A gift-like No. 1 single, "O-yeol": "The Risenne boom has arrived!" [★ FULL Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

'All Koreans are supporting Lissène!'

Did the 2024 group RESCENE (Won-i, Lee-beu, Minami, Mei, and Jenna) ever imagine they would become an idol group loved by all Koreans in two years? As RESCENE made a remarkable comeback in the first half of this year, the new agency The Muse Entertainment realized the "miracle of small-and-medium-sized idols."

In the first half of this year, a Japanese member named Minami inadvertently uttered "Geoje, Yaho~!" in Les' s own content, sparking a peculiarly addictive phenomenon that shook South Korea. The phrase has become undeniably one of the top contenders for "Catchphrase of 2026," and as a result, public interest in the group Les' s has surged explosively.

How did the unexpected combination of "Geoje" and "Yaho" come about? The fate of Lesnne changed after a video titled "Learning Japanese from a Former Gyaru" was uploaded on March 6 to Lee Won's personal YouTube channel, "Hello, I'm Won. Nice to Meet You," which is not even the official Lesnne channel. In this video, Minami, in her Japanese "gyaru mode," taught Won Japanese but ended up going off the rails; this skit received positive reactions for being funny, leading to a follow-up video titled "I Learned About Gyaru Etiquette" being released consecutively on March 20.

In this episode, when Minami transformed her entire appearance into a gyaru style, Won-i exclaimed, "If you go to Geoje looking like that now, the citizens of Geoje will scold you," expressing surprise. However, Minami cheerfully greeted them with "Geoje, Yaho~!" (Hello, Geoje!) without caring at all, which drew laughter and caused the content to spread by word of mouth.

Those who enjoyed the content naturally became interested in the members of Lesenn. The agency of "Gamdasal" (Gami da sarainneun), sensing the moment, sequentially released content showcasing each member's charm. Content featuring Won-i from Geoje and Jenna from Gyeongju speaking with their local dialects in Seongsu-dong, as well as content where Reeb and Maya formed a duo that worked quickly like "Pat and Mat," making them envious of Won-i and Minami, all achieved massive view counts. The YouTube channel "Hello, this is Won-i, nice to meet you" surpassed 1.3 million subscribers, and their videos average 4 to 5 million views. A video titled "Gyaru Correction Education" is approaching 10 million views.

Interest in Lissène has extended beyond their content to their main profession of singing. As the saying goes, opportunities come to those who are prepared; coincidentally, Lissène's existing songs hit the public's taste perfectly. Their title track "LOVE ATTACK" from the mini album 1st 'SCENEDROME' (ScenDrome), released in August 2024, reached number one on Melon's 'TOP100' as of the 8th. "LOVE ATTACK" also recorded a third-place position on Melon's daily chart. On FLO charts, it ranked third; on Genie Music's 'TOP 200', it reached fourth place in real-time and fifth place in daily rankings; and on Bugs, it climbed to fourth place in both daily and real-time charts.

Additionally, Le Sserafim's remake single "Pretty Girl," released on the 8th, immediately topped Melon's "HOT100" chart at number one and ranked fourth on "TOP100," second on Bugs' real-time chart, and eleventh on Genie Music's "TOP 200." On that day, Le Sserafim members held a gratitude live broadcast, shedding tears of joy.

In each of the members' hometowns — Geoje (Woni), Suwon (Levee), Gyeongju (Jena), and Goyang (May) — Risenne was appointed as a promotional ambassador, while major brands such as convenience store CU began selecting Risenne as their model.

Lisenne recently met with StarNews to discuss their unexpected surge in popularity just two years after debut, as well as their new song "Pretty Girl."

-Lysine has gained reverse popularity just two years after its debut. What are your thoughts?

▶May: I felt that we were receiving a response from the moment our songs charted on music sites.

▶ Won-i: We pledged a lot of promises. In fact, we did not expect such an event to occur and made enormous pledges, so I think the current responses we are receiving feel like a dream.

▶ Live: The company also told us that our chart rankings are gradually rising. We recently reached fourth place (as of the Melon daily chart on the 2nd, we were third), but we didn't expect to climb this high.

