Girl group Le Sserafim to release first new music since Kim Ga-ram’s departure

Girl group Le Sserafim will return to the K-pop scene with new music this fall.

According to local media outlets, the five-member group is preparing for a comeback with a new EP, although specific dates were not revealed.

Dubbed “HYBE’s first girl group,” Le Sserafim is produced by Source Music, a label under the K-pop powerhouse known for boy band BTS.

Even before its debut the girl group was spotlighted due to its affiliation with HYBE and also because of members Sakura and Kim Chae-won who were already well-known as former members of girl group IZ*ONE, a project girl group formed by the 12 finalists of Mnet’s hit idol audition program “Produce 48” (2018). Member Huh Yun-jin was also a contestant on “Produce 48.”

The group debuted in May with the EP “Fearless,” which shot to No. 1 on local music streaming sites and also saw its title track land on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for 17 consecutive weeks.

The group faced controversy due to its ex-member Kim Ga-ram, who was hit with accusations of school bullying before her official debut. She took a hiatus from the group activities from May 20, and on July 20, HYBE announced it had terminated its contract with Kim.

The new music is the girl group’s first music since Kim left the group. 

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]