Beneath the hazy blend of nostalgic and modern sounds of Hearts2Hearts’ music, there’s an undeniable desire. After all, this is a group who want to go against the grain, imbue the hyper-commercial with a touch of whimsy, and live up to their legacy as the latest in a long line of iconic female acts from K-pop giant SM Entertainment.
Hearts2Hearts on The Cover of NME. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
The eight-member girl group – comprising Jiwoo, Carmen, Yuha, Stella, Juun, A-na, Ian and Ye-on, whose ages range from 16 to 20 – were first introduced to the world through the 2025 synthwave bash ‘The Chase’. Co-written by British R&B trio FLO and K-pop super-producer Kenzie, the track, inspired by ‘Alice In Wonderland’, bypassed debut trends in favour of an elegant sonic direction that showcased their vocal prowess while also retaining a Gen Z playfulness. Appealing to the general public while balancing the expectations of a growing fanbase is not for the weak, but Hearts2Hearts aren’t fazed by the task.
Whether it’s performing on stage or guffawing on vlogs, the girl group exude authenticity, dynamism and, above all, charisma. It’s those qualities that have helped the octet land on this year’s NME 100 list of essential emerging artists, as well as win multiple Best New Artist trophies across Asia, including at the Melon Music Awards and MAMA Awards. “Before we actually started, we always dreamed about what would happen if we could actually [get these awards],” A-na tells NME over a video call from SM’s offices in Seoul, her bandmates sitting beside her.
Jiwoo of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by FANCY CLUB, bottoms by SANDY LIANG and the stylist’s own shoes. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
“[Success] has been a big driver pushing us forward, but the biggest motivation and what keeps us going is the connection that we have as a group,” Yuha states. That camaraderie shows throughout our interview, when the eight members glance at one another, finish each other’s sentences or share an extra titbit. “The last year has been very critical in understanding each other,” Ian shares. “Even if we don’t say it out loud, we know if another person is not feeling well.”
Carmen of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by Stand Alone, bottoms by SANDY LIANG and the stylist’s own shoes. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
Despite the bright lights and packed schedules of K-pop stardom, the girls live together in dorms, where they go out of their way to carve out normal lives for themselves. “We meet up after schedules, put on a movie, and get our favourite snacks and food,” Stella giddily shares. “We’ll have time where we all just talk to each other,” she adds, smiling at her fellow members as if looking for approval to spill a secret. “That time is really special to us.”
“Even before debut, we were very close, but now we’re at a stage where we cannot think of ourselves without each other within this group,” Ian adds. Ye-on notes that being a group of eight is key to Hearts2Hearts’ identity: “It gives us so many possibilities when it comes to performances, whether that’s formations, storytelling, or the way we interact with each other on stage.”
Yuha of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by RALPH LAUREN, bottoms by SANDY LIANG and the stylist’s own shoes. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
The timing of Hearts2Hearts’ debut couldn’t have aligned better. After years of training, they burst into an exciting landscape where girl groups are dominating global conversations – a feat that doesn’t escape them. Group leader Jiwoo admits that having both their seniors and peers actively pushing boundaries has provided a “strong backdrop” and even a “growth opportunity” for their progress. “I do think that that provided a lot of variety in terms of what we could express,” she adds. “We feel very thankful and very grateful that we are able to be active in such a positive environment.”
Inside their own camp, the influences run even deeper. Hearts2Hearts know they are the newest link in a long chain of iconic female acts coming from SM Entertainment. From BoA, the queen of K-pop herself, to girl group megastars Girls’ Generation, whom many are already starting to compare Hearts2Hearts to, the SM crown is a heavy one to wear. But the young stars are down for the challenge, treating their predecessors’ stories as a source of motivation.
Stella of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by CHOCHOU, bottoms by SANDY LIANG and the stylist’s own shoes. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
“Since our trainee days, we’ve really been inspired by Girls’ Generation sunbaenim [a Korean honorific for a senior],” Stella explains. Hearts2Hearts, who have previously name-checked their seniors as role models, used to practice the legendary K-pop group’s discography while dreaming up their own stages – and have even since taken their covers on the road with renditions of hits such as ‘Gee’ and ‘Genie’. Suffice to say, the comparisons feel golden. “We feel really honoured,” Stella adds, “and only hope to live up to the legacy that they’ve left us.”
