New girl group ADYA has a special pep in its step

Self-producing K-pop stars have been a trend for some time, in terms of idol groups' music and lyrics. But what if the members produced their own choreography? Girl group ADYA debuted on Tuesday with single, “Per,” coming from the agency Starting ...

Girl group ADYA debuted on Tuesday. The five members Yeonsu, Seowon, Sena, Seungchae and Chaeeun are capable of creating their own choreography. [STARTING HOUSE]

Self-producing K-pop stars have been a trend for some time, in terms of idol groups' music and lyrics. But what if the members produced their own choreography?

Girl group ADYA debuted on Tuesday with single, “Per,” coming from the agency Starting House that mainly manages dancers. The five young members, who have been passionate dancers since their childhood, are capable of professionally creating their entire dance routines.

Shortly before their debut, ADYA members Yeonsu, Seowon, Sena, Seungchae and Chaeeun sat down for an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at its office in western Seoul.

ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

Pronounced ey-dee-ya, the group’s name is a combination of “adventure” and “ya,” a Spanish word indicating that something has started.

“It means we are embarking on an adventure full of confidence,” Seowon said.

In the competition-heavy scene of fourth-generation K-pop groups, ADYA’s confidence stems from the fact that each member is a master in distinct dance genres. Seungchae goes for a mixture of hip-hop dance and heel choreo, a dance genre performed in high heels, while Yeonsu gives her own “cute and feminine twist” to heel choreo. Chaeeun specializes in girlish and heel choreo and recently started delving into hip-hop. Sena is a skilled popping and hip-hop dancer although she is “confident in all genres,” and Seowon says “[I can] adapt myself to any genre, suiting myself to the atmosphere of the song and show my many different charms.”

Seowon of ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

Such dance terms and genres may once have sounded unfamiliar to the Korean public — that is before the success of Mnet’s dance competition show “Street Woman Fighter” (2021). The program heightened awareness and appreciation for dancers who usually worked behind the scenes to create choreography that make idol groups so popular.

Mainly composers and lyricists received attention before the show gained popularity, but now the public has been shown that the world of choreography is just as professional and crucial for the K-pop scene. Reflecting this change, dance is the center of ADYA’s identity.

Sena of ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

“Our [dance] performances are what we’re most proud of,” Sena said, “since all five of us can create our own choreography and contribute with different genres. We all entered this agency with dance as our strongest talent, so we’re glad that we’re designed as a performance-heavy group. Some people might think we focus more on dancing so our vocals will be weak, but we’re strong in that regard too!”

“During our trainee days, we learned many different genres of dance,” Yeonsu said. “Popping, heel choreo, barefoot dancing, girls hip-hop and even lesser-known genres. We hope we get a chance to show all of them on stage, weaving them into our choreography.”

The title of ADYA's debut song, “Per,” is an abbreviation of “perfect,” indicating the group’s confidence stepping into the industry.

Chaeeun of ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

“It’s a catchy trap number with an addictive melody, perfect for a social media challenge,” Chaeeun said, “and the five of us created the dance routine for the intro, outro and highlight moves. We wanted to convey the powerful energy of young kids today.”

With the oldest member Yeonsu being 20 and the youngest Seungchae being 16, members say they want to represent “kids these days, just as they are.” Everyday scenes in their dormitory are just what you would expect from a group of teenagers, members laughed.

“Yeonsu and I share the same room; We are so different that we’re always disagreeing but get along together anyway,” Seungchae said. “For example, Yeonsu always asks me ‘When are you planning to sleep,' and I’m so confused, because who plans that? Other members say we must’ve been a married couple in our past lives.”

Seungchae of ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

Even from a month before ADYA’s official debut, the girl group saw Korean and international fans flock to its fan café online. Fans have been leaving messages and sharing their everyday lives with members on the platform, through which members have been gaining strength.

“Fans write so many details to us, like ‘I got a driver’s license,’ or ‘I went to Disneyland today,’” Seowon said. “I’m touched that they feel close to us. This relationship between artists and fans is so special. We thank them for sending us love, especially when they’re on the other side of the world and have to put in extra effort to understand Korean."

Yeonsu of ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

“I want fans to know we read every single one of their fan café posts,” Sena added. “After coming back from practice, we always log on to see their heartwarming words of support. I hope ADYA can give that energy back too.”

“As a team, we talk to each other a lot, and there’s something we always say: Let’s never forget where we started from,” Yeonsu said. “Even years after our debut, we will perform like it’s our very first day.”

Girl group ADYA [STARTING HOUSE]

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]