SM Entertainment rolled out debutants Hearts2Hearts on Monday, with the most members in a girl group from the K-pop agency since Girls’ Generation’s debut 15 years ago.

The eight-member band made its debut on Monday with its two-track single “The Chase,” containing the synth-pop title track, along with a slower, ballad-like B-side titled “Butterflies.”


Coming as the latest addition to a lineage of esteemed girl groups from SM Entertainment — S.E.S., Girls’ Generation, f(x), Red Velvet and aespa — Hearts2Hearts has taken the best of its predecessors, especially Girls’ Generation, f(x) and Red Velvet, and created a new and trendy, dream-like girl group that aims to become the "future of SM Entertainment," according to member Ian.

The eight new members are Ye-on, Stella, Yuha, Ian, A-na, Juun, Carmen and Jiwoo. Carmen is from Indonesia, while the rest of the members are Korean.

“We’re so happy to make our debut, but we’re especially happier to do so in a very meaningful year for SM Entertainment,” the member told reporters during a showcase held Monday at the Yes24 Live Hall music venue in eastern Seoul.

“We received so much support from the staff and the senior artists, which we are all so grateful for. We’ll take all the energy and become the future of SM Entertainment through good music.”

This year marks the 30th year since the establishment of SM Entertainment, the oldest K-pop agency founded in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. The girl group is the agency’s first new rookie to debut in a year since NCT Wish, which debuted last year, and the first new girl group in five years since aespa.

“Our role model is Girls’ Generation,” Jiwoo said. “Just as each member of Girls’ Generation has distinct and unique charms, they also create great synergy when they’re all together. We also want to become a group that shows off our own charms and synergy together.”

“We want to be called the best rookie of 2025,” Ye-on said. “We’ll try to make 2025 the year of Hearts2Hearts.”

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]