[📰] H1-KEY Exert Influence as Ambassadors for International Esports Festival
“We Will Support the Young Athletes Taking on Challenges”
Girl group H1-KEY has become the new face of the international e-sports festival.
H1-KEY has been appointed as an ambassador for the ‘IEF 2026 International E-Sports Festival.’ On the 14th, their agency, Choi Creative Lab, announced, “H1-KEY has been appointed as the official ambassador for the ‘IEF 2026 International E-Sports Festival,’ which opens this coming November.”
The ‘IEF 2026 International E-Sports Festival’ is a large-scale international e-sports festival hosted by the International Exchange Federation (hereinafter the International Exchange Federation). It follows a nationwide youth e-sports league and national team selection trials, culminating in a national team competition in November featuring teams from approximately 10 countries.
H1-KEY has long been loved by global fans for their music that captures the dreams, hopes, and challenges of youth, while upholding confident and healthy beauty as their unique team identity. In particular, their hit song ‘Rose Blossom,’ which highlights inner strength, represents youth. It has established itself as a cheering song, and the summer song "Summer Was You," released last year, also received an enthusiastic response for its refreshing youthful energy.
H1-KEY's musical direction aligns with the core values of challenge and growth in esports, and furthermore with the youth of the young league players, making us look forward to their activities as ambassadors even more.
📰 [Interview] Beautiful older sister-type K-POP girl group H1-KEY to hold their first Japanese fan meeting "THE FIRST KEY" in Tokyo on June 28th (Sun) - "I can't wait to see you, I feel like I'm going to pass out"
The group name is derived from an English slang term meaning "cool", and their title track "Rose Blossom" from their 1st mini-album, released in January 2023, became a long- running hit, climbing the charts in a reverse direction. H1-KEY is a South Korean girl group that possesses outstanding visuals like the pretty girl next door and high performance skills. They will hold their long-awaited first fan meeting in Japan, "2026 H1-KEY 1st FANMEETING in Japan: THE FIRST KEY," twice, in the afternoon and evening, on June 28th (Sunday) at the Nikkei Hall in Tokyo.
In Japan, they made their CD debut last August, and in March of this year, they made a comeback with their 5th mini-album "LOVECHAPTER." With their title track "To. My First Love," they appeared on many music programs, including the popular Korean public broadcaster KBS music program "Music Bank", delivering healing and energy with their image as true "goddesses of youth.' Furthermore, these women, also known as the "Summer Queens of Korea," held an interview with us just before their first fan meeting in Japan. The interview turned out to be full of "LOVE," revealing their strong feelings for their Japanese fans.
H1-KEY's interviews always receive a great response, and this is already their sixth appearance. KanStar! Welcome to the interview!
SEOI: "Hello, this is SEOI, the lovely leader of H1-KEY♡ I'm so happy to meet you all again for this KanStar! interview, and I feel like we've become even closer, like family (laughs).
RIINA: "Hello, I'm RIINA, the white snow mochi (Baekseolgi) of H1-KEY! I'm so happy and excited to be able to do this interview again. It's a pleasure to meet you.😍
HWISEO: "Hello! I'm HWISEO, the main vocalist with the captivating voice of H1-KEY! It's nice to be able to greet you again!"
YEL: "Hello! l'm YEL, the beloved maknae (youngest member) of H1-KEY, who shows us all sorts of charms! I'm so happy to be able to meet you all again in Japan.🤭
H1-KEY made a comeback on March 5th with their 5th mini-album 'LOVECHAPTER' and successfully concluded their promotions. Please share your thoughts on the 'LOVECHAPTER' promotions
SEOI: "We released it to coincide with the start of the school year, so we had envisioned a period of activity with cherry blossoms in full bloom, but we were🥺 surprised by how cold it was. Nevertheless. we were able to fill it with lots of happy and lovely feelings together with M1-KEY (fans), and welcome spring and the new school year, which made us truly happy."
RIINA: "This was the first time we released an album in the spring, and it was a fresh and fun experience to be able to perform with songs that capture the feeling of spring! Seeing M1-KEY enthusiastically shouting along was a great source of strength for us during this activity."
HWISEO: "I was really impressed by the bento boxes we received from M1-KEY during our first week back in the world (laughs)."
