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| Member of K-pop girl band Ladies' Code talk during a press conference and song preview at the Riverside Hotel in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, Wednesday. From left are Sojung, Zuny and Ashley. / Yonhap |
By Kim Jae-heun
K-pop girl band Ladies' Code, of Polaris Entertainment, returned Wednesday as a three-member group after losing two members, EunB and RiSe, in a car accident in September 2014.
"It is still hard to acknowledge that they are not with us, and we had a hard time deciding whether we should return to the stage again," said member Ashley, during a press conference and song preview at the Riverside Hotel in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. "Many fans and acquaintances supported us and cheered for us to sing again."
It took three years for the idols to overcome the pain and release a new album, "Myst3ry," since their last album, "Kiss Kiss," in 2014. "Myst3ry" uses the number three instead of an "e" to signify the girl group trio, Ashley, Sojung and Zuny. The album teaser also used a triangle emblem to imply the group will be performing as three members.
Asked if there will be any new members, Zuny said firmly they have not thought about it.
The new album has three songs, with the title track "Galaxy," which refers to lost stars in space. The third track, "Chaconne," is a ballad played by violin and bandonion. Its lyrics reminisce about a lost one ― a mood typical of Korean ballads.
Director Jo Beom-jin and VM PROJECT, who made boy band EXO's "Love Me Right" music video, produced Ladies' Code's "Galaxy" music video. Choreographer Kim Hwa-young of girl groups Wonder Girls and Miss A created the dance moves.
Ladies' Code revealed the new music video on Wednesday and gave their first performance on MBC's television music show "Show Champion" the same day.
The members of Ladies' Code were popular before their debut as a girl band. RiSe participated in the Miss Korea 2009 contest and won the Korean Abroad Award. She also appeared in the talent show "Star Audition: The Great Birth," where she finished in the top 12. The pageant contestants then gained fame for appearing in the reality show "We Got Married" in 2011.
Sojung was among the top eight in the first season of music survival show "The Voice of Korea." Ashley was a popular YouTuber covering K-pop dance moves on her channel, "ashleych0i." EunB was the sister-in-law of SBS main news anchor Kim Sung-joon.
Ladies' Code debuted in March 2013 with mini-album "Code#01." The lead song, "Bad Girls," did well to reach No. 34 on the Gaon Digital chart, a national chart ranking Korea's best-selling songs.
The band's first digital single, "Hate You," was their first to reach the top 10 list on online music supplier Bugs Music's chart and other music charts. Ladies' Code won New Artist of the Year at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards in 2013.
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