LE SSERAFIM's Fearless Debut at the MTV VMAs: Embracing Individuality and Ballroom Culture

The members of LE SSERAFIM make their presence known before coming into view, their laughter floating across a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon. In a few hours, they'll hit the black carpet for their very first MTV VMAs (and take home their first Moon Person). Right now, however, the terrace exudes the feverish energy and hurried chaos of their latest single, "Crazy": staff members and security dart around as Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae finish filming a quick video on the other side of the roof.

Unleashing Their Vibrant Energy on the Global Stage

Conquering the VMAs with Electrifying Performances

The members of LE SSERAFIM were buzzing with excitement after their VMA pre-show performance, taped in front of a live audience at the UBS Arena the day before. "It was so fun," Yunjin says. "The FEARNOTS [LE SSERAFIM's fandom] were amazing with all their energy, and the fan chants were out of this world." The group performed the soon-to-be club classic "Crazy" and its rowdy B-side, "1-800-hot-n-fun," two dancefloor detonators from their most recent EP, Crazy. They had been promoting these tracks on music shows in South Korea for the past week, and Yunjin says, "Through each performance, we had the VMAs in mind."The hard work paid off with an electrifying performance of "1-800-hot-n-fun" and a high-energy rendition of "Crazy," during which fans erupted into a spirited chorus of "all the girls are girling" in full force. If there were any nerves, the crowd's enthusiasm put them at ease. "I realized that there are so many people far from our home country of Korea who are supporting and encouraging us," Kazuha says. "So having that experience and feeling that first-hand was really great. It took the pressure off."

Embracing Individuality and Ballroom Culture

LE SSERAFIM are all too aware of the pressure of stepping out onto the world stage. In April, they made their buzzy Coachella debut, turning up the heat in the Indio desert for one of their first performances in the U.S. They learned a lot from that experience, but none more essential than the importance of having fun. "We've all worked on trying to enjoy our performances more and really be in the moment," Yunjin says. "I remember at [our] debut [as a group] we were really hard on ourselves about all the details of our choreo… Now we try to have an element of fun. There's a lot of parts in this choreo where we look at each other and laugh. We're genuinely having fun."This sense of freedom is embodied in their latest single, "Crazy." It's a liberating song, both in its sound and message, encouraging listeners to break free from expectations and embrace their individuality. (And it's already impacting the charts; the track debuted at No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100, a new peak for the group.)"Our album [Crazy] is about, 'Let's just all go crazy and do what we love and not care about what people think,'" Yunjin explains. "It's really bold and energetic. That's the kind of energy that we wanted to show our audience with this [VMAs] performance."The group's performance director, Soyeon Park, was inspired by the house beat of "Crazy," which immediately evoked voguing, a style of dance that emerged from Black and Latinx queer communities and is about self-expression, confidence, and unfiltered creativity. "Since ballroom culture is still relatively unfamiliar in Korea, it's meaningful that we can introduce diverse dance styles and cultures to a wider audience," Park adds.For the music video shoot, they enlisted performers from the Iconic House of Juicy Couture, a kiki house from New York City, to pay homage to the balls. "I felt like it made sense to know and appreciate the culture that this music came from," Yunjin says. "So we had the lovely opportunity to work with The House of Juicy Couture…and it was so amazing learning from them and watching them perform and be part of this."

Embracing New Challenges and Showcasing Individual Strengths

The members of LE SSERAFIM approached their VMAs rehearsals with the goal of enjoying themselves and being authentic on stage, despite the limited time they had to prepare. "While it was overwhelming and a little nerve-racking, the fun and excitement during preparation outweighed the pressure," Park explains.As some of K-pop's boldest performers, LE SSERAFIM possess a dynamic blend of intensity and eleganza, with razor-sharp choreography and a powerful stage presence. Yet, the true joy of their performances lies in how their personalities and individual strengths seep through—whether it's Kazuha's ballerina-trained gracefulness, Yunjin's sass, or youngest member Eunchae's playful charm. "I try not to be confined to a specific genre," Eunchae says, preferring to be challenged by diverse styles. "I just try to be myself. That's how I put my own style into our performances.""K-pop definitely has a unique color and culture distinct to its artists," Park says. "However, I always hope for LE SSERAFIM to transcend the boundaries of being K-pop artists and express themselves freely through music and dance. The members are willing to experiment with different styles of dance every time, and their openness to new ideas allowed us to find a good balance when incorporating aspects of ballroom culture into their work."As the members of LE SSERAFIM wait for the elevators to whisk them down to the lobby and the black vehicles idling out front, Yunjin shoves an imaginary microphone in Sakura's face, asking, "Who are you most excited to see tonight?" The light-hearted moment is a glimpse of the energy they'll bring to their first VMAs red carpet. The view from the rooftop adds a fitting touch to their excitement. Just a short distance away, the Empire State Building will soon glow with LE SSERAFIM's signature "fearless blue" (a.k.a. Pantone 7453C), casting the city in their vibrant aura, which Yunjin aptly sums up with a smile: "Hot, fun, and crazy!"