GFriend boasts hipness in summer release 'Fever'
K-pop girl band GFriend released its seventh mini-album, “FEVER SEASON,” Monday. Yonhap
By Dong Sun-hwa
K-pop girl band GFriend has been acclaimed for its “pinpoint” group dance, in which all six members dance perfectly in sync to fast-tempo songs. But for their latest EP “FEVER SEASON,” released Monday, the members concentrated more on individual styles.
“We will boast our 'hipness' on stage this time by displaying each member's own swag,” SinB said during Monday's showcase event at the YES24 Live Hall, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. “I personally strived to come up with cool movements.”
Leader Sowon said: “But we still spent much time harmonizing, since we did not want to lose our originality.”
The team did not transform itself intentionally but the change came naturally, according to vocalist Yuju. She said the change was the result of their growth.
Umji, the band's youngest, said: “We will continue to change bit by bit, without losing our identity. We will put effort in to show we can handle various concepts.”
GFriend performs during Monday's showcase at YES24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Yonhap
Pop-flavored “Fever” is the lead track for the team's seventh mini-album, “FEVER SEASON.” It is a combination of drop and moombahton rhythm that goes well with summer. Although the lyrics mainly talk about the hotness of love, the overall melodies are cool and refreshing, creating a sense of twist.
The album also contains seven B-side tracks including “Mr. Blue,” “Smile,” “Wish,” “Paradise,” “Hope,” “FLOWER,” and the instrumental version of “Fever.” Although “FEVER SEASON” is not a studio album, it is packed with cross-genre tracks that each exhibit different colors of the group. Among them, “Hope” is particularly meaningful for the band.
“'Hope' is a number for our fans,” Umji said. “It was the first time all of us contributed to the lyrics."
She added, “It was a rewarding but painful experience. We had to write the lyrics again and again for the confirmation.”
When the members were asked about their goals, they first hesitated to disclose the specifics.
“We are happy doing what we love, regardless of ranking (on music charts,)” Sowon said.
But soon after, she wittily added: “Nevertheless, it will be great if we can top music charts.”
As of Tuesday, “Fever” dominated several local music streaming charts including Mnet and Soribada.
GFriend, composed of Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB, Sowon and Umji, debuted in 2015 with the EP "Season of Glass." Its flagship songs include "Glass Bead (2015)" and "Me gustas tu (2015)."