Oh My Girl hopes to be crowned Summer queen again with new EP

Oh My Girl is looking to continue its streak of summer hits. The girl group, with members Hyojung, Mimi, YooA, Seunghee, Arin and Yubin, dropped its new EP “Golden Hourglass” on Monday and personally introduced it during a showcase at the Yes24 ...

Oh My Girl performs its new lead track "Summer Comes" during Monday's showcase at the Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul’s Gwangjin District. [WM ENTERTAINMENT]

Oh My Girl is looking to continue its streak of summer hits.

The girl group, with members Hyojung, Mimi, YooA, Seunghee, Arin and Yubin, dropped its new EP “Golden Hourglass” on Monday and personally introduced it during a showcase at the Yes24 Live Hall in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, the same day.

“Releasing a new album always excites us,” Yubin said. “But especially so this time, because it’s our first music in a year and four months.”

“Summer queen” is a figurative crown that any and every female K-pop act aspires to win, as it is the most competitive season in the industry. Oh My Girl has long been associated with the moniker, due to its summer hits including its 2020 megahit “Nonstop” followed by “Dolphin” (2020) and “Dun Dun Dance” (2021). It aims to carry on the streak with the new lead track “Summer Comes,” a dance number evoking imagery of the ocean.

“The new EP’s title is a combination of the golden hour time and an hourglass,” Hyojung explained. “Once time goes by, like how sand falls in an hourglass, it doesn’t come back. We are here to seize that golden hour.”

Oh My Girl poses during Monday's showcase. [WM ENTERTAINMENT]

“Many people think of Oh My Girl when it comes to summer songs, but, interestingly, our songs have never directly mentioned summer,” Mimi said. “This time, it’s a direct ode to the summer season.”

Members talked about the challenges of performing “Summer Comes” due to how fast-paced its lyrics and dance routine are.

“Each beat is filled with so many lyrics, and the dance has to portray that energy too,” Seunghee said. “I tried to express my vocal parts with a lot of energy, as if my voice was really jumping over the waves.”

“I think it’s a track that perfectly suits Oh My Girl and the summer season,” YooA added. “Expressing the waves and seashells with our choreography really brings out that refreshing vibe.”

Although they've had over a year of hiatus as a group, members have been active with individual endeavors, ranging from solo music careers and TV entertainment shows to acting projects.

“Acting was a great new experience for me,” Arin said. “It was a meaningful project just in time for when I turned 25.”

Oh My Girl's concept photo for "Golden Hourglass" [WM ENTERTAINMENT]

“I’m thankful everyday for how our members are active in various fields,” Mimi said. “Whether I’m on stage or on entertainment shows, all those versions are me. I would be grateful if the audience loved all those versions of me, but what I can do is do my best in every situation given to me.”

The six members performed the stage premiere of “Summer Comes” and its fun, spooky music video — including seasoned extras from the Netflix zombie series “All of Us Are Dead” (2022).

“This is the first Oh My Girl music video to center around a plot,” Yubin said. “We had to act in many scenes involving action sequences too. Us members weren’t used to seeing each other act, so every time we made eye contact, we burst into laughter.”

“Overall, it’s what the public is used to seeing from Oh My Girl,” Hyojung said. “This time we're adding a twist to our unique color.”

Oh My Girl's concept photo for "Golden Hourglass" [WM ENTERTAINMENT]

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