FIFTY FIFTY is the latest girl group that has become a global sensation thanks to the caliber of their music. Their addictive melodies have taken over the hearts of many K-Pop fans with a sonically unique charm that is hard to replicate. Known for their angel voices and majestic rap skills, the group has been stealing hearts, almost as if they've been shooting fans with a literal Cupid's bow.

Consisting of the members SiO, Aran, SaeNa, and Keena, the group has established itself with its dreamy star quality.

FIFTY FIFTY are one of the hottest rookie groups out there today and on a steady rise to more and more success. They have even beaten some of the biggest streaming records in K-Pop so far.

Today, we'll take a look at these rookies and put them in the spotlight. Let's see what makes HUNNIES (their fandom) so proud of them.

 

FIFTY FIFTY 101: Everything You Need To Know

Basic Information About the Group

FIFTY FIFTY is a 4-member girl group under Attrakt that debuted on Nov. 18, 2022.

Their group name means 'fifty versus fifty' referring to the ratio 50:50 and the probability of 'ideal' and 'reality' respectively.

 

Meet the FIFTY FIFTY members

SaeNa

Birthday: March 12, 2004

Age: 19

Nationality: South Korean

Position: Leader, main dancer, lead rapper

SaeNa was chosen as a member of the group thanks to her stunning dance lines. The producer who discovered her felt like she had unlimited possiblities. SaeNa was also a contestant on the dance variety show "Dancing High" in 2018.

 

Keena

Birthday: July 9, 2002

Age: 20

Nationality: South Korean

Position: Main rapper, sub-vocal

Keena has a unique and quirky tone when it comes to rapping. She is also skilled when it comes to songwriting. She has writing credits for the title songs of each FIFTY FIFTY release so far, 'Higher' and 'Cupid'.

 

SiO

Birthday: October 6, 2004

Age: 18

Nationality: South Korean

Position: Main vocal, lead dancer

SiO has been known for her heavenly vocals that especially feel like the highlight in many parts of any given FIFTY FIFTY song.

 

Aran

Birthday: October 11, 2004

Age: 18

Nationality: South Korean

Position: Lead vocal, sub-rapper

Aran's unique vocal color can be best described as melodic and mature. She once shared that if she hadn't become an idol, she would've pursued voice acting.

 

💯🍯 HUNNIES: All About Their Fandom 🍯💯

FIFTY FIFTY's official fandom is called 'HUNNIES'. The fandom name is super clever as it is linked to the group's name.

'HUNNIES' comes from the word 'hundred'. This represents how 'fifty' (the artist) and 'fifty' (the fans) will come together to make a perfect 'hundred'. The name has a dual meaning and also comes from 'honey' (the term of endearment). Hence the official emojis are 💯 and 🍯.

Their fandom has grown exceptionally, especially because of the way that their debut roll-out strategy landed for many people. Contrary to groups that build up their debut through pre-debut exposure to the members (for example), FIFTY FIFTY debuted and let their music speak for itself. One fan mentioned how despite knowing nothing about the girls, they endeared themselves to the fan because of their performance skills. Their debut has been acknowledged by many fans as one of the best debuts in years, music-wise.

An industry official also added that FIFTY FIFTY didn't have any special projects before their debut or even any grand type of content. It was a case of popularity growth thanks to international listeners who simply enjoyed the music in itself.

 

Ideal vs. Reality: FIFTY FIFTY's Incredible Journey So Far 

Some fans were admittedly not expecting a lot from FIFTY FIFTY as they are from a small company and didn't have much visibility before debuting. However, after their debut, the pure quality of their music managed to capture the hearts of many who didn't see this group coming.

Their debut album sold 1,500+ copies in its first week of album sales. However, they have seen a steady increase in their general album sales since then. At the end of March, Circle Chart reported that their second album sold 14,069 copies in one particular week (from Mar. 19 - Mar. 25).

Additionally, their songs have gone viral on several platforms such as TikTok and Instagram thanks to their chart-topping nature.

'Cupid' debuted at number 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it their first-ever entry on the chart and making them the fastest K-Pop group ever to enter the chart. They peaked on the chart at the 60th rank in their fourth week. The song has been charting globally including in countries like the United Kingdom.

Many are shocked by some of these achievements coming from a small company's group. For instance, many were shocked by their Billboard achievement as, according to industry officials, it's considered an honor held mostly by artists from the big 4 entertainment companies including big names like BTS, TWICE, BLACKPINK, Wonder Girls, NewJeans, etc. To read more about the big 4 entertainment companies and what they entail, check out this article:

Attrakt's strategy for the group is set with a focus on the US. Agency officials admitted that they wanted to go in this direction but couldn't promote as well as they'd hoped due to a lack of funds.

In fact, their company CEO Jeon HongJoon, said in an interview that he didn't even think about reaching the Billboard chart. They didn't have a budget for global marketing costs. So, they went to local labels and asked them to listen to the song. They only really considered Spotify rankings. However, thanks to TikTok, 'Cupid' exploded in popularity.

