[REVIEW] Le Sserafim turns up temperature in 'HOT'

K-pop quintet embraces vulnerability in new mini-album

By Inna Christine Cabel

Like moths to a flame, the five members of K-pop girl group Le Sserafim seem to welcome every challenge life throws at them. Kim Chae-won, Sakura, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha and Hong Eun-chae have cemented a formidable reputation in the industry with genre-bending explorations, viral performances and numerous unexpected collaborations with music acts from all over the world.

The quintet’s grueling yet storied musical journey reaches a boiling point in its latest mini-album, “HOT,” released March 14.

In a mini-album that calls itself “HOT,” any casual listener would expect high-octane, hard-hitting cuts — in the usual K-pop fare — especially since Le Sserafim has been known for taking on performance-heavy tracks such as the bombastic “Unforgiven” (2023) and “Antifragile” (2022).

But the five members go against the grain in their latest EP, treating listeners to a surprisingly subtle exploration of their past year, despite focusing on their no-holds-barred approach to the challenges they face.

“HOT” starts with “Born Fire,” heavy bass beats crawling into your skin and gliding strings pulling you into Le Sserafim’s story. Almost immediately, the five members interweave narrations of Korean, English and Japanese into the introductory track, scarily visceral voices laying their cards on the table. “I believed that the only reason for existence was to burn even brighter,” Kazuha says in Japanese, setting the album’s tone amid glowering synths.

Bass is the album's primary driver, as it continues to take the wheel in the title track, “HOT.” It’s quiet and melodic, relying heavily on a muddy, resonant bass, a departure from K-pop's usual bells and whistles. “HOT” simmers slowly, each detail building after every verse — a laid-back laugh littered throughout the mix, harmonies adding texture to what would have been a monotonous two minutes, and then punctuated by a delicious, sultry guitar riff that pushes just the right buttons. The quintet explores a different vocal styling in this number, peppering breathy, wispy ad libs in the catchy hook, singing as if emotions were flames licking their throats. “Take my hand / 'cause tonight we burn to shine,” Kim sentimentally croons.

In the collaboration track “Come Over,” the girls lean into nostalgic groove and vivid jazzy synths, a production signature of the renowned British band Jungle — the artists behind last year’s viral nu-disco hit “Back on 74.” Jungle’s mixing mastery shines through in this all-English cut, as every sonic shift is exactly in the right place. The quintet’s soft, alluring vocals conjure nights drenched in sweat, dancing in the club, a chorus of airy oohs and aahs swirling in the background, as they coyishly ask you to “come over and dance.”

The album’s standout track is easily “Ash,” wrapped in atmospheric pop and haunting, unsettling bass. Moody synths waft through it like tendrils of smoke, every lyric sung with desperation, confronting the “angels who whisper in their mind,” as guitar riffs provide an almost tactile texture to the cut. There’s a willingness to be consumed by the pain of creation, a danger lurking in the quintet’s siren-like falsettos. “The more I hurt, the more I feel alive / Born anew from the ashes,” the girls sing, an honest approach to their vulnerabilities.

In an interview with NME, Huh said “Ash” was partly inspired by the image of a matchstick, which consumes itself in the process of setting a fire. “You have to surrender yourself to your passion and, sometimes, you undergo that pain and overcome that hardship to keep your flame alive,” she told the London magazine.

“So Cynical (Badum)” is the album’s finale, an easy, Jersey house-infused cut, with leader Kim and members Huh and Hong in the credits. The track is a collaboration between the quintet and the video game Overwatch 2, a sequel to their 2023 smash hit “Perfect Night,” although a bit more subdued and tailored to the thematic idiosyncrasies of “HOT.”

While it may be cynical to end with a rundown of the group’s hardships, it wouldn't be right to overlook the fact these girls have been through hell in the past year. Their Coachella debut in April 2024 fell short of expectations, while executives name-dropped them amid ongoing company disputes and lawsuits between HYBE, former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and NewJeans.

Name it, and the girls of Le Sserafim have probably dealt with it. In an industry that has scorched and scarred too many, rising above the flames has always been a task almost too monumental, especially for a group just three years into their career.

And yet, the quintet seems to have embraced what has led to their resilience, unafraid to face the future ahead in “HOT.” Amid the destruction, they create and bask in the heat of attention. They emerge through the ashes a little rough around the edges, but stronger, solid and full of the same spirit that made them stars in the first place. It’s precisely this signature brand of determination that makes this album work, as they dabble in genres that don’t often make it to everyone’s playlists.

While a bit thematically jagged, “HOT” lays down the foundation for a new chapter. The album’s glowing embers and warm, sunset-like hues of passion paint the finale in the group’s “EASY, CRAZY, HOT” musical trilogy, which they started last year with previous EPs.

Although most would argue that 13 minutes is too short, “HOT” has already taken its course, with the quintet ready to burn down what’s left of their hesitations, a way of leaving behind all the noise of their tumultuous year. This is Le Sserafim taking another step toward their future as artists, as they embark on another journey toward the ever-expanding musical landscape.

Le Sserafim will kick off their new tour, “EASY, CRAZY, HOT,” with shows at Incheon’s Inspire Arena on April 19 and 20.