In the summer of 2023, "Cupid" by FIFTY FIFTY was everywhere — a sugary, lovestruck anthem that catapulted four rookie idols into the global spotlight. The song, about swearing off love while secretly hoping it might still find you, struck a nerve on TikTok, soundtracking over five million videos and steadily climbing to No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, an unprecedented feat for K-pop newcomers.
But behind the song's viral success, the members of FIFTY FIFTY were caught in a very different story: one marked by exhaustion, legal disputes, and what they describe as a painful unraveling of trust. More than a year later, Aran, Sio, and Saena — three out of four original FIFTY FIFTY members — sit together again, not as the girl group with a runaway hit, but as ablume, forging a new path and finally telling their story on their own terms.
On a recent morning, Aran, Sio, and Saena appear together on Zoom, calling in from their new company’s headquarters in Seoul. Dressing in soft shades of white is a deliberate choice, they explain, to symbolize a fresh start. They sit close, and their body language is easy and familiar. Though Teen Vogue is speaking to them from New York, the connection feels intimate. They finish one another's sentences, pause to reflect, and choose their words with care, often while holding hands. This is their first time speaking at length to an outlet in the U.S. about everything they’ve experienced and everything they’re building now.
"This is like our new beginning," Sio says. "We’ve gone through some really rough and difficult times, but we’re back together again. The fact that we're able to make music again is just so exciting, but it’s also a little nerve-racking. Still, we’re looking forward to what’s next."
As they explain the significance of their new name, ablume, it becomes clear that this moment isn’t just about moving forward.
"We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time," Aran says. "I know that a second chance is something precious, so I’m truly grateful for everything I’m experiencing right now. Of course, it’s been hard. There were times I felt afraid because of all the challenges we faced. But we’re in this together, and we’ve turned those fears into overwhelming happiness. Through our music, we want to show people that we’ve overcome it and that they can overcome their struggles, too."
Those challenges came to a head in the summer of 2023. In the wake of “Cupid”’s ascent, Aran, Sio, and Saena were caught in a whirlwind of legal turmoil, as tensions with their management company, ATTRAKT, escalated. The members of FIFTY FIFTY alleged a lack of transparency around their contracts and poor working conditions. Behind the scenes, the members say they were quietly struggling. In June, the group filed an application for a provisional injunction to suspend their exclusive contracts, citing what they described as the company’s failure to provide accounting records and to safeguard their physical and mental well-being. The legal battle that followed was both painful and public, playing out in headlines as fans watched anxiously. Seoul Central District Court rejected their application for contract suspension. After months of back-and-forth court filings and appeals, the agency terminated their contracts in October. (Teen Vogue has reached out to ATTRAKT for comment.)
Because the legal proceedings are ongoing, they can’t speak in much detail about the fallout with their previous agency. Yet, Saena says the key issue was a "lack of communication and trust," adding, "We felt that we weren't able to do music, and after careful consideration, we made the decision [to file the injunction] because of those issues. It was hard, but we knew the consequences, and we had no other choice."
But before they could bloom into something new, each of them had to survive the fallout of everything they’d lost. The sudden halt to their activities, just as "Cupid" was reaching its peak, left a void, both professionally and personally. Without music, without a clear path forward, the days blurred together. They were no longer idols moving at breakneck speed; they were young women in their late teens and early twenties trying to make sense of what had happened.
"I felt like I lost my voice," Aran says quietly. "I put everything down. I just stayed in my room, sleeping and eating. That was my routine, nothing else. I didn’t want to, but I had to step away from music for a moment." She pauses, then adds, with conviction: "Now, being able to sing and dance again, I feel alive. This is what I’ve wanted my whole life."
For Saena, the juxtaposition of success and struggle was especially disorienting. "I was so grateful and proud that 'Cupid' received so much love from fans around the world,” she says. "But at the same time, I was going through my own mental struggles." After everything came crashing down, she focused on healing through music, hobbies, and eventually, therapy. "Professional help gave me so much positive energy," she says. "If there’s anyone out there going through something similar, I hope they’re not afraid to seek help. It really made a difference for me."