This still left the question of the other production costs. It's well-known that a lot of money is invested in debuting idols. After their first album release, their CEO sold his car and had to eat cheap meals to cover the production costs. The recording was also done in an acquaintance's studio. The CEO also shared that although he was willing to be frugal about things like food and costume costs; one thing that he couldn't sacrifice was the music.

It's truly remarkable that FIFTY FIFTY has managed to achieve such feats so early into their career. With so much sacrifice and support behind them, there's no telling just how far they'll go. One thing's for sure, we're definitely excited to see them go 'high, high, high' (pun intended).

 

Diving Into Their Discography

FIFTY FIFTY is known for having a no-skip discography, although they've only had two album releases so far. Every single song that they've released has been well-received by not only their fans but also the general public. Each song bears a unique appeal.

 

"THE FIFTY" - Their debut EP

"THE FIFTY" is the group's debut EP with the title track 'Higher'. It was released on Nov. 18, 2022. The album has 3 other tracks on it. The tracks 'Lovin' Me' and 'Log In' were pre-released on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, respectively.

Check out a brief look into each of the songs from the album down below.

Note: The quotes that are bolded and in italics in this portion of the article are quotes from fans regarding the songs in question or FIFTY FIFTY in general.*

'Tell Me'

'Tell Me' is the kind of song that feels like going on holiday straight from the opening chords. The song feels like it should be playing in your earphones as you disembark from the plane after landing in a sunny holiday destination like Mauritius or Seychelles. Fittingly, the lyric video for the song features the members on a picnic basking under the sunlight.

The lyrics are also super sweet about falling for someone and wanting to explore their chemistry. It's a romantic song that meshes their refreshing energy with their mature vocals in the best way.

"This is easily the best debut of 2022. How is every single song so spectacular?" 

 

'Lovin' Me'

'Lovin' Me' shows another side of the group as artists. This song has a sense of longing brought on by their profound vocals and the emotion that they embed into each note. The lyrics are honest and portray a relatable message about self-love and self-appreciation, especially the complicated process that many might go through to get to that stage of self-assurance. The song is a city-pop-esque melody and message that so many people need to hear and will likely get comfort from. Many fans have even gone as far as labeling the song a masterpiece.

This is one of the songs that has made FIFTY FIFTY grab attention for having not only great title tracks but also equally beautiful B-Side tracks.

"This was their first song that I heard and I was so shocked by how high-quality the song was. It didn't seem like a typical K-Pop song. The vocals were very strong and the melody and the production were, too. I listened to their album and I'm rooting for them."

 

'Higher'

The song is reminiscent of 90s R&B and pop and boasts a memorable melody. It's a fun, cheerful, and easygoing song that has you reaching for the loop button to have it on repeat before you even notice what your fingers are doing.

"I can't believe that this is a debut song from a rookie group, much more from a new company! The production of the song and the music video is insane! They definitely deserve more attention and support." 

Of course, we can't praise 'Higher' without making a point to appreciate the live band version of the song, too. Take a look at FIFTY FIFTY's "it's Live" performance of the song here.

"I saw a clip of their live performance and I immediately had to listen to the whole song! They literally have such great songs from what I've listened to... excuse me as I descend into FIFTY FIFTY's black hole."

 

'Log In'

'Log In' is the song that solidified FIFTY FIFTY's versatility. With a completely different sound to their other tracks, the vibe of 'Log In' allowed the girls to not only show their talent but also show how wide their range is. Considering their main dreamy sound that can be found in their other music, this song was serving girl crush and strong vibes. The song especially showcases their dance and rap skills which you can see in the performance video above.

"This side of FIFTY FIFTY is so satisfying to watch. This makes me realize that this group can pull off both powerful and cute concepts."

 

"The Beginning: Cupid" - Their first single album

'Cupid'

"The Beginning: Cupid" is their second musical release and first single album. It was released on Feb. 24, 2023, with 'Cupid' as the title track.

If people weren't sure who FIFTY FIFTY are before, 'Cupid' is the song that has secured their identity in the minds of many. Nothing and nobody is perfect in this world, but 'Cupid' comes pretty damn close. From the concept and the visuals in the music video, to the vocals, rap, and melody of the actual song; this track is pretty difficult to fault.

It is a retro-styled song with refreshing synth and melodic piano as the base.

The group also released a 'Twin Version' and instrumental of the song on the album.

"FIFTY FIFY deserves to win the Rookie of the Year award and 'Cupid' should win Song of the Year. The impact is huge. It's the best 2023 K-Pop song. It deserves Song of the Year. Quality music should win! They are really the next big thing in K-Pop, or should I say the future of K-Pop!" 

FIFTY FIFTY has truly proven themselves to be monster rookies so far. We're looking forward to seeing more of what this group will do in the future.

What do you think of FIFTY FIFTY? Are you part of HUNNIES? If so, share something that you love about the group in the comment section to help new fans join the fandom!