You know it’s going to be a good lunch when your host opens by explaining the instructions for a drinking game called “line ’em up.” That’s how Billboard‘s Delisa Shannon began the latest episode of of Takes Us Out with K-pop girl group LE SSERFIM. The rules are simple: if the five members are brave enough to answer a question, the host takes a shot, if not, then they have to do a ginger shooter.
CHAEWON was up first with a query about her bandmates’ toxic traits. Smiling, she demurred, sweetly saying she couldn’t think of any as she downed the spicy shot as the women had a good hang with host Shannon at New York’s Jongro BBQ while discussing their dream collaborations, favorite deep cuts and most cherished fan interactions.
The women also shouted out the songs with their favorite lyrics, with KAZUHA tagging the lines about loving yourself in “Good Parts (when the quality is bad but I am)” as one of hers, with EUNCHAE picking “FEARNOT,” which was her lyric-writing debut on the groups debut studio LP, 2023’s UNFORGIVEN. “I think the song overall best captures what we want to say to our fans,” she explained.
KAZUHA also said “it’s always amazing” to hear the group’s overseas fans singing along to their anthems, even though they may not speak or even understand Korean. “Hearing everyone sing ‘Need Your Company’ together at our shows this time was really amazing too. It was a very meaningful moment,” she said.
YUNJIN agreed, saying the energy from crowds singing back to them is inspiring, especially on songs like “Need Your Company,” which is special to them because it covers the interpersonal relationships in the group. “To hear all the people in the audience sing along to that, it’s crazy because it’s not like a hit song, but it’s such a personal, meaningful one and they’re singing it back to us,” she explained of the song she co-wrote.
Asked about their favorite fan interactions, CHAEWON said the group love it when their audience dress up just like them. “They recreate our music video outfits or stage looks,” she said. “I don’t know where they find everything, but they look exactly like us. It’s so fun to see.” EUNCHAE also laughed about the time recently when a fan asked them to do a gender reveal, which she shared in the group chat after someone asked YUNJIN in a post-show meet-and-greet if she would help with the reveal. It was pink, by the way.
They also weighed in on their favorite deep cuts, with CHAEWON picking “The Great Mermaid,” a retelling of The Little Mermaid with an empowering spin from their 2022 debut mini album, FEARLESS. Though they provide a united front, when it came to how they spend their days off, there was a bit of a split, with CHAEWON saying she hardly ever goes out at night in Korea, but loves to explore new places on the road. EUNCHAE said her favorite places to go on tour are zoos and aquariums, as she manifested seeing a deer with big antlers, which she hasn’t spotted yet. For the record, YUNJIN invited her bandmate to her house up in Albany, N.Y., where she promised she can see plenty of deer.
During the lighting round, KAZUHA’s pick for a non K-pop cover was Lady Gaga’s “I’ll Never Love Again” from the soundtrack to A Star Is Born, while YUNJIN said her dream collaboration is hyperpop singer underscores, “even for just like a remix.” She also picked the PinkPantheress remix of “Crazy” as her favorite remix they’ve ever done. “We’re obsessed with her verse!” she said, adding that they are also obsessed with Zara Larsson’s “sun-like energy” on stage.
In one of the final shot challenges, SAKURA showed off the very first photo on her phone, which just happened to be from the shoot for the “Crazy” music video.
Watch LE SSERAFIM’s full Takes Us Out episode above.