It’s been a busy year for K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty, from having their comeback as a new team to releasing numerous songs after.
In a recent interview with AsiaOne, 23-year-old Korean member Keena, the oldest of the group, remarked: “It feels like we’ve been running nonstop since Starry Night. With every new song we shared and every moment on stage, we could feel ourselves growing stronger. I think it was only possible because Twenys (fandom name) were always right there with us.”
Starry Night, launched Aug 30 last year, is the pre-release single for their EP Love Tune, which marked the group’s 2024 comeback with a new lineup: Korean members Yewon and Hana, as well as Korean-American Chanelle Moon and Taiwanese-Korean Athena.
Keena was part of the original four-member lineup which debuted in November 2022, but three members had their contracts terminated by their agency Attrakt over a legal dispute the following year.
The new members joined Fifty Fifty in 2024.
We asked the quintet about the challenges they’ve faced since Starry Night and how they overcame them.
“There are definitely times when I get tired from working hard, but each time, I learn more about myself and train my mindset and mental strength. And through that, I’ve come to feel that there’s nothing I can’t overcome,” said 20-year-old Yewon.
To her, challenges “always lead to growth”.
Youngest member Athena, 18, talked about spending some me-time to cope with burnout.
“I usually create my personal space, where I can think things through and also be on my own. Since we are always around people 24/7, I think it’s important that I make sure that I get time to myself,” said the Sweden-born idol.
“I’m personally very introverted so I need time to recharge myself before I can get back to work.”
Athena is among four members who are introverts, with Keena being the only extrovert.
But the latter feels some of them are “gradually becoming more” like extroverts.
“And on the flip side, there are times when I wonder, ‘Wait… am I an ‘I’ (introvert) now?’ When we’re together, our energy keeps shifting, so who leads and who stays quiet really changes naturally depending on the situation,” she added.
Telling us more about the group dynamic, Yewon said the ones who act like the older sisters of the group are actually the youngest ones – Athena and 19-year-old Hana.
“They’re so mature that sometimes they feel even more like big sisters than I do. And the one who’s the most like a youngest member is Chanelle (22 years old) -she’s the total playful troublemaker of our team!” said Yewon.
On the funny or memorable moments the past year that they haven’t told fans about, Chanelle said there are “so many”.
“Probably during dance practice when Keena misprounces English words. We all burst out laughing,” she recalled.
‘Expect the unexpected’
Fifty Fifty released their third digital single album Too Much Part 1 in November, leading with the song Eeny Meeny Miny Moe, where the music video had a dreamy feminine feel with pastel colours used for the set and outfits.
The B-side Skittlez, on the other hand, had a trendy hip-hop vibe down to the styling, and the members seemed to prefer this.
“It was our first time trying hip-hop, so it felt really fresh – and honestly, a lot of fun,” said Hana.
Athena also prefers the Skittlez music video: “It shows a different side of us compared to what we usually perform. I also like its catchy lyrics and choreography that gets me hooked.”
But having a preference doesn’t mean they don’t want to explore other sounds and visual concepts.
Keena said they plan to keep trying new things musically and hope fans can look forward to that, to which Chanelle added: “We always want to bring our fans something new, so they definitely can expect the unexpected.”
Through showing different sides of themselves, Hana hopes people will discover their “new charms” while Yewon hopes to make fans happy and create music that can heal.
“Like we always say, we are going to keep improving as artists and show different sides of us in the future, which is true. We have plans to keep producing music that portrays ‘Fiftypop’ while trying different types of genres,” said Athena.
‘An important time that will shape our future’
When asked about their hopes as individuals and as a group for this defining period in their career, Keena said she hopes the group can “continue building things together” so that their five distinct personalities and group direction become even clearer.
“Since most of us are in our early 20s, we know this moment is an important time that will shape our future,” she added.
“That’s why we try to be more thoughtful and live with no regrets in everything we do. Personally, I want to keep growing deeper musically.”
Meanwhile, Chanelle said she feels they don’t put “a huge meaning on age and what it means” for their music.
“We definitely want to showcase more sides of ourselves and continue to genuinely grow,” she added.
The other members shared more about their personal goals.
“I really want to meet more Twenys in person! I also hope we can visit many more countries. And on a personal note, I want to get my driver’s licence and start driving!” said Hana.
While Yewon wants to “repay fans with better music” and show them how much their love means to the group, she also places importance on her family.
“I’ve always hoped that once I entered my 20s, I could give back to my parents and take good care of them,” she shared.
Athena is excited to see how early adulthood brings out the best in the members: “I wouldn’t say that there is going to be a huge difference, but I can certainly tell you that everyone is going to grow into better versions of themselves.”
To Twenys in Singapore
While Fifty Fifty has yet to perform in Singapore, they left messages for fans here.
Hana and Athena thanked Singapore Twenys for all the love and support, which Keena said gives them strength: “I can’t wait to meet you in person and share even more energy together.”
Yewon promised the group will keep working hard for them while Chanelle left a heartfelt message: “Our Twenys are everything to us, the reason we sing, dance, and perform, and why we get up in the morning to do what we do to the best we can.”
[[nid:726583]]
syarifahsn@asiaone.com
No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Read the full article here
