[Dispatch=Yuha Sky Reporter] TUIDE, the first girl group under ABD (HIVE), has been unveiled to the world. Seven girls of different nationalities and ages stood on stage under one name.
There are no (typical) survival show contestants or reality TV alumni among them. Faces unseen anywhere else knocked on the K-pop door with only music, performance, and individuality.
TUIDE's performance strikes an immediate impact. Rather than conforming to a predetermined format, each member freely expresses their own energy. It resembles a surfer riding and navigating turbulent waves.
Dispatch examined TUIDE's birth process and the seven-colored charms of the seven members.
◆ Seven Flows
TUIDE's name comes from "Tune the tide," carrying the meaning of "orchestrate the flow." It represents their ambition to experience and orchestrate the world's diverse flows to create new joy.
The group consists of seven members in total: Seohee (born 2006), Seoyeon (born 2008), Elena (born 2008), Gia (born 2008), Saki (born 2010), Seah (born 2011), and Lee Haneui (born 2011).
Their nationalities and cultural backgrounds are diverse. Members rooted in Korea, the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom came together in one place. As varied as their backgrounds are their vocal and performance styles, and images.
Interestingly, this difference was not erased. Members were not forced into one standardized image. The focus was on distinctly preserving each member's unique atmosphere.
An ABD official stated, "We wanted to make the harmony created when different charms come together the team's color," and noted that reactions such as "model-like" and "unconventional visuals" are also TUIDE's unique strengths.
◆ Seven Individualities
Each of the seven members possesses a distinct color. Leader Seohee (19 years old, Korea) has both delicacy and solidity. An ABD official recalled, "From the first impression, her eyes sparkled with determination. She handled everything carefully without negligence."
Seoyeon (18 years old, Korea) wields bright energy as her weapon. She carries off both charm and a cool atmosphere broadly. The agency noted, "During her trainee days, when we saw the expressions and energy she showed at presentations, everyone thought she was a 'necessary member.'"
Elena (18 years old, United States) started as a trainee who already sang well. Nevertheless, she showed noticeable growth at every evaluation. Her strengths are a soft tone and delicate expressiveness. She stands out in genres like R&B where vocal texture and nuance matter.
Gia (18 years old, Korea and United States) joined the team the latest. She had to synchronize with the other members in a short time. She tackled several times more assigned songs and raised her skills accordingly. Now she handles vocals, rap, and performance stably.
Saki (15 years old, Japan) stands out for her relaxed dance lines. Her neutral vocal tone and dense vocalization are also strengths. ABD noted, "She doesn't miss even the smallest pronunciation and revises it repeatedly," and evaluated her as "a member who completes what she feels is lacking."
Seah (15 years old, Korea)'s weapon is growth potential. With high concentration and overwhelming practice volume, she rapidly raised her skills. An official remarked, "At some point, she began naturally expressing her own energy," and added, "She ultimately proved her presence through perseverance."
Maknae Lee Haneui (15 years old, Korea and United Kingdom) captures attention with her powerful individuality. She is proactive enough to first propose musical expressions she wants to attempt. The agency noted, "She captivated eyes immediately from the first monthly evaluation. She is a member with a clear personal texture."
◆ Seven Harmonies
TUIDE was born by orchestrating seven different colors. The key was not uniformity. It was a process of preserving members' differences while making them read as one team when standing together.
Training also stemmed from the same philosophy. The focus was on members recognizing the necessity themselves and practicing actively. The ability to reflect on oneself naturally led to the process of understanding other members.
As a multinational group, communication was an important axis. ABD stated, "In vocal and language education, we made connection and communication between members important points and structured them into the curriculum."
TUIDE repeated the process of observing each other's dances and giving feedback. Even if each danced in their own style, when seven gathered, one complete picture had to be formed. Members matched their timing while understanding each other's movements.
An official said, "Diversity is an opportunity to view familiar methods differently and attempt new expressions," and continued, "Rather than simply adopting a specific style, we thought importantly about what new impression would appear when combined."
◆ Seven Growth
The result is the debut title track "SUN KISS." It naturally captured the members' bright and healthy energy. It is a song that shows the vitality of seven members gathering in a balanced way.
Individuality emerged more clearly in the performance. TUIDE unfolded the same moves in each member's different style. Multiple genres were mixed as well. R&B, house, and UK garage were connected into one.
The agency confirmed the members' growth in that process. An official praised, "At the first lesson of 'SUN KISS,' all members' capabilities had risen significantly. It felt like discovering a shining gem."
The B-side track "GIRLS" focused more on individual capabilities. Members, either individually or in pairs, are responsible for specific parts. Much more time was allocated to individual parts than in typical K-pop performances. It was structured to sufficiently showcase each member's dance and energy.
"It was possible because there was deep trust in each member's individual capabilities. They showed their respective strengths without any filter, stepping out of the frame. As each member's charm was revealed at length on stage, we completed 'GIRLS' with its own immersion." (ABD)
◆ Seven Beginnings
TUIDE confirmed potential before debut. Various content including "Meet My Girls, TUIDE" drew interest. ABD stated, "Many people happily received TUIDE's first greeting."
Now they have stepped onto the official starting line. TUIDE released their mini first album "TUNE & PLAY" on the 24th. All songs from the debut album entered Melon's "Hot 100" (within 30 days of release) on that day.
TUIDE's goal is clear. While maintaining each member's color, different charms come together to create greater synergy. They dream of a team that becomes more vivid when seven are together.
Finally, an ABD official cheered on the members' beginning.
"Like the team name, I hope each member doesn't lose their individuality. We hope they become artists who deliver new joy to the public with the harmonious energy of seven members."
▲ Seohee
▲ Seoyeon
▲ Elena
▲ Gia
▲ Saki
▲ Seah
▲ Lee Haneui
<Photo Source=ABD (HIVE), Dispatch DB>