The emotional toll wasn’t just internal. Online, speculation ran rampant. Rumors swirled. Comment sections turned cruel. For young artists who had only just begun their careers, the sudden shift from global adoration to vitriolic backlash was dizzying.
"To be honest, it was really, really challenging,” Saena says, holding Aran's hand. "People saw us in such a negative light. We were overwhelmed — sad, anxious, surprised, confused. It felt like an emotional roller coaster.” She describes the sting of seeing distorted headlines and reading comment after comment painting them as villains in a story they barely recognized. "There was this narrative that we had certain intentions, but it was exaggerated. It felt like we were being gaslit by the media."
They didn’t have a handbook for navigating such scrutiny, just each other. "We didn’t know what to do," Saena continues. "So we got together and talked a lot. We kept coming back to one thing: We want to do music. That’s something we can’t give up. That’s what motivated us to keep going."
In that period of uncertainty, each of them turned to different forms of healing. For Sio, it meant leaning into creativity. "I have so many hobbies these days,” she says with a small smile. "Knitting, playing the guitar, drawing, writing…" The list is long and deliberate. Creating with her hands became a quiet act of reclaiming joy.
Saena, too, found structure and meaning in small routines. "Music helped me. Talking with the members helped me. But I also wanted to do something more productive," she says. So she started working out. She took up Pilates, went to the gym, and even tried Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She also picked up a few part-time jobs. "I wanted to help my parents a little, earn my own allowance, feel like I was doing something for myself." She worked at a juice cafe, served in a Japanese restaurant, cooked at another, and even ran the register. "It was a lot of fun, actually. I got to experience life in a different way."
For Aran, solace came in songwriting. Some days, she had enough energy to spend time with friends and family, relishing in long, quiet meals. But on days when the weight of everything was too much, she’d retreat to her room. "I just wrote songs," she says. "I played guitar, wrote lyrics in my notebook — so many lyrics." The songs, she says, are still raw, but she hopes to share them with fans one day. "They’re [my] real stories. And maybe people will relate to them. I hope I get that chance."
Still, there were moments when even their future in music felt fragile, as if the foundation they had built was crumbling beneath them. "In the beginning, there were doubts," Saena admits. "We were worried whether or not we’d be able to do music again. The environment we were in made it hard to be confident." But even amid confusion and fear, one thing never wavered: their passion. "We knew the truth. And after that realization, there was only one thing to do: just do music. Our love for music never changed. That was the one thing we were never confused about."
What carried them through, Saena says, was the unwavering support of their fans. "They could have been confused, too. But instead, they stayed with us. They were like a silver lining, a beam of light. That’s how we were able to endure, and now we want to return that love. We hope to become that same light for our fans, too."
Signing with their new agency, MASSIVE E&C, a subsidiary of IOK Company, in August 2024 marked a turning point for the trio, both personally and artistically. For the first time, they felt seen and heard by the team of people around them.
"I think free is a big point for us," Aran says, emphasizing the sense of liberation that came with the shift. "We finally feel free, especially when it comes to music. That freedom gave us confidence, and maybe the team sensed that. They started asking, 'What do you think of this?' or 'Can you try that?' They needed our thoughts. That communication, that relationship, is the biggest change we’ve experienced in this music journey."
Sio agrees. "The fact that we’re able to be more creatively involved, to actually use our voices, is the biggest difference. Now we’re in an environment without strict boundaries, where we can discuss music and share our ideas." For instance, as their musical collaboration deepens, Sio adds, "We’ve been feeling this positive pressure to push ourselves further, to be better in certain ways. Each of us brings a unique voice and tone, so we dive into the details — who sings the high, the mid, the low — and how we can bring variation to each part. When we get to the chorus, we come together and talk through the technicalities. But it’s not just about the details; it’s about enjoying the process." These days, she says, "Being able to have fun and collaborate creatively is what matters most to us now."
That creative freedom shows up not only in how they record songs but in the visual world they’ve helped construct. "We had a meeting with staff about the music video [for their debut single]," Saena recalls, "and we suggested including a rain scene, something to symbolize going through difficult storms, then blooming after." The scene made it into the final cut, along with choreography that mimics a flower unfurling. “It felt really special, especially because it ties back to the name ablume."
