REALITY TV
TV
MOVIES
MUSIC
CELEBRITY
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Accuracy & Fairness Corrections & Clarifications Ethics Code Your Ad Choices
© MEAWW All rights reserved
MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / MUSIC

'Do Not Forget': flor_us returns with refreshing charm, blending K-pop and indie music with social awareness

The group tackles everything from bullying and mental health in their music to extending their support to LGBTQIA++ communities and taking part in social work
PUBLISHED SEP 8, 2020
flor_us (YEOM Entertainment)
flor_us (YEOM Entertainment)

South Korean girl group flor_us makes their return with the single 'Do Not Forget'. Known for addressing social issues through their music — a rarity in the usually-cheerful fantasy world of K-pop — flor_us have earned themselves a loyal following. But in addition to some interesting thematic elements, this group is also noteworthy for featuring some stunning vocals and dancing, in addition to blending elements of Korean indie music, Western pop and ballads into their sound and style.

flor_us is a girl group under YEOM Entertainment consisting of four members: Kim Jin-hyeon, Jung Ji-song, Lee Soo-hyeon (who goes by Suhwa) and Jin Hye-jeong. They kicked their career off with a pre-debut single titled 'Because of You', released in 2018, and later debuted officially with the mini-album 'flor_u[s]chool' later that year. They soon drew in an audience after listeners noted the group's propensity to lean into social messages through their music.

The South Korean music industry is no stranger to tackling serious issues. But when it comes to K-pop, much of the mainstream music tends to focus more on themes of romance and youth. Some groups, such as BTS — who flor_us look up to and consider themselves fans of — are known to color outside the lines, taking on topics like mental health, philosophy, existentialism and more.

Others like KARD have shifted towards directly addressing the pressure of fame and struggling to fight back against scrutiny and being constantly watched. It's worth noting, though, that even BTS and KARD began as groups that focused on romance and youth before they progressed and matured into something more. For a young group like flor_us, the choice to delve straight into heavier topics and blend it with popular music is refreshing and certainly welcome. But their interest in tackling social issues shouldn't come as a major surprise.



 

Jinhyeon, the group's leader, majored in social welfare and psychology. Jisong notably trained under a different company, and after being made to pay three million won for six months worth of classes, returned to find the company had vanished into thin air. Suhwa was a victim of bullying in school. And the group's lead dancer and maknae (the Korean term for a group's youngest member) Hyejeong has spent time working in veterinary hospitals and dreams of starting a campaign to help endangered species.

Hyejeong has also notably openly expressed support for the LGBTQIA++ communities, another rarity in the K-pop world owing to South Korea's conservative society, though recent years have seen far more idols willing to speak up in support of marginalized communities. Jisong and Suhwa, more recently, uploaded a sign language cover os SSAK3's 'Beach Again', making the song accessible to a wider audience.

At their core, flor_us is built on the very ideals of recognizing societal 'evils' and hoping to be able to effect positive change. And that philosophy is clearly reflected in their music.



 

'Do Not Forget' is the group's third single album, and just like with their earlier work, the quartet effortlessly blends their message with smooth vocals and pop/indie music. The release is out now on all digital streaming platforms and is definitely worth checking out if you're in the mood for some fresh, socially conscious K-pop music.

POPULAR ON MEAWW
MORE ON MEAWW