YEL: "This comeback was timed perfectly with the start of the new school year! The title track, "To. My First Love, is a song that captures the youthfulness, romance, and feelings of love during school days, and we were especially delighted that students enjoyed this comeback as they posted challenges while wearing their school uniforms! Searching for and watching those youthful challenge videos every day was my little source of happiness during this activity (lol). Just watching them really lifted my spirits.
--I was really impressed by your surprise appearance at Mighty Mouth's comeback stage on "Music Bank."
SEOI: "Actually, I was watching Mighty Mouth's rehearsal stage from the side, and I was having fun dancing along with them when the PD cast me and I ended up on stage! There were a few small mistakes, but we had fun dancing while teasing each other.'
RIINA: "I was able to create an unforgettable stage with my seniors! It was something that really happened spontaneously, so I think Il'l never forget it."
HWISEO: "We enjoyed our own stage performance, but we also really enjoyed the stage performance of
our senior group Mighty Mouth, who we joined on the spot."
YEL: "Mighty Mouth senior's song is really exciting, isn't it! The director of 'Music Bank'told me, 'You can have even more fun,' which made me even more
excited! It was a really fun and memorable
experience.💕"
--H1-KEY will be holding their first Japanese fan meeting, "THE FIRST KEY," in Tokyo on June 28th!
SEOI: "The title of this fan meeting, "THE
FIRST KEY," literally meaning "the first key." Since this is our first fan meeting in Japan, the concept is to use
"THE FIRST KEY" to open the doors to the various charms of H1-KEY one by one and get to know
them. As this is our first fan meeting in Japan, we would love for the M1-KEY members who haven't
been able to see our stage live until now to see our performance. It will be a special space just for
H1-KEY and M1-KEY, so we want to fill it with happy memories ♥ Meow meow meow 🐈 A little
spoiler. What do you think it means? (laughs)"
YEL: "First of all, we are really, really looking forward to meeting all the M1-KEY fans in Japan! We are working hard to prepare to show you a new side of
ourselves that you have never seen before! We are sure you will be very happy🙏."
RIINA: "A fan meeting in Japan! I'm so excited and my heart is beating so fast. I hope it will be a wonderful gift for all of our M1-KEY fans who always support and love us from afar! We've also prepared a
special stage that you can only see at "THE FIRST KEY," so please look forward to it!"
HWISEO: "We want to show our Japanese M1-KEY fans, who have been waiting for us, how much we've grown! You'll also get to see H1-KEY's super, super cute side, so we hope you'll come with high expectations!"
--I think there will be people attending this concert who are unfamiliar with H1-KEY. So,
please name one song that showcases the unique charm of H1-KEY.
SEOI: "We, H1-KEY, are a group whose charm lies in our melodies that fill your heart and warm
your heart when you listen to them, our lyrics that deliver comfort and empathy, and the pure and
beautiful chemistry (good compatibility) of our members😘. Please listen to 'Let me be your Sea'! It's perfect for the upcoming summer, and it's a song that will make you feel the heart-warming sensibility that is unique to H1-KEY."
RIINA: "I'd like to recommend 'Summer Was You! If you listen to this song, I think you'll be able to remember summer along with your energetic and refreshing memories of H1-KEY.
HWISEO: "I think H1-KEY's B-side tracks are just as high-quality as their title tracks! So, I'd like to
recommend 'Be full of Romantic,' the best song on their recent comeback album! It's full of youth
and romance as sung by H1-KEY, and it has a melody that will make your heart race when you listen to it! Please, please listen to it!"
YEL: "I'd like to recommend 'Magical Dream,' which is included in our 2nd mini-album! If you were
captivated by us at our Japanese fan meeting, I'm sure you'll want to see us on a different stage or
a stage with a new atmosphere. I recommend it because you can experience a different side of H1-
KEY's charm. "
--H1-KEY is also known as Korea's "Summer Queen." As we head into the peak of summer,
could you tell us your recommendations for how to enjoy the summer, as well as some tips
for summer fashion and makeup?
SEOI: "Recently, the keyword 'the liberation of color' has been gaining attention, hasn't it? I've
always loved colorful summers. This summer, try enjoying the season with a variety of cool-colored items, outfits, and makeup! Oh, and be careful with glossy lips when you go out! Things might stick to them.
RIINA: "Summer is really hot, so I think it's important to look cool and refreshing! I've always liked silver items, so I often add accents to simple summer outfits with silver accessories!"
