Le Sserafim: First Girl Group Debut on BTS' HYBE Label

Le Sserafim is one “Fearless” girl group — and it’s not just because their group’s name is an anagram for “I’m fearless”! The K-pop band is the first girl group to debut under BTS‘ label, HYBE, following BTS‘ global success. The members include Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, Hong Eunchae and former member Kim Garam (who exited the group in July 2022). Keep reading to uncover everything we know about this “ANTIFRAGILE” group.

Who Are Le Sserafim?

Le Sserafim debuted on May 2, 2022, with the release of their debut EP Fearless and lead single “Fearless.” Two members, Kim Chaewon and Sakura, were actually already well-known in the K-pop community prior to Le Sserafim, as they were members of a successful K-pop girl group called Iz*one. Their former group was formed in a reality TV competition series called Produce 48 in 2018. Le Sserafim member Huh Yunjin also competed in Produce 48, but placed 26th out of the 48 competitors and did not debut with the band.

On top of that, the band released a documentary based on their pre-debut preparations called Le Sserafim – The World Is My Oyster.

“I’ve never had a period in my life where I’ve dedicated this much effort, energy, and time all at once,” Huh Yunjin told NME in June 2022, describing the pre-debut process as “grueling.” Although, it was all worth it for the singer, who says that “[since] we’ve finally made our debut, I feel proud and rewarded for all the hard work we’ve put in.”

The girls became global ambassadors of Louis Vuitton in October 2023, with their photo campaign scenery built by Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk.

“We met for the first time at my pre-fall show in Seoul and I really loved the energy they brought to the after party with their performance,” Louis Vuitton’s creator director Nicolas Ghesquière, said in a statement of Le Sserafim. “They each have such a unique style that together feels very cool and authentic.”

Who Are Le Sserafim’s Members?

All of Le Sserafim’s members have had a long-winded path prior to entering the world of K-pop stardom. Huh Yunjin was raised in New York, trained in opera singing and decided to give K-pop a shot instead of enrolling in college — entering in a world of intense “idol” training and extreme beauty standards.

Japanese member Kazuha was a professional ballerina who studied at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in the Netherlands, previously attending the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow, Russia, and the Royal Ballet School in the United Kingdom. She was personally scouted by Big Hit Music/HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk shortly before making her debut, leaving her to learn Korean and train intensively in the matter of three months.

Along with Kazuha and Huh Yunjin, many of the other members have similar “Fearless” stories which led to the formation of Le Sserafim. Keep reading to learn more about the members of Le Sserafim, the first girl group to debut under BTS’ label HYBE!

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Kim Chaewon

Le Sserafim’s leader Kim Chaewon was one of three members to participate in the reality competition series Produce 48 in 2018, placing 10th out of 48 competitors. She worked with the group for two years until they disbanded in 2021.

The leader and vocalist of the group was born on August 1, 2000, in Seoul, South Korea, making her a Leo.

Sakura

Sakura is a Japanese singer and actress with a pretty long history of girl groups! She began her music career with Japanese girl group HKT48 in 2011, and was a member of their sister group AKB48 from 2014 to 2018. Sakura took a hiatus from HKT48 in 2018 after placing second in the reality competition show Produce 48, joining the South Korea-based girl group Iz*One.

After Iz*One’s disbandment in 2021, she left HKT48 that same year to focus on activities in South Korea. An already famous singer and dancer in South Korea and Japan, she signed an exclusive contract with Source Music in 2022, leading her to debut (again) with Le Sserafim.

Born on March 19, 1998, in Kagoshima City, Japan, Sakura is a Pisces.

Huh Yunjin

Huh Yunjin was born in Seoul, South Korea — however she grew up in New York. She trained in opera singing throughout her adolescence until deciding to pursue a career in K-pop rather than attending college in America. From there, she became a trainee for Pledis Entertainment and competed in Produce 48 in 2018 — however, she did not end up debuting in Iz*One with her future Le Sserafim members.

A skilled songwriter, Huh Yunjin has helped write a handful of Le Sserafim’s tracks, and released her own song on YouTube called “Raise y_our glass” in August 2022. Born on October 8, 2001, Huh Yunjin is a Libra!

Kazuha

Japanese member Kazuha was a professional ballerina who studied at the Dutch National Ballet Academy in the Netherlands, previously attending the Bolshoi Academy in Moscow, Russia, and the Royal Ballet School in the United Kingdom. She was personally scouted by Big Hit Music/HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk shortly before making her debut, leaving her to learn Korean and train intensively in the matter of three months.

She was born in Kochi, Japan, on August 9, 2003 (making her a Leo!), but grew up in Osaka from 2-16 years old.