LE SSERAFIM promoted “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s wife” off their first LP, UNFORGIVEN, through a number of challenges. The group did the challenge with other musical artists like WINTER from aespa, NI-KI from ENHYPEN, KEY from SHINee and Sandara Park, but also with people across a range of different professions, including Seunghun, Jaejae, Boom, Kian84, Lee Si Eon and Kwaktube. Including the challenge made easier for participants to follow along, where they only had to use the arms and the upper body in some parts of the chorus, various other types of challenges were offered out there. They even created the open verse challenge where they removed the original vocals and encouraged people to write their own lyrics and sing along. BIBI, rapper CAMO, Mirani, Wonstein, Psick University and UPSAHL were among the many who joined in. Different events, including these challenges, all contributed to “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s wife” climbing to the top of various music charts, but there’s no overlooking the way LE SSERAFIM put their messages from UNFORGIVEN into practice. As when they ask people to “join my crew” in the track “Fire in the belly,” the group was always looking for them to become a part of their music, performances and message. With lines like, “Come to that faraway land with me,” in “UNFORGIVEN” (feat. Nile Rodgers), they emphasize the bond between the people who listen to their music and themselves, and “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s wife” seems to have truly brought a wealth of people out to their festival. LE SSERAFIM’s entire promotional period for UNFORGIVEN, including the messages they sent, was undoubtedly done with the explicit goal of reaching out to as many people as possible.
Open from April 26 through May 7 in the Seongsu-dong neighborhood of Seoul, LE SSERAFIM 2023 S/S POP UP, the group’s first dedicated pop-up store, set the stage for what the group was setting out to do during their promotion for UNFORGIVEN. Operated by the label and selling a variety of official merchandise, the space served as an encapsulation of who LE SSERAFIM is and the messages they stand for in their music. LE SSERAFIM itself evolved into a diverse collection of products, a space and a brand , attracting over 16,000 visitors during its two weeks in operation to partake in the immersive LE SSERAFIM experience.
The pop-up store brought the LE SSERAFIM brand’s lifestyle message—and the music, design and merchandise that accompanies it—under one roof. “I think the whole spirit behind LE SSERAFIM is jumping head first into whatever medium best delivers the group’s message, no matter what that medium happens to be,” Jung Jihea, a member of the SOURCE MUSIC marketing team, said. The pop-up store allowed visitors to experience firsthand the group’s message and attitude of fearlessness and for those values to extend to every part of their lives. The selection of gateaux, all named by the LE SSERAFIM members themselves, serve as a perfect example: BLUEBERRYCHAESE, FEARNOTKKURRA, SWAN ALASKA, MANy CHAEcolates, and MARACON? WHO’D HAVE KNOWN? Produced in collaboration with a famous dessert shop and sold on the first floor of the pop-up store, these desserts turned each member’s unique traits into signature gateaux, like how the SWAN ALASKA symbolized KAZUHA performing ballet. Instead of the typical approach of designing a cake’s appearance to reflect its taste, the gateaux were “daringly” designed “to use only black or white in order to give a sense of unity,” Baek said, adding that the desserts reflected the group’s image with “the twist that, under the chic, sophisticated exteriors were bright, colorful insides.” After taking in everything LE SSERAFIM through everything the store had to offer, visitors could talk about the group and the pop-up store itself while eating dessert on the first floor. Whether listening to music, browsing the merchandise, eating dessert or talking among themselves, everything visitors did had some connection to LE SSERAFIM. In essence, the store proved that the group has the power to influence every aspect of a person’s life.
“We wanted to let even more people know about LE SSERAFIM’s views and the things they want to say,” Jung explained. By holding the event in Seongsu-dong—a neighborhood that’s already a brand unto itself—and by plastering the whole building in the group’s logo and hanging up a massive banner with KAZUHA on it, the label hoped to “draw people’s attention toward a healthy lifestyle.” LE SSERAFIM “is first and foremost about their own, real-life experiences,” Kim explained. With the release of UNFORGIVEN, the group once again spread their message to listeners through music and fun challenges alike. The pop-up store came at just the right time, demonstrating definitively that LE SSERAFIM’s message resonates with people and has enough influence to affect their lives. In Kim’s words, “We hope LE SSERAFIM will continue to be a positive influence on people’s whole lifestyles, even beyond their music and performances.”
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