cignature's new EP 'Sweetie but Saltie' explores the 'sweet' and 'salty' sides of love

The new EP "Sweetie but Saltie" is cignature's first new release in 10 months. It has a total of four tracks: lead track “Poongdung,” “Melody” and the Korean and English versions of “I like I like.”

Girl group cignature poses for the cameras at Shinhan Sol Pay Square in Mapo District, western Seoul. [J9 ENTERTAINMENT]

Relationships can be sweet, but they can be salty at other times. This is a notion worth thinking about on a hot summer night by the beach. Girl group cignature returns with its fifth EP, “Sweetie but Saltie,” which talks about the sweet lemonade of love against a salty and cool sea breeze.

“We are back in the summer, just like last year,” said group member Semi, in a press showcase for “Sweetie but Saltie,” on Monday at the Shinhan Sol Pay Square in Mapo District, western Seoul, ahead of the EP's 6 p.m. release.

The new EP — which is the girl group’s first new release in 10 months — has a total of four tracks: lead track “Poongdung,” “Melody” and the Korean and English versions of “I like I like.”

“We want to perform in as many summer concerts and festivals as possible,” said group member Jeewon. “Wherever there is water, we’ll try to be there.”

The girls are aiming to take over the summer, and this is evident from the music video of the album’s lead track “Poongdung.” The title of the track is a Korean onomatopoeia of the word “splash.” In line with this, the music video shows the group members near the ocean and boasts colorful imagery and cool aesthetics that blow the summer heat away.

Girl group cignature poses for the cameras at Shinhan Sol Pay Square in Mapo District, western Seoul. [J9 ENTERTAINMENT]

“We filmed the video for ‘Poongdung’ in Lisbon, Portugal,” said Jeewon. “The team lost all of our luggage during the layover in Dubai. We eventually got it all back, but it was really hard filming the video as a result. I hope people can recognize the hard effort we put in.”

At the release event, the girl group’s performance of “Poongdung” measured up to the music video. Wearing all-white tennis skirts, with graphics of waves in the background, the coolness emanated from the stage like a sip of lemonade on a hot summer’s day. The dance moves of the group worked well with the song’s chorus, with the group mimicking swimming and diving into the water as the chorus repeated the word “poongdung.”

The crispy charm of the song, “Poongdung,” does not solely rely on the visuals. The music of the track has a distinct, funky and feathery rhythm mixed with bouncy synthesizers and silky vintage piano. “We wanted to keep a cool, refreshing vibe with the song,” said group member Dohee.

Concept photo for girl group cignature's fifth EP ″Sweetie but Saltie.″ [J9 ENTERTAINMENT]

The album is not just about creating a cool aesthetic for the summer. The music focuses on the sweet and salty aspects of life and relationships, just like the title, “Sweetie but Saltie,” suggests.

The second song, “I like I like,” starts with a conversation where a girl consults her friends about whether she is in love. “The lyrics are so cute,” said Semi. “It will give you such a sugary feeling.” The description fits the sound as well, with smooth strings and acoustic guitars giving the track a tenderness that reminds the listener of teenage innocence.

“Melody” is a more serious song, with the girl group pondering its position in the music industry, and whether its passion for music will be received well. The salty tears that well up as the truthfulness seeps through the sentimental chord variations and passionate vocals strike a nice balance with the other sweet summer songs on the EP.

Concept photo for girl group cignature's fifth EP ″Sweetie but Saltie.″ [J9 ENTERTAINMENT]

cignature is a seven-member girl group, consisting of members Chaesol, Jeewon, Seline, Chloe, Belle, Semi and Dohee. The group debuted in February 2020 with the single “Nun Nu Nan Na.”

Member Belle joined SBS's girl group audition program "Universe Ticket" (2023), under her real name Jin Hyun-ju. She ranked No. 6 on the show, debuting as a member of project girl group UNIS on March 27 with its EP "We Unis." cignature has been performing as a group of six since the release of "Us in the Summer" in Belle’s absence.

To find out more about cignature, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]