Le Seraphim's candid confession in an interview: on fear and growth

Four years after debuting, contrary to their FEARLESS image, LE SSERAFIM is now confronting a different kind of message, one of understanding fear rather than denying it. During a round-table interview held on May 19th at Atelier 8 in eastern Seoul, the members spoke candidly about pressure, insecurity and growth ahead of their upcoming full-length album "PUREFLOW pt.1."

The group explained that "PUREFLOW pt.1." reflects the changes and growth they experienced while navigating both success and pressure throughout their career with a clear message saying "because we understand fear, we can become stronger." The interview was held with four members present after leader Kim Chaewon temporarily sat out activities due to a neck injury.

Speaking about the group's evolving perspective on fear, Eunchae shared "In the past, I thought I shouldn't feel fear, but after experiencing many different emotions and fears, I realized those feelings are actually necessary and part of the process of moving forward." Labeled as a fearless group, LE SSERAFIM has had to go through many challenges over the past few years, many of which could have left them with more fears rather than a sense of strength and power.

The members also reflected on the specific fears they experienced while preparing for the album. Sakura spoke about the pressure that followed the overwhelming positive response to their previous release "Spaghetti," saying, "I get scared when things are going well. 'Spaghetti' was a big challenge for us, and because it received so much love, I started worrying about what we should do next."

Kazuha also reflected on her shorter training period prior to debuting, sharing, "Since I didn't have a very long trainee period, every album makes me wonder if I’ll really be able to pull it off well."

Those emotions became directly reflected in both the album's concept and musical direction as their pre-release "CELEBRATION" focuses on embracing inner strength rather than avoiding insecurity, while title track "BOOMPALA" shifts toward the idea of moving forward after overcoming those fears. Built around Latin-house elements and references to the global hit "Macarena," the track uses the repeated "BOOMPALA" chant as both an energizing phrase and a symbolic way of calming anxious thoughts. Sakura added how "BOOMPALA" isn’t an actual dictionary word but rather something they heard from the demo that really stuck out for all of them.

Yunjin also shared her own experience with performance anxiety and how the chant started to help, revealing, "While preparing for year-end award shows last year, I suddenly burst into tears during practice. I was scared of going on stage."

She explained that the members gradually learned how to rely on one another rather than hide those emotions, with Sakura adding, "None of us try to change one another. We try to understand each other instead. I think that’s why we really do feel like sisters."

"Whenever we overthink too much, we go, 'Guys, Boompalla~' It actually works really well. It's basically about accepting things instead of overthinking them." - Yunjin

As the group's first full-length release since 2023’s "UNFORGIVEN," the album "PUREFLOW pt.1" also explores a wider range of sounds and character-driven storytelling. Speaking about the creative process, Yunjin explained that multiple genres were explored throughout the production process, pointing to "Saki (feat. Aliyah’s Interlude)" as a follow-up in spirit to "1800-Hot-N-Fun." When describing the new album, Kazuha shared "It reflects the changes and growth we experienced while promoting" The album also carries the message not just for themselves but for audiences as well of moving forward, embracing that fear and turning it into a new strength.

"This was also our most honest album. From the very early stages of the album process, we worked closely with the company, so I honestly think this is the album that feels the most like us." Eunchae incorporated, showing the start of a chapter for LE SSERAFIM.

Looking ahead, Yunjin also expressed interest in becoming more involved in the group's creative process in the future, sharing, "If I continue growing in the distant future, one of my goals is to become more self-produced. We’re already running toward that goal, but with every album, I want to work even harder."

As LE SSERAFIM enters a new chapter of its career, "PUREFLOW pt.1." appears positioned not only as a reflection on fear and growth, but also as a step toward a more self-defined artistic identity.