Concept photo for K-pop girl group H1-KEY's extended play 'Love or Hate.' Photos courtesy of GLGMANILA — More than a year after releasing their hit “Rose Blossom,” the members of K-pop girl group H1-KEY are focused on evolving as artists rather than feeling pressured to replicate the success of their breakthrough track.

“Rather than feeling pressured to match the success of ‘Rose Blossom,’ we’re just very grateful for all the love it has received. It even gave us the nickname ‘Rose Group,’” Seoi, the four-piece act’s leader, said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Released in January 2023 as the title track of their first extended play (EP), “Rose Blossom” reportedly achieved considerable success in Korean music charts, allowing H1-KEY to stand out in the highly competitive and crowded K-pop scene.

With lyrics from YoungK of rock band Day6, the emotive midtempo carries a message of confidence, with empowering lines like, “I'm a rose among the concrete / Until this bleak city becomes filled with color.”

In the months since “Rose Blossom,” H1-KEY — also consisting of Riina, Hwiseo and Yel — have dropped the EP “Seoul Dreaming” and singles under the H1-KEYnote project.

“Instead of feeling pressure, I’d say we want to show a different side of ourselves while maintaining H1-KEY’s unique color and introducing new songs. We are working hard on that,” Seoi added.

H1-KEY’s latest effort is their third EP “Love or Hate,” released earlier this month. Consisting of four tracks, the package aims to show the group’s bolder, more rebellious side, especially with the gritty pop-rock single “Let It Burn.”

“Our latest [EP] brings a slightly rebellious and bold image, diverging from the positive and healing lyrics that H1-KEY has been known for,” said Riina.

“We fully embraced the genre of rock punk, so you will be able to see us perform a strong concept,” she said.

The rest of our Q&A with H1-KEY:

This album’s ('Love or Hate') concept and the single’s lyrics talk about 'living life with passion and intensity' and 'embracing intense emotions.' How are these ideas reflected in the members’ personalities or attitudes?

Hwiseo: I thought the idea of living with passion and intensity reflects our own lives. The preparation process for a comeback or any stage performance for a show or event requires more than just a little passion to achieve most things. We are always filled with a drive to do better. This mindset seems to have become a part of our team’s daily life

Yel: I believe this album captures passion and intensity well, but it also embodies honesty and the idea of not being swayed by others’ words. It conveys a strong message of pushing forward with the goals and decisions we’ve set for ourselves. I think this album reflects the personalities of each member of our team well.

In this mini album, you collaborated once more with Hong Ji-sang, who wrote some of your previous singles. Do you think it is vital for musicians to have consistent collaborators?

Seoi: We collaborated with Hong Ji-sang on several of our projects, including “Rose Blossom,” “Seoul Dreaming,” and “Deeper.” I believe he has had a significant impact on shaping H1-KEY’s identity. Band sound suits H1-KEY very well and Hong Ji-sang has composed that type of songs for us. I think our synergy is evident in the songs he’s created for us. I also think that having a producer with whom we can continuously collaborate is a great honor for any artist.

The choreography for the title track 'Let It Burn' was primarily created by Lia Kim. What was it like working with her?

Riina: We had an opportunity to work with Lia Kim, which I think is a dream for a lot of K-pop artists. It was an honor for H1-KEY to collaborate on such an amazing project with her. During our lessons, I remember watching her move and there was something about the way she executed the moves that was so much cooler and exciting that we were clapping and having a lot of fun practicing.

The members wrote the lyrics for the song  '♥ Letter.' Which lines are you proud of most crafting or which one stands out as your favorite?

Hwiseo: Rather than mentioning a line that makes me proud, a phrase that instantly comes to mind is “I’ve grown so tall.” This part stands out to me not only because we are known for being tall, but also because the idea of growing taller signifies growth, improvement. So, I really liked that line because it can be interpreted as referring to H1-KEY's growth.

Seoi: Our youngest member, Yel, has actually grown even taller since I first met her [laughs]. I witnessed her growth, literally.

More than a year has passed since 'Rose Blossom' was released. What significance does the song hold for you, both personally and professionally?

Yel:  A lot of people still love “Rose Blossom” so much and I’ve even heard people sing along when we sing even just one line from the song. It’s a very meaningful song for us that makes us proud. We’ll work hard to ensure that “Let It Burn” receives just as much love as “Rose Blossom.”

Having debuted in January 2022, do you believe the group has developed a distinctive signature style or sound? How has the group’s musical identity evolved since its debut?

Riina: H1-KEY debuted with a track called “Athletic Girl” and a different concept, but then with “Rose Blossom” we found a concept that suited H1-KEY better and allowed us to expand on the stories we wanted to tell.

Although both “Athletic Girl” and [our second single] “Run” talked about inner and outer beauty, “Rose Blossom” provided an opportunity to expand on that theme. The identity of H1-KEY's music began with beauty and broadened to include values like belief, courage, and hope.

Please send your Filipino fans a message.

Yel: M1-KEYs from the Philippines, did you enjoy our interview? It's been a while since H1-KEY made a comeback with dance music. I hope M1-KEYs love it very very much. We want to meet you all very badly in the Philippines!

Riina: Please continue to love H1-KEY and I hope to meet you all very soon.

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