That sense of intention carries into the group's debut single, "Echo," which picks up where "Cupid" left off. (The songs share a producer, Ahn Sung-il.) It's similarly light, melodic, and deceptively simple, with bright instrumentation that lets Sio and Aran’s distinctive vocal tones shimmer. But while "Cupid" masked heartache with a sugarcoated hook, "Echo" feels more grounded: it’s a song about connection, resilience, and moving forward together, both as a group and with their fans. The result feels familiar but also refreshingly purposeful.
The track leans into an easy, road trip-ready atmosphere, with breezy harmonies and an undercurrent of quiet resolve. "We wanted to express our musical journey," Sio says, explaining that the song weaves in pieces of their own story. "It includes a lot of our personal messages." The lyrics, especially the lyric "wherever you go, I go," reflect the deep bond between the members and their listeners, echoing the loyalty and love that carried them through a year of upheaval.
"Our producer brought us ‘Echo,’ and the first time I listened to it, I thought, this is amazing," Aran says. "The lyrics hit me right away, especially the part about never being alone. That’s our story, between us and our fans. We’ll follow them anywhere, and we hope they’ll follow us too. That’s what we’re trying to express through our voices." It’s a message that feels hard-won and heartfelt, delivered not just in words but in the sincerity of their performance. "We tried to mix our thoughts and emotions into this song," Aran adds. "That’s what makes the quality high, that honesty."
Their second track, the pre-release ballad "Never Far Away," strikes a different chord, one that further showcases the duo’s vocal range and emotional depth. Where “Echo” is airy and optimistic, "Never Far Away" is gentle and introspective, revealing the quiet strength built through adversity.
"'Echo' emphasizes our excitement and anticipation for this new journey; it’s very positive and energetic,” Sio explains. "'Never Far Away,' though, is where we wanted to calmly blend in our emotions from those hard and challenging times. We wanted to show that contrast, but also the diversity of the styles we’re capable of."
Aran’s performance on the track is especially poignant, and, as revealed in their behind-the-scenes documentary series, deeply personal. "I cried in the recording booth,” she shares quietly. “It’s always been a challenge for me to record because I care so much. I give everything, but I always feel like it’s not enough. I want to reach higher, go beyond what I thought was possible. Every word, every breath, matters. Even in just a short lyric, there’s so much detail to get right, and that’s not easy."
She pauses, then adds, "But I didn’t want to give up. This feels like a second chance, and I want to sing more. That’s what drives me. That’s what makes me emotional. It’s hard, but it’s also why it means so much."
For Saena, the meaning of music has deepened as she’s grown. "In the past, I started music just because I liked it. It made me excited. I’d sing along, dance along, like a natural reaction from my body,” she says. “But now, it’s like a guide to me. When I’m standing at a crossroads or facing a big decision, music gives me direction. It holds me together. It gives me courage."
Aran echoes that sentiment. "When I was young, I just liked music. I liked singing, dancing, and listening to music. But now I realize I love music," she says. "Through the tough times, music was always by my side. Whether I was happy, sad, or exhausted, music was always there. It’s my first love.” She smiles before adding, "Music is a bridge between us and the people who listen [to us]. It helps us express emotions honestly and share something pure from deep inside."
Looking ahead, the members of ablume aren't just focused on this moment; they’re dreaming far beyond it. "We say this a lot," Sio says with a smile, "but we want to do music until we grow old and become grandmas." It’s a goal rooted not in ambition, but in love, for each other, for the craft, and for the fans who’ve stayed with them. "We started making music in our teens, and now we’re in our 20s. Each era brings new feelings, new thoughts. We want our music to reflect all the different parts of our lives." It’s a vision of longevity not defined by trends or success metrics, but by growth, storytelling, and connection. It's a dream that feels not just possible but deeply earned.
And as they continue to grow, they find inspiration everywhere, even in the simple, everyday moments they share. They live together again, spending hours in the living room, sitting on the couch, talking about everything from music to life. "We get super loud in a good way,” Sio laughs.
It's a beautiful thing to be loud when you have your voice again. It's even sweeter when you have the freedom to truly express it.
