By Dong Sun-hwa Hybe is known as the record label behind some of the most celebrated K-pop boy groups of today, like BTS , Tomorrow X Together (TXT) and Enhypen . Now it seeks to expand its footprint in the world of girl groups. The company will debut its first-ever girl group, Lesserafim, in May. The group will include Sakura and Kim Chae-won of IZ*One, a now-defunct project group that was created through Mnet’s popular audition programme Produce 48 in 2018. According to Hybe, Lesserafim is an anagram for the team’s motto, “I’m fearless”. “The name reveals the members’ determination to proceed without being disturbed by the judgment of others,” it says. (Others have speculated the name is derived from Les Seraphim, the fiery six-winged angels in the Bible.) “ Hybe chairman Bang Si-hyuk will serve as the executive producer of Lesserafim’s debut album, with creative director Kim Sung-hyun – who has been working with BTS and TXT – joining the production team.” Details about Lesserafim have been kept under wraps, but the group are expected to be another K-pop game changer – not only because they are represented by Hybe, but because Sakura and Kim already have solid fan bases thanks to the success of IZ*One, who had a string of chart-topping hits such as Panorama (2020). The competition to become the next queens of K-pop is already under way, with the emergence of acts like Aespa , IVE , Kep1er and NMixx . Achieving instant stardom has never been an easy task for any group, but a growing number of K-pop newcomers are basking in their early success, taking the top spots on music shows or on streaming charts only months – even days – after their debut. The singers’ musical talent and charisma play a crucial role, but often the contributing factor is the fact that most of them have ardent supporters from the very beginning. Aespa, for example, is a group launched by SM Entertainment, one of the most influential entertainment companies in Korea along with YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. SM is the home of superstar groups such as TVXQ , Girls’ Generation , EXO and Red Velvet . Aespa have attracted attention since their debut in 2020, rising to prominence with an unusual concept involving virtual avatars. The quartet have swept several rookie-of-the-year awards with their releases Black Mamba (2020), Next Level (2021) and Savage (2021). Next Level , in particular, topped multiple music streaming charts and its music video has had more than 200 million views on YouTube. IVE, which includes former IZ*One members An Yu-jin and Jang Won-young, are another hot group. After debuting under Starship Entertainment last December, the six-member group ranked first on Korean television channel MBC M’s music show Show Champion with their track Eleven – seven days after their debut. Similarly, Kep1er, made up of nine contenders from Korean broadcaster Mnet’s audition programme Girls Planet 999 (2021), nabbed the No. 1 spot on a Korean music show with their song Wa Da Da just 11 days after debuting. Their debut album First Impact racked up 200,000 pre-orders – a notable performance for any K-pop act. JYP Entertainment, home to A-list girl groups like Twice and Itzy , has also joined the competition, debuting Nmixx in February. The septet are currently gaining global traction at an unprecedented pace, as evidenced by their album sales. They have sold more than 220,000 copies of their debut album Ad Mare and the music video of their debut track, O.O , has more than 55 million hits. YG Entertainment, which houses big-name stars like BigBang and Blackpink , is also planning to debut a new girl group later this year, although the details have not been disclosed. Read the full story at The Korea Times