RESCENE bottles up berry scent on new mini-album 'lip bomb'

K-pop girl group RESCENE poses during a media showcase at Myunghwa Live Hall, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, held ahead of the group's "lip bomb" album release on Tuesday. Courtesy of The Muse Entertainment

K-pop girl group RESCENE is extending its signature scent-themed identity with the arrival of third mini-album "lip bomb," released Tuesday.

The five-member act is continuing the fragrance-inspired aesthetic that has shaped its career since debut, but with a concept that blends softness with impact.

Since launching in 2024, Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena have built their sonic identity by connecting each release to a scent. The team's February track, "Glow Up," introduced a soap-fresh charm, followed by the summery grass aroma referenced in July's "Dearest."

The new record pushes the concept forward with a playful twist. The title "lip bomb" blends the softness of lip balm with the idea of a fragrance bursting open, symbolizing both a berry-sweet linger and the signature charm RESCENE aims to leave behind.

"Our music is meant to wrap around listeners gently like berry-scented lip balm," leader Woni said during a media showcase held hours before the official album drop. "We wanted to sweeten someone's day the moment they hear our songs."

Woni of K-pop girl group RESCENE poses during a media showcase at Myunghwa Live Hall, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of The Muse Entertainment

The mini album features five tracks, led by the double title songs "Heart Drop" and "Bloom," followed by "Love Echo," "Hello XO" and "MVP."

Each track is built around a different berry motif, with "Heart Drop" tied to cranberry, "Bloom" to blackberry, "Love Echo" to raspberry, "Hello XO" to strawberry and "MVP" to blueberry, creating a subtle sensory thread across the record.

The members described the connection between scent and sound as an emotional trigger.

"When I smell something, I sometimes remember the music I listened to at that time, and when I hear certain songs, I can remember the scent of that period of my life," Minami said. "Both music and fragrance can bring memories back instantly, and I think that is their shared power."

K-pop girl group RESCENE / Courtesy of The Muse Entertainment

Among the two title tracks, "Bloom" carries a coming-of-age storyline about blossoming at one's own pace and moving toward moments that feel long overdue. With bright K-pop girl-group beats and a soaring climax, the track is designed to give listeners a push forward.

"'Bloom' feels like the wonder of life coming alive," May said. "It is that moment that happens when each person writes their own story in their own space, and suddenly everything starts to make sense."

Liv added that the song became a source of motivation throughout preparations for the comeback.

"We kept playing 'Bloom' in the car while traveling between events. Remembering the music-video shoot and all the content we filmed really gave us strength. We were counting down the days until we could finally let fans hear it."

K-pop girl group RESCENE's member Liv poses during a media showcase at Myunghwa Live Hall, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of The Muse Entertainment

Meanwhile, the prerelease track "Heart Drop," unveiled on Nov. 6, focuses on the sensation of gradually falling in love with its hypnotic melodies, and repeated English lines.

"It has that signature RESCENE dreamy vibe and an addictive sweetness, so we chose it as the prerelease track," Liv explained. "The response was so good that it made us even more excited for how listeners would react to 'Bloom.'"

The showcase also marked the group's first full press appearance since becoming the subject of unfounded abuse allegations in September.

During a livestream, a scream heard from outside the room where May was broadcasting led to speculation online that staff might be mistreating the members. May later clarified through a fan platform that the group maintains an equal working relationship with the company. The label, The Muse Entertainment, additionally warned of legal action against the spread of false information.

K-pop girl group RESCENE / Courtesy of The Muse Entertainment

When asked about the situation, the members responded with humor rather than discomfort.

"It was something we could have just laughed off, so we never imagined it would become this big," Woni said. "Even after the explanation went out, it spread farther than we expected. No one needs to worry. We are happy."

With "lip bomb," RESCENE sharpens the sensory-driven storytelling that has shaped its early work, leaning further into a concept that blurs scent, mood and sound.

"We hope this album stays with people in the routines of everyday life," Woni said. "It has its own energy, and if it lifts someone the way it lifted us, that would mean a lot."