Fifty Fifty’s Journey: From Stardom to a New Beginning with ablume 🌟

In 2023, girl group Fifty Fifty soared to global success with their viral hit “Cupid,” becoming the fastest K-pop girl group to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 📈. They even recorded “Barbie Dreams” for the Barbie movie soundtrack alongside music giants like Charli XCX and Billie Eilish. But by mid-2023, everything changed. 😢

Original members Saena, Aran, Sio, and Keena filed a lawsuit to suspend their contracts with their agency Attrakt, citing mistreatment, lack of financial transparency, and neglect of their mental and physical health. “Failing to provide accounting data” and neglecting the group’s mental health were among the serious allegations, according to The Korea Times.

The Aftermath: “Mentally Drained Out” and Seeking Healing 🥺

In August 2023, the Seoul Central District Court sided with Attrakt, dismissing the injunction. Keena later dropped her appeal and returned to the agency, while Saena, Aran, and Sio had their contracts terminated that October.

Attrakt moved quickly to rebrand. By September 2024, a new version of Fifty Fifty was launched with Keena and four new members: Chanelle Moon, Yewon, Hana, and Athena. Meanwhile, the remaining three pursued a different path.

“There was no way to really heal and get better,” Saena said in an interview with People Magazine from May 2025, adding that she coped by being “honest with her feelings” and confronting the sadness, pain, and anger head-on. 💔

Sio echoed that sentiment, explaining, “The ordeal left the ablume members ‘mentally drained out.’”

A New Name, A New Chapter: ablume Is Born 🌱

In August 2024, the trio signed with a new company, Massive E&C. Their group name, ablume, was intended to reflect growth and hope. On May 9, 2025, they officially debuted as ablume with the shimmering single “Echo.”

Saena described the track as deeply personal: “‘Echo’ incorporates their ‘personal stories’ through ‘difficult times,’” she said via a translator to People. The song reflects how they “bonded over their shared love for music” and hoped to “melt” that passion into the single. 🎶

Where They Stand With Keena Today 🤔

When asked about Keena, Sio kept it diplomatic: “Regarding the legal issues, I think everybody had their own decisions and choices, and I believe that also applied to Keena.”

Saena added, “At this moment we’re not keeping in touch with her. But we did hear that she’s continuing her career with the group, with the new members.”

Standing By Their Decision to Leave 💪

Although they can’t share every detail due to legal restrictions, the members of ablume are clear about why they parted ways with Attrakt.

“What we can for sure tell you is we were going through such a rough time, and the biggest issue was that we had a lack of trust toward the agency,” said Sio. She continued, “We wanted to do music and continue our career in a [freer] environment with a more positive and healthy mindset and physical body.”

Working With Controversial Producer SIAHN 🎛️

One point of controversy around ablume’s re-debut is their involvement with producer Ahn Sung-Il, aka SIAHN — the same person who led The Givers, a company accused by Attrakt of trying to poach the original Fifty Fifty members.

Sio acknowledged the backlash: “A lot of our fans are concerned about working with producer SIAHN,” she said. “But as we’ve mentioned through our statement and through our documentary series, all of those media and articles aren’t necessarily true. A lot of the stories are misled and even exaggerated.”

She added, “It’s unfortunate that we can’t provide many details and answers that our fans are curious about. But one day, we’d like to make sure to clarify that once the opportunity comes.”

Aran, meanwhile, praised the producer’s involvement. She highlighted his hands-on role in shaping their new sound: “He encouraged our growth, gave very specific feedback, and pushed us to be involved creatively so we could express our unique style.” 🌈

What’s Next for ablume? 🚀

Massive E&C has ambitious plans for the trio. CEO Hwang Choi Han-cho said, “We look forward to Aran, Saena, and Sio showing an even more diverse range of performances and styles to the fans as they have reunited as a new girl group.”

He added, “We will work hard to provide various opportunities for ablume to connect with its fans both domestically and internationally through social media.”