At what moment do you feel the popularity?

▶ Live: Nowadays, fans are commenting like a meme, saying, "Yes, we'll watch even this." It meant they had watched all the content in which we appeared and were mentioned.

▶ Won-i: The age range of people who recognize us is incredibly diverse, even to the point where elementary school students know us. I also liked the phrase "The Risenne boom is coming."

▶ Minami: I heard there were even fans in their 50s, like uncles.

▶May: I am proud to have become a promotional ambassador for the hometowns of the members, including this time in Goyang City.

As Lysanne's popularity soars, has the treatment of its members by their agency changed?

▶May: The CEO loves it very much. He checks the charts first and calls us first, saying, "Let's do even better."

▶ Live: The CEO said, "We must do well even more now." I will try to sleep well. (laughs)

▶ Won-i: It seems that taking good rest whenever possible is also important.

If there is a catchphrase to follow "Geoje Yaho" for Lisenne, what would it be?

▶Won-i: "I want to push forward 'Oishii~' and 'Are you giving me rice?' Fans have been writing these phrases in their content about eating."

▶Live: "You too? Me too!" (laughs)

▶May: "The grip feels great!"

▶Jena: "I think we can modify 'What is Close-up?' to 'What is ~?'. I hope 'Annyeonghasingyo' also becomes a catchphrase. (laughs)"

If you were to introduce the new song "Pretty Girl," what is the reason for remaking a track by senior group KARA at this point in time?

▶ Won-i: As we tried being gyaru, the song fit well and suited the era.

▶May: It is a song decided by the company. I had so much fun while preparing for it, and since this is my first time doing a remake, I feel both burdened and excited.

What was the goal of Pretty Girl's activities?

▶ Won-i: Many people still don't know about Les Enn, so I feel we need to spread the word even more. If I could have a dream come true, I would want to win first place on a music show this time!

▶May: We are known as a group with entertaining content, and on the contrary, we hope that many will come to see our stage through this activity.

-Minami recently said she wants to show her true self and decided to take a break from her gyaru character transformation, a move praised as a well-timed "decision to live with what you have."

▶ Minami: Many people seem to think of it as a "gal retirement," but that is a misunderstanding. While I am grateful that many recognize me for my gal character, I mentioned this because I wanted to show more of my true inner self rather than just the gal image. However, I was surprised when articles came out with the tone of "graduating from being a gal" or "no longer doing gal." If given the chance, I can do gal again.

If Rhyzenne had a descriptor or nickname she wanted to have in 2026, what would it be?

▶Wonyi: I want to become an idol raised by all citizens!

▶Jena: I was moved by a comment saying, "Everyone is pushing for Lesenn." We want to become the "daughter of the nation."

What are the new interests and hobbies that have emerged among the members these days?

▶ Won-i: I have been looking into interior design a lot lately. I am checking out rugs, plants, and other items.

▶Live: I am looking into many basic cosmetics.

▶ Minami: It's about listening to LPs. The representative installed an LP player in our dormitory and even provided each member with an LP suited to them, so listening to those records is what helps us relax.

▶May: I'm Jen's roommate, and I like spending time on the bed with the mood lights on.

▶Jena: Meirang and I originally shared a bunk bed, but recently we started using beds placed side by side.

What are Les Enfant's activity plans for the second half of 2026?

▶ Won-i: I cannot reveal everything right now, but various stages are being prepared.

What kind of singer do you want to grow into in the future?

▶ Minami: They are the seniors of BTS as a group.

▶ Won-i: Since his debut, he has kept hope and dreams alive while thinking of his seniors.

▶Live: He is also a role model in terms of his human side.

▶May: BTS is truly a senior group we deeply admire. We also hope to become role models for friends who are nurturing their dreams as singers.

At this point, what do you want to say to the fans, 'Remin'?

▶ Won-i: Thanks to our fans, I believe we were able to introduce Les Nereides to so many people in the public.

▶May: Whether in the past or now, it was possible for Lesen to exist because of Remin. We think we were able to grow beautifully because you praised and loved us in any form. Thank you always.

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*This content was translated by AI.