This is the best debut song I've heard since Hype Boy

Yep, I said it. Hey, foreveraespaaa , I know you already made a thread about them, but I have to make my own.

I have had this song looping the entire weekend and I'm not tired of it yet.

I haven't been this down bad for any girl group song since arguably Hype Boy, and as a top 1% listener of NewJeans on Planet Earth (more like top 0.25%), I don't make this statement lightly.

And the choreo? Fantastic. Lia Kim has done it again, but the AtHeart members execute it flawlessly.

I don't think I've seen a new group with choreo this intricate and clean since perhaps Dreamcatcher, and that was technically a re-debut.

I don't know what happened, but in a month I've been caught up and down bad for two "nugu" girl groups. First, it was ifeye after I fell for their charms at KCON LA, and now it's AtHeart.

Both groups now have the YamaChan kiss of success. May they spread their wings and fly to the top over the next couple of years.

EDIT: They just released a performance video for another song off their debut EP titled "Push Back"

Give it a watch and listen because it's also a BOP

Quote from 2PS1

This song, style and r u ok have been repeating in my head . They feel like snsd meets nj modern y2k and illit dreamy sound

I've made threads to praise both style and r u ok.

Style was a grower. r u ok? caught me off guard at KCON LA when ifeye performed it during their solo stage at one of the smaller venues. Was not expecting that song quality from them.

But Plot Twist? I think I've listened to it at least 100 times in 2 days, and I've seen every live stage at least 3 times.

Quote from Orrsome28

I'm similarly impressed too. Can I perhaps interest you in:

Official Thread (Mind you, it's very thorough, so it might be a bit of a slog unless you have a good PC.)

Thread

AtHeart (앳하트) Official Thread

AtHeart (앳하트) is a seven-member K-Pop girl group under Titan Content, an American entertainment company formed in 2023. The group, which consists of Michi, Arin, Katelyn, Bome, Seohyeon, Aurora, and Nahyun, is overseen by the renowned Lia Kim, who serves as their Chief Performance Officer (CPO). The group released their pre-debut single, “GOODGIRL ATHEART,” on March 14, 2025, before officially debuting on August 13, 2025, with their album, Plot Twist.




Official SNS
Website: atheart.me
Instagram: …

Orrsome28

Aug 23rd 2025

Debut Showcase Individual Fancams

Post

RE: AtHeart - Intro + 'Plot Twist' + 'Push Back' Stage Media Showcase

I really enjoyed "Plot Twist". It may not appeal to everyone, but it's a pleasant and inoffensive song that should capture new fans. The choreographers did a great job, too. Even without knowing about Lia Kim's involvement as their performance director, known officially as their chief performance officer (CPO), you can feel her influence. That twisting move on "another plot twist" is a particularly nice touch. "Push Back" is a nice, vibey song, and the choreography is once again effective at…

Orrsome28

Aug 14th 2025

Trust me, I'm always willing to hurl myself down the rabbit hole of learning a new group.

I've already figured out quickly that Aurora even exists and is part of the Maknae line, and I recently found out Arin wanted to be a dancer before becoming an idol. Which makes sense, because she is insanely talented.

Quote from ISaidISaid

Huh that was good.

Told you

Orrsome28 After looking through your thread, I am now learning Lia Kim didn't just choreograph Plot Twist but is their Chief Performance Director and manages the group. What a damn cheat code!

And here I thought she was just being supportive by letting them do covers at 1Million Dance Studio, but no, these are her babies.

Oh I'm even more excited to stan now. ALL their choreo will be top tier.

Do we know how involved Lia Kim is? What does "managing" the group entail? Is she in a, dare I say, MHJ type role?

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

The choreo is cute, i feel like it's a mashup of NIziu's megabop Chopsticks, NewJeans, and Illit, they even snuck in a LSRFM style diagonal line routine at 1:39.

The song has that addictive 80s style laser synth effect and a surprise ending but it's way too short and mindnumbingly repetitive. Blop.

You need to check out Izna if you want a New Jeans vibe but with, dare i say, noticeably better music?

