H1-Key, a four-member girl group under Grandline Group (GLG), made its first appearance as a group in the K-Pop scene on January 5, 2022, with the release of their debut single album ATHLETIC GIRL.
This electrifying quartet, consisting of members Seoi, Riina, Hwiseo, and Yel, has swiftly emerged as a refreshing breath of air. With a combination of captivating vocals, mesmerizing choreography, and a profound connection to their art, H1-KEY has quickly become a name to watch, earning them a dedicated and ever-growing fan base.
In their most recent comeback, the girls of H1-KEY are ready to shine. SEOUL DREAMING is the group's second mini-album, featuring the double title tracks “Seoul (Such a Beautiful City)” and "Time to Shine" and the B-side songs "Intro: Seoul Dreaming," "Low-key Scared but H1-KEY Ready," "Magical Dream," and instrumental versions of the title track.
To commemorate the release of SEOUL DREAMING, H1-KEY caught up with Hellokpop to discuss the album in detail, share what they bring to K-Pop, goals for this year, and more. Keep reading to know more about H1-KEY!
Hello H1-KEY! Thanks for taking the time to chat with Hellokpop. To start, please introduce yourselves and what you are in charge of in H1-KEY.
SEOI: Hello, We are H1-KEY with relieving energy! I am the leader of H1-KEY, SEOI!
RIINA: Hello, I am H1-KEY's RIINA, I have attractive vocals and talking skills!
HWISEO: Hello! I am the main vocalist and rapper, HWISEO!
YEL: Hello, I am the coolest, cutest, and youngest YEL! I am the dancer, rapper, and the vocalist of the team!
Congratulations on your second mini-album comeback, SEOUL DREAMING. Can you share the concept of the album? What do you want to show fans this time around?
SEOI: With this album, SEOUL DREAMING, we wanted to deliver a positive message of: "Those of you who are chasing your dreams are beautiful and precious, and therefore, we shall never give up and keep chasing our dreams!"
Tell us more about the title tracks. What was the inspiration behind the songs?
SEOI: The pre-released song "Time to Shine" contains the message: The path to achieving a dream may be painful and hard, but we can surely achieve it if we come together! The other title track, "SEOUL (Such a Beautiful City)," is focused on the people who are chasing those dreams.
Among the songs on SEOUL DREAMING, which one is your favorite?
HWISEO: I would choose the song "Low-key Scared But H1-KEY Ready," which is the fourth track of our album. We recorded this song before the "RUN" promotional activities, which was about a year and a half ago. I recommend this song because I never get tired of this song and it always gives me strength and touches my heart.
Which member do you think perfectly fits the new concept the best?
YEL: Since we have double title songs, we had two different concepts; "Seoul" and "Dreaming". I think the Seoul concept suits SEOI well! The vibe of the song 'SEOUL (Such a Beautiful City)' blends perfectly with the delicate looks that she gives and makes the mood of the song stand out even better.
How do you incorporate your own colors into one as H1-KEY?
SEOI: I believe we all have different charms. So, expressing our own personality & charisma helps us to blend in as H1-KEY, and it is the most significant charm of us as a team. So we try to show our true selves.
RIINA: I think H1-KEY is a group with strong individual charms. We try not to overthink and just show our natural sides.
HWISEO: Each of us has very different characters and charms. But we do not put too much effort into blending them as one and naturally accept ourselves as individuals, and I believe that is H1-KEY as a group.
YEL: With different characters, charms, and unique colors, the four of us can make a new beautiful color, which I think is the identity of H1-KEY! We shine together brightly when each of us shines in our own individual positions. Therefore, we try to blend our characters naturally.
What do you think H1-KEY brings to the K-Pop music scene that is not already there?
HWISEO: I believe H1-KEY is currently creating something that is new in K-pop. We are a group that strives to give hope and comfort to many people and give them strength.
Read the full interview on Hellokpop.