chorus, the repeating lyrics call to the catwalk, with the pattern “What you lookin’ at, What you, what you lookin’ at, Mm-mm-mm-mm, I’m fearless, huh.” With the bass and synth, this chorus may make you involuntarily strut down any walkway you encounter. 

While the girls in the group may be “FEARLESS,” the company should be fearful that they debuted two members of their group under the age of eighteen. 

The single gives the energy of sex, and some of the choreography in the music video has the girls slamming their bodies on the floor, bouncing up and down. 

This would not be an issue if the members of the group were of age; however, there are two members who are not: Garam is 16, and Eunchae is 15. Knowing this fact taints the experience; the entire song becomes questionable. 

So questionable, in fact, that in LE SSERAFIM’s new promotional stages the slamming choreography has been replaced with more tame dance moves.

It is not uncommon for K-Pop groups to involve minors, as people train at a young age and companies want to debut members while they are young and in their prime. Most times, these young artists are given a cute concept to start off with, and their sound matures with them. 

The age difference between the members is confusing, there is a nine-year gap between the oldest and youngest members. Either debut some other trainees and keep those girls for another group, or change the concept to not sexualize minors. 

Even then, “FEARLESS,” could have been fine for the younger members if they did not make the choreography so suggestive. There was poor planning by the choreographer and company for allowing this to happen. 

LE SSERAFIM did not make waves with this debut in the ways the company may have intended. With a clubby song, the focus should be on the music, not the minors.