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I should've known you would spin this into an Izone graduate and izna agenda.

Sorry to say, but I already saw izna at KCON LA as well. In fact, I was only 2-3 rows back from their stage.

I have been enjoying their song izna and Sign since seeing them.

But nothing approaches Plot Twist for me, other than r u ok?

Also they don't have a NewJeans vibe AT ALL. BEGONE!

Quote from Orrsome28

Aside from being a founder of Titan Content, Lia also serves as their performance director, though the full extent of her role remains to be seen. Apparently, their Chief Visual Officer is the founder of Dazed Korea. The girls did speak about Lia Kim at their debut showcase, sharing her role and the advice she gave them.

Here's an article that expands on the topic:

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Truly fascinating. I'm subscribed to all their content, so I'll learn more as they release more content to help us know them better.

Quote from StanGIDLE

I listened to them last week and I was impressed. Don't sleep on their b-side "Push Back" because that song is also very good.

I know people like to make fun of 5th gen groups, but the future seems promising. In 2025 the quality of music from 5th gen groups is much better than 4th gen groups tbh. I think it's interesting but a lot of these groups seems to have some popular producers creating music and a vision. I just think IVE and NewJeans ruined expectations because groups rarely start off that hot.

Oh no doubt, all their music is great. Plot Twist just hooked me so badly, and the choreo actually elevates it even further. I can visualize each move in sync with each part of the song.

And yes, IVE and especially NewJeans destroyed the baseline expectations people have for rookies. They don't understand that explosive debuts are rare.

Quote from aeris7

I totally agree, it's actually INSANE!!

The chorus is kinda minimalistic and very gentle/dreamy, which kinda reminded me of Attention by NJ. Not how it sounds but how atypical it is and it feels very FRESH.

They also dropped out of nowhere??

And the song? ADDICTIVE!

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AtHeart debuting and serving up songs THIS good with choreo THAT mesmerizing is a true...plot twist

Quote from aeris7

EXACTLY !

and i also agree that explosive debut like njz are a RARE. people need to give more time for groups to build. and not EVERY group needs to become ULTRA successful. There were always amazing groups that didn't dominate their generation but still delivered kpop masterpieces.

like fx, red velvet (they were very successful in korea but less in the west), oh my girl for the most part of their career, loona etc...

I told you cool stuff were still happening in kpop . from adp, to huntrix to atheart etc... kpop's still rocking !

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A debut like NewJeans has quite literally never happened before. Even BLACKPINK didn't become THE top girl group of their generation and arguably all of K-Pop in their rookie year. It took 3-4 years.

K-Pop fans really mirror sports fan in so many ways, where they see a once in a lifetime rookie set records and then expect all future rookies to duplicate those achievements or be branded flops/busts.

Sometimes it's about the journey. And what a start for AtHeart.

Contrary to popular belief, good music and talent is what draws me in and converts me into a stan, not success or charts.

I still play Hype Boy several times a week 3 years after its release. And Plot Twist is the first song in a long time I think can approach that status in my playlist. Not since Super Shy and/or Ditto.

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

STOP.

LIKING

THE.

SAME

THINGS.

AS.

ME.

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And just to prove I'm not being performative about falling hard for these new girl groups, here are the YT Music receipts that are my "Listen Again" algorithm suggestions:

If you squint really hard, you can see that Plot Twist was playing when I took this screenshot

And the rest of the suggested quick picks checks out with what I've been claiming publicly for the past few weeks. Izna managed to even sneak in here BlackpinkHouse

To put this into perspective/context, it has been at least two years since this page wasn't 70% NewJeans songs and EPs. It's shocking to only see Super Shy represented here.

Oh, and special shout out to Hitgs. I really like their song Charizzma.

Quote from CaraFIMIE

charizzma

R-I-Z-Z

Quote from Bottles

Yeah I’ve been enjoying this song a lot too. I’m not massive on the acapella intro, or the verses, but once the hook and chorus kicks in

The verses have impact because the incredible choreo elevates and integrates into each line so well that I can't separate the two in my mind. Even when I'm just listening to the song, which has been almost 100% of my non-sleeping hours, I see that choreo, like the crazy head twist move Michi and Nahyun perform.

