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Women of K-Pop are becoming bolder in their individuality than before, breaking away from the traditional focus on love and breakups to celebrating self-expression, self-empowerment, and self-love.
LE SSERAFIM Make A "HOT" Comeback - What It Means For Their Growth And Artistic DirectionK-Pop StoriesMar 17, 2025
The change is a reflection of a significant shift in demographics of K-Pop's audience and creative freedom among K-Pop artists. This article will look into the recent women-empowering, self-love anthem in mainstream K-Pop and possibly the reason behind it.
2025 Self-Love Anthem Of K-Pop
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Let's look into the self-love anthem this 2025 from IVE, BLACKPINK's Jennie and LE SSERAFIM.
1. IVE's' "ATTITUDE"
One of the finest examples is IVE's third EP title track, "ATTITUDE." Released on February 3, 2025, the song is a defiant declaration of self-confidence and challenges the listeners to own the attitude in the midst of the uncertainty in life. It was co-written with the IVE member Jang WonYoung.
"Even if it rains and winds blow, I don't care about it.
My messy hair is so pretty.
Instead of being bothered, I'm just laughing."
Excerpt from the "ATTITUDE" lyrics
"ATTITUDE" resonates with a generation that celebrates selfhood rather than conformity. The blending of the ancient and the new assists in reminding us that the fact remains that no matter the circumstances outside ourselves, the inner attitude is never outside our control.
"I'm that, what? I'm that attitude.
I choose my own mood; I'm that attitude."
Excerpt from the "ATTITUDE" lyrics
2. Jennie's "Like JENNIE"
BLACKPINK's Jennie takes the theme of self-love into a new realm with her solo track "Like JENNIE" on her debut studio album "Ruby." Released on March 7, 2025, the track is a fiery, self-affirming anthem with the focus on her individuality.
Haters, they don't really like (JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE)."
Because they could never be (JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE, JENNIE)."
Excerpt from the "Like JENNIE" lyrics
The song is both a portrait and a testament to individuality. The fact that Jennie incorporates both Korean and English in the lyrics not only enhances its popularity but is also a testament to the multiculturalism represented by the global fanbase for K-Pop.
"Special edition, and your AI couldn't copy."
Excerpt from the "Like JENNIE" lyrics
In Jennie's her interview with Hong JinKyung, she said that "Like JENNIE" doesn't talk only about her but about the people breaking the boxes society presents and being themselves.
3. LE SSERAFIM's "HOT"
A great addition to the wave of self-love anthems this 2025 is LE SSERAFIM's newest song, HOT." Unlike the majority of their previous songs about romance and external validation, "HOT" is about resilience and the guts in reassembling oneself after a breakdown.
"You can hate me for me, baby; that's your loss.
Don't love me for somebody I'm not."
Excerpt from the "HOT" lyrics
LE SSERAFIM's "HOT" gives the listener a guidebook on how to find beauty and resilience even in the darkest moment. That kind of personal transformation resonates with much of the youth generation, who find themselves relating to the agony in the music.
"Paint my lips red, throw on some heels
Hold up my head, and tonight, I'll remind myself that."
Excerpt from the "HOT" lyrics
Bonus: HWASA's Empowerment Song "I Love My" Body"
Before the current wave of self-love anthems, K-Pop artists like MAMAMOO's HWASA set the stage for it with the simple act of defying traditional ideals of beauty and loving themselves in spite of it all.
Known for her daring fashion choices and unapologetic self-assurance, HWASA has long served as a trailblazer for people who will not be conformed into old standards of beauty.
Her song—"I love my body"—was not just a hook; it was a battle anthem for anyone who's ever been left out because they don't represent the society's beauty standards. Celebrating her uniqueness unapologetically and encouraging a generation to embrace theirs as their asset and not liability, her influence seeped into today's music and celebrates realness over buffed perfection.
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