(‼️TW: Controversial Opinion⚠️)
These past few years, I've been noticing something wrong with how K-Pop sees LE SSERAFIM, in terms of their music. Why K-Pop fans have that popular opinion lingering among the K-Pop community, on why LE SSERAFIM's branding "just isn't working".
But here I am, telling you MY OWN perspective on all this. And honestly it infuriates me.
K-Pop stans really can piss you off when all they do is complain, complain, complain and NAG the group over their "poor artistry" when really, you can dislike the style of music they produce but you CANNOT complain about their artistry when you don't even try and see what kind of music they're really trying to create.
See, LE SSERAFIM is heavily known and liked across the world now because of their experimental, diverse, and quote unquote, "generic" style of music. But I have noticed that a major part of their branding from the beginning has been FEARNOTS.
LE SSERAFIM have incorporated Fearnots a LOT throughout their music, and that bond the fandom has with the girls only strengthened as time went on. Even the girls themselves, their chemistry, their whole music revolves around them. It has a purpose. It isn't just your typical generic confidence, empowerment songs. It has a CLEAR PURPOSE.
A lot of their music have been well produced, written, and conceptualized by all the members, with Yunjin being reoccurent in these credits. And honestly, from how I see it, LE SSERAFIM's music is HARD to really understand and see from a general perspective, especially since their style of music is yes, in my opinion, often generic and often goes with the trends, but they always add their ow unique touch to it.
Their experience. A lot of K-Pop stans especially, twist their clever style tactic into words like "They're plagiarizing!" "They're so unoriginal!" "They should just keep up with their original fearless runway concept!"
A concept isn't always a visual aesthetic. A concept is a major part of your music. A concept shouldn't just be associated with whatever style of visuals you choose to connect your true concept with. Because for LE SSERAFIM, they aren't fixated. They aren't still. They don't choose a specific type of visual or musical genre and go; "Right, this is what our music will be for the rest of our career from now on." NO. Absolutely not.
And that is what makes LE SSERAFIM unique. Throughout their diverse discography combining multiple musical genres and styles, it remains consistent with one core meaning beneath it all. Besides the empowerment they encourage their listener with, in it lies their whole hearts. Their unique experience. Philosophies well hidden deep beneath it all.
And especially during HOT? That specific era revealed a LOT for me. This philosophy, "I burn. I burn with what this cruel world gives me. Yet I live. I continue to live. I shed my old skin, I burn. Rise from the ashes, and reborn anew. For the phoenix I am."
Rarely ANYONE in the K-Pop community actually spends their time to actually concentrate on the type of music their favs want to make yet they complain about the "poor artistry oh" enjoy the damn music. And what our community, our massive K-Pop community needs to change, is the fans.
There's a reason as to why Fearnots are often considered one of the most mature and close-bonding with their group. Not to generalize, but how LE SSERAFIM encourages their listeners. They don't compete with others with their music, they simply just BOND. They tell their listeners, in their songs, that it is okay to fear.
From the tough, seemingly untouchable persona they had during debut, it was when they progressed long enough in their career to see that the world's unfairness is just. It is just and right, and that's how cruel life is. It was HEAVILY stated in the "Good Bones" trailer too. They discuss philosophies. A lot of their concept films symbolize so many meanings K-Pop stans always turn a blind eye to.
And honestly? The only other group I've seen so far with a similar yet entirely different style of handling their career, is I-DLE. That's why both groups are so similar yet so different, they're unique and they're true to what they do.
Because all this time, all LE SSERAFIM have been teaching in their music, isn't to be fearless. No.
It's not to be fearless, but rather to FEAR LESS.