“The biggest motivation and what keeps us going is the connection that we have as a group” – Yuha
We all know that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Hearts2Hearts took that to heart (pun intended) when filming the music video for their latest single, ‘Lemon Tang’. For the first time, the group jetted to Japan to film – but things didn’t go as planned. “The weather was really [erratic], it rained, and then it was sunny, and then it was windy, and then it was rainy again,” Stella recounts amid laughs. “We had a hard time filming that! We used lights to pretend it was really sunny, but it was raining in the background.” It might seem like basic resilience, but the anecdote exemplifies the spirit of their new release: no problem is big enough if they tackle it together.
Juun of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by TOMMY HILFIGER, bottoms by SANDY LIANG, a cap by Porter Classic and shoes by Kimhekim. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
“We want to be able to position ourselves very well as a group within this industry. We want to differentiate ourselves,” Jiwoo declares. One of the ways they already plan to do that, Stella clarifies, is by trying “more genres and concepts and sounds”. The group make their foray into dance-pop territory today with ‘Lemon Tang’, which Jiwoo describes as a “stress reliever”. A bubbly bop with a zesty and youthful core, it follows in the footsteps of summer hits of K-pop past, like Red Velvet’s seminal ‘Red Flavor’.
A-na of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by Christian Dior, bottoms by SANDY LIANG and the stylist’s own shoes. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
The young girl group are already no strangers to summer hits. Last year, Hearts2Hearts captured airwaves with ‘Style’, a self-assured bubblegum-pop crush-confession anthem that solidified their status as ones to watch and secured a spot on NME’s best K-pop songs of 2025. “The best summer songs are the ones that instantly put you in a good mood. They give you energy, but they can also feel comforting at the same time,” Carmen explains. “We wanted to take those elements and make them feel like Hearts2Hearts.”
Ian of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by dimanche, bottoms by SANDY LIANG, a cap by TOMMY HILFIGER and shoes by CHARLES & KEITH. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
The rest of the new mini-album is just as energetic as the title track. Firmly rooted in pop with a retro flair, it experiments with hyper-pop, drum’n’bass, rock, rap, house and more. Rounding off the project is their February 2026 single ‘Rude!’, undoubtedly their biggest hit to date, with a sassy interlude narration by Stella that fully encapsulates their charm: cheeky and a little unpredictable (not to mention the perfect recipe for TikTok virality). The girl group are particularly proud that the song’s music video has surpassed 100million views on YouTube – a milestone that, when mentioned, garners claps and cheers from all the members.
Ye-on of Hearts2Hearts. She wears a top by maje, bottoms by SANDY LIANG and shoes by CHARLES & KEITH. Credit: Wonyoung Ki for NME
Among the many achievements Hearts2Hearts have amassed, there’s one they’re raring to check off: a real tour. Earlier this year, they got a small taste with their debut showcase trek ‘Hearts 2 House’, which featured performances in Seoul, New York, Los Angeles and Jakarta. It might have been only four shows, but the response from their fans was enough to leave them craving more. “The energy was absolutely insane everywhere,” Stella says, while Jiwoo adds that it is “one of the things that you continue to dream about.”
Hearts2Hearts have been jet-propelled to fame, and while they’re relishing the moment, they can’t help but look ahead. “We’re hoping that everyone enjoys the summer with us,” Stella says. But Hearts2Hearts are striving to “always improve or progress”, she adds. The group want to do more songwriting, while Juun is already testing the waters with her own choreography. “I learn a lot just by seeing and studying how the movements are put together,” she explains. “They’re just small experiments for now, but I think it’s a fun way to develop my creativity.”
Despite having big shoes to fill, Hearts2Hearts aren’t afraid to aim for the stars and hope to build a legacy of their own. ”Way back down the road, when we get where we want to be, I hope our songs trigger people to remember [specific moments in their lives],” Ian remarks. “Having that type of song is something that we’d really like.”
Hearts2Hearts’ mini-album ‘Lemon Tang’ is out today via SM Entertainment.
Listen to Hearts2Hearts’ exclusive playlist to accompany The Cover below on Spotify or on Apple Music here.
Words: Sara Delgado
Photography: Wonyoung Ki
Make-up: Suyeon Kim, Dayoung Choi
Hair: Aram Chun, Yookyung Lee
Styling: PUNKYSPIDER, Su Jeong Jang
Label: SM Entertainment
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