HWISEO: "When it comes to summer fashion, I think the combination of white and denim is really wonderful! Denim comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, so it goes perfectly with refreshing white! I also like light dresses! For summer makeup, I prefer to keep it light and minimal rather than heavy. Since it's the hot season, I naturally prioritize coolness in both fashion and makeup."
YEL : "This summer, we're drawn to fashion that incorporates refreshing, eye-catching colors! Try
adding accents to your outfits with yellow, mint, or pink shades, or create focal points with nail polish or accessories. We encourage you to try out fun summer fashion!"
--So, since it's always so popular, please tell us some TMI (Too Detailed and Useless, but
Fans Will Love It) about yourself recently.
SEOI: "I was recently reading a book and came across a sentence that said, 'When asked, "How do
you manage to maintain your passion for so long?", the answer was, "Because I love it." That's
when I thought of M1-KEY. In the time since our debut, which feels both long and short, even when
I was tired or going through tough times, or even when my pace slowed down a bit, the driving force that allowed me to keep running without stopping was simply M1-KEY. I want to become that kind of presence for M1-KEY as well."
RIINA: "Recently, I watched a Japanese drama on Netflix that SEOI recommended. It's called
'You're Going to Hell.' I was really hooked on it; it's one of the most interesting things I've seen in
the last few years. The direction, acting, and story were all fantastic! I highly recommend it."
HWISEO : "It's gotten really hot in Korea, so I recently switched to a summer comforter made of a cooling material. It feels really nice against the skin, and it's made lounging around in bed even more enjoyable (laughs)."
YEL: "I've recently become hooked on 'Jujutsu Kaisen,' and I keep watching it until late at night, so I can't sleep. I'm watching it all the time (laughs)."
--Finally, do you have a message for your fans in Japan?
SEOI: "I'm really looking forward to going to Japan after a long time, and to having my first fan
meeting. I'm excited and a little nervous. I want to give all the M1-KEYS wonderful memories ♥
Let's be happy together that day (in Japanese) I love you😘💕
RIINA: "To our Japanese M1-KEY fans! Even though we can't come to Japan often, your constant
support and love for H1-KEY motivates us to work even harder. We always miss you all, and we
hope to meet at this fan meeting and create lots of wonderful memories. (In Japanese) I love you
"♥️
HWISEO : "To all the M1-KEY fans in Japan! We, H1-KEY, are finally holding a fan meeting in Japan! We'll entertain your eyes and ears with a fun time! Please come and have a wonderful time with H1-KEY!
Thank you! (in Japanese) I love you"💖
YEL: "To the M1-KEY fans in Japan. It's been so long🥺!I'm so happy to be able to go to Japan to see all of
you M1-KEY fans again! I'm really looking forward to making another precious and special memory♥️
(in Japanese) I can't wait to see you, I could die!"🩷
[📰] First love sensibility... New album "Love Chapter".
Girl group H1-KEY is returning with the emotions of first love.
H1-KEY ( Seoi, Riina, Hwiseo, Yel) revealed the tracklist image for their fifth mini-album 'Love Chapter' through their official social media on the 13th.
According to the tracklist, this album contains a total of seven tracks: 'Romance Limit Exceeded', 'To My First Love', 'Stuck with You', 'My Wish', 'Not Like a Movie ', 'To My First Love' (Inst.), 'Not Like a Movie' (Inst.).
'Love Chapter' will be released after two months since 'The World Is Not Like a Movie' with the title track "To My First Love". It is a charming band track with hazy lyrics reminiscent of the excitement of school days and a dreamy sensibility.
Following their fourth mini-album, producer Siwoo took on the overall production of this new album, including the title track, raising everyone's expectations. Hitmakers like the songwriting team Sweetune, composer Xepy, and lyricist JQ participated in the tracks, creating an album brimming with diverse charm.
Ahead of the tracklist release, a "Love Chapter" promotional calendar was recently released on H1-KEY's official accounts. According to the calendar, starting on the 15th, H1-KEY will unveil concept photos for each member, followed by a highlight medley and music video teaser on March 1st. They will also hold a comeback countdown live on March 4th, the day before their comeback, to communicate with fans.
The fifth mini-album, "Love Chapter," will be released on March 5th at 6 PM KST through various online music streaming sites.