Quote from Bottles

Such a boooop!

When we pull up we gon make a scene

HITGStory it's a quantum leap

Quote from Orrsome28

They've coined that move the "Nami Twist."

Cleanest and most deceptively difficult move to pull off without either hurting yourself, the other person and maintaining your balance the entire time while looking graceful

Now we need a name for the Seohyeon and Arin version they surprised us with during their Dance Relay

Quote from Orrsome28

Well, based on the naming convention, it could be called the "Arse Twist," which I suspect you were already alluding to.

Quote from Orrsome28

Well, as not only the older of the two but the team's performance leader, Arin should take precedence in the name.

Hey, that name is all yours if you want to make it a thing. I'm at peace with letting that privilege go to someone else

Also, I wanted to say this about their dance practice for Plot Twist:

The only time I've heard this much sneaker squeaking is when I'm watching NBA games. That's how you know these moves are no joke.

Quote from Orrsome28

I'm more than happy to go with the one name fits all "Nami Twist" option.

It sure looks like a cardio-intensive routine. There are some really great details in it, too, which is to be expected from the notable list of choreographers. The choreography contrasts with the song, but it couldn't be more perfect for it. More importantly, the choreography effectively showcases the group's synergy right out of the gate, with the "Nami Twist" being just the icing on the cake. It's a very memorable killing point. I mentioned this when I posted the debut showcase fancams, but even without knowing of Lia's involvement, you can really feel her influence throughout the routine.

In regards to the dance practice, even without Lia Kim's statement that Arin reminds her of SNSD's Hyoyeon, you can recognize the caliber of her dancing and see that she has much more to show. Also, I couldn't help but notice Arin's shoelaces come undone around the 1:20 mark. I'm surprised it didn't cause a mishap, especially during the transitions with how tight some of the spacings are. From what I've seen, Bome, despite being their main vocal, does a great job at matching her energy too. In my opinion, although fixed positions or labels aren't necessary, Seohyeon has a natural center quality. Her performance style is quite charismatic. While I've highlighted these three, Michi, Nahyun, and Katelyn are by no means lacking. They are a well-rounded group of performers, and their synergy is very strong—likely thanks to Lia's guidance.

Like every new group, they are still in a developmental stage that comes with growing pains. However, their huge potential is clearly evident already. I can't wait to see their direction and growth from here on out.

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I agree with each of your assessments and perspectives here. I especially locked in on what you said about Seohyeon. It's not often I say that I have a bias in any group, be it Mamamoo or NewJeans, but I'm not going to hesitate to say she's the member who grabbed my attention the most. Some idols just seem to have that it factor during stages, and it was her energy during this debut stage that first wowed me

But to your earlier point, I think they are fantastic performers already just for being able to convincingly pull off what is objectively extremely challenging choreography, and they are only going to get better. Seeing potential and watching it slowly manifest into present day greatness is one of the most enjoyable aspects of stanning a group from their debut era.

Quote from draggehz

one of the girls look like jennie

also wasnt tws' debut also called plot twist

interesting

Jennie? Which one? Are they onTeam tol or Team smol?

Quote from Orrsome28

Yeah, Seohyeon was an immediate standout for me too while watching their debut showcase. They are all great, but she has a magnetic quality. To quote my own observation after watching their IDOL DKDK CLUB variety show: "Seohyeon is full of charm, which is never more evident than when she's performing, making her a natural center."

I know the feeling. I've been around for a lot of debuts—and unfortunately, endings—but there's nothing quite like seeing a group's growth in real-time.

Ha! It was their scraps of variety content that convinced me my first impression of Seohyeon weren't wrong. She's just as vibrant off stage as she is on stage.

I haven't seen enough to get a full read of the group dynamics, but they all seem to get along very well. Seohyeon in particular has really positive energy, and it's very palpable when she performs.

Based on the small sample size so far anyway.

Every group needs that member.

For Mamamoo, it was Hwasa. For NewJeans, it was Hanni.