Struck by Cupid. FIFTY FIFTY entered the K-pop queendom

Four months after their debut, FIFTY FIFTY are now the fastest K-pop group in history to enter Billboard Hot 100, confirming that the girls groups domination is not going to end soon.

What makes them so unique? The quartet under the label ATTRAKT debuted last November in a historical time when female groups were ruling the Korean music industry by stepping up the K-pop game.

Saena, Aran, Keena, and Sio went from rookies to a sensation in the blink of an eye. If their stunning visuals hitched you to know more about these girls since the first listening to their songs, you’d find yourself compelled and transported in a parallel world thanks to their soothing voices and addictive melodies.

Their last song, Cupid, or as we all should address hit, their last Billboard-hit-Cupid, is part of their much-anticipated return single album, The Beginning: Cupid. The song is now trending on SNS everywhere in the world, and it became a TikTok hit track thanks to its melody and relatable lyrics, and projected the group into the K-stardom.

Panorama.it had the chance to interview them.

Nice to meet you girls. Can you please introduce yourself?

SAENA: Hello, I’m SAENA. I’m the leader and main dancer of the group. It’s a great pleasure to participate in the interview. Let’s have fun!

KEENA: Hello, I’m KEENA. I’m the main rapper of the group. It’s also my great pleasure to do the interview with Panorama.

SIO: Hello, I’m SIO. I’m the main vocal of the group. I’m so happy to be a part of this interview for our new song “Cupid.”

ARAN: Hello, I’m ARAN. I’m the lead vocal of the group. I’m excited to talk about ourselves!

Congratulations on your first comeback; how does it feel?

KEENA: We’re so happy to return with our new song “Cupid.” I’m super excited to meet our fans again.

SAENA: I’m nervous and anxious at the same time by the thought of showing a new side of FIFTY FIFTY that is different from our last album.

SIO: I'm so happy that we returned with new music so quickly with more to deliver!

ARAN: I’m really happy that we were able to come up with our second album right after our debut.

Can you tell us more about Cupid?

SIO: Sure thing! The album of this song acts as a prequel to the debut album, showing our inner selves as we are about to embark on a new journey.

SAENA: The Cupid that we know plays an important role in connecting the love between two people. However, Cupid does a terrible job at it, and also makes FIFTY FIFTY feel that love is not real despite the two chances given to him. The lonely FIFTY FIFTY solely relies on Cupid for love but blames him when things don’t go well as planned.

KEENA: But as soon as we take the initiative to be in charge of our own fate, we come to realize that we no longer need Cupid. That’s when we overcome fear and transform into the new version of ourselves, breaking away from Cupid that we used to depend on.

ARAN: We discussed some ideas about expressing our current moments of putting in a lot of effort after our debut. We wanted to show our strong and independent growth process through this song as we continue our journey down the road.

You choose to release it both in English and Korean. Why do you choose to name them twin versions?

SAENA: Usually, two songs with different versions sound vastly different. However, our two versions sound identical except for the language, just like twins! That’s why we decided to name the English version as Twin version.

KEENA: In addition to the difference in language, there are subtle differences between the two, so we recommend that you pick and choose depending on the mood of that day!

Do you have some role models in the industry or someone you are dreaming of collaborating with?

KEENA: Doja Cat is my role model. I'm amazed by her amazing talent of blending a wide spectrum of music into her own style. BIBI is an artist that I hope to collaborate with in the future because she has a voice that I believe is ideal.

SAENA: My role model is Beyonce. Her stage presence and the ability to fill the whole venue with her amazing energy is just absolutely incredible. Chung Ha is someone who I’d love to collaborate with. Her vocals and dance moves are mesmerizing. If the opportunity allows, I’d love to perform on stage with her.

SIO: My role model is Sam Smith because I think it’s really cool how he expresses his thoughts and feelings through music along with unique aesthetics. Lauv is an artist I hope to collaborate with in the future. I think his voice is unique and one of a kind.

ARAN: My role model is Dean because he's probably someone who has inspired me the most musically. In terms of collaboration, I don’t have a specific person or group that I have in mind, but I hope to work together with artists that have unique colors like FIFTY FIFTY.

If you have to describe yourself with one color, one scent, and one flower, which would it be and why?

KEENA: The color that best represents me is Carmine Red, which is like a deep red color. I think it suits me the best because it makes my face brighter. I like scents that are quite pungent (she makes a heart). I like all flowers that are wrapped in brown paper because I think the color balance between the two looks really pretty.

SAENA: I like black and white because they fit well with any other colors, so I wish to become an artist or human being like that as well. In terms of scent, I like the smell of nature such as grass, mud, etc. For some reason, it just makes me feel comfortable. Lastly, my favorite flower is tulips because they grow in March, which is the month that I was born. Just like how this flower possesses various meanings, I hope to express myself in various concepts and styles.

SIO: My favorite color is Vantablack. It’s known for absorbing all the other colors, so I hope to become someone who could well-absorb other things. My favorite scent is woody fragrance because most of the perfumes that I use are woody. My favorite flower is Delphinium because I like the language and meaning behind it. I like the fact that the name is derived from the word “dolphin.”

ARAN: My favorite color is blue and gray. My favorite scent is cotton. My favorite flower is lily of the valley. I think these three well-express my unique vibe, and I also hope to become like that too!

You debuted in a rough year for the girls group. Still, your fanbase is growing day by day. What makes FIFTY FIFTY unique?

ARAN: I believe our music maintains the traditional K-pop style but shows a sense of comfort and stability that makes us different from others. I think that’s why a lot of people love our music.

SAENA: In addition to our dreamy, mellow vocals, I think our music makes people want to listen to it more. Also, I think a lot of people enjoy watching our teamwork and synergies that get generated when four of us get together as one.

Which song do you have on repeat on your player right now?

KEENA: “Here I Am” by Taeyeon. I listen to it a lot when I’m traveling by car.

SAENA: “H.S.K.T” by Lee Hi. I like the combination of her unique color, vibe, and lyrics. It’s definitely on repeat these days for sure.

SIO: “Confetti” by Tori Kelly. I’m into this song these days, so I’ve been putting it on repeat.

ARAN: “007” by Tabber. His scat singing in this song is so catchy!

A comeback is a busy time; what do you like to do to release the stress?

KEENA: I like to go to a cafe with my friends and have a chit-chat.

SAENA: I think I try to enjoy the stressful moments, and imagine ourselves going up onstage in the future. If you can’t beat it, join it!

SIO: I always carry a book with me wherever I go and try to read something. I’m definitely a bookworm. I sleep when I don’t have a book with me.

ARAN: My method is simple and clear. I sleep. I guarantee a good night's sleep will change your life.

Who are FIFTY FIFTY now?

KEENA: A team that is loyal and known for its unique music! This is how I’d define FIFTY FIFTY because I hope to happily work with my lovely members for a long period of time.

SAENA: At this point of time, I think FIFTY FIFTY is a bud because it's just the beginning and it's going to keep growing until the day it blossoms.

SIO: It’s one of my many wishes to become a group with great music!

ARAN: I'd define us as a baby right now, but we'll continue to learn and grow.

(The interview was conducted before the Billboard Hot 100 announcement)