Weeekly is a six-member girl group signed under IST Entertainment that made its debut in June 2020. Now in its third year in the K-pop scene, Lee Soojin, Lee Jaehee, Zoa, Monday, Park Soeun, and Jihan continue to work on finding their own identity and colors, hoping that one day, they can finally claim that "Weeekly has its own genre."

With their fifth mini-album, 'ColoRise,' which arrived about a year and 7 months after the release of 'Play Game : AWAKE,' the girl group aims not only to demonstrate their growth over the years but also to color the industry with the various aspects they tried to show in the album.
 

The album includes the retro-inspired title song "VROOM VROOM," as well as the accompanying sidetracks "ODYSSEY," "Backwards," "Sweet Dream," "A+," and "RUBY-DUBY-DU." With 'ColoRise,' the members are looking forward to showing our fans a different side of Weeekly, "one that has grown even more than before."

To commemorate Weeekly's comeback after a long time, allkpop had the pleasure of sitting down with the members to talk about 'ColoRise,' experience from participating in 'Queendom Puzzle,' and more. Continue reading to learn more about the members and their latest return!

Shout-out video from Weeekly to allkpop:

allkpop: Hi, Weeekly! First and foremost, I want to congratulate you on your long-awaited comeback! This marks your new album in around a year and a half. How does it feel to be back with another mini-album? Do you feel the pressure of releasing new music for the public to listen to, or do you feel more excited because you’re finally back?

Soojin: Nice to meet you! Thank you for congratulating us on our comeback! We had a long break so there was a bit more pressure. But it’s been a long time since we made a comeback, which made it that much more exciting. We also worked very hard on it. I'm looking forward to meeting our fans!

Jaehee: Making a comeback after such a long time brings that much more pressure. We’ve put in a lot of effort in preparation, especially thinking about meeting our Daileees.

allkpop: You had kind of a long break to get ready for this comeback. Could you please tell us how you prepared for ‘ColoRise’? What were the most fun or difficult parts of preparing for this album, including the recording of the tracks and filming of the music video?

Zoa: Coming back after a long hiatus, we’ve put in a lot of effort to show our fans a better side of us. We tried to capture various aspects of the album, not confining it to a single genre!

Monday: Honestly, as the hiatus grew longer, I did feel powerless. But it seems like that allowed me to take more risks with this album. Given the long break, I found joy and excitement throughout the entire preparation process despite the busy schedule. It was reminiscent of our debut days which was different and fun. In particular, I handled a lot of the backing vocals for my members. It was a fantastic opportunity for me to listen more closely and study our members’ vocals for the chorus.

allkpop: In what ways did you spend your time during the break/hiatus? Were you able to kind of give time to yourself to relax or improve your skills perhaps? Did you have a productive break somehow?

Soeun: During the slightly extended break, we wanted to show a more improved version of ourselves. To fill the areas that we lacked, we spent a lot of time practicing and taking lessons. It was also a time for us to appreciate our Daileees who have waited for us. Thanks to them, we were able to work extra hard on this album. I really want to express my gratitude to our Daileees.

Jihan: We had the opportunity to be a part of a TV show called 'Queendom Puzzle,' where we experienced joyful, diverse stages and gained a lot of experiences. We practiced hard while keeping our Daileees in mind!

allkpop: This marks your 5th mini-album. What do you think sets this album apart from your previously released mini-albums over the past years?

Soojin: For this album, which came out after a long time, we put a lot of effort into showcasing Weeekly’s growth! And to show the diverse charm of Weeekly, we’ve included songs from diverse genres, which will provide an enjoyable listening experience!

Soeun: To be honest, I think this is the first time we’ve included such a variety of genres in a single album. We even have a unit song for the first time since our debut, which made the preparation even more fun! We’re looking forward to showing our fans a different side of Weeekly, one that has grown even more than before!

allkpop: Tell us more about the concept of ‘ColoRise’ as well as the message behind the tracks. Does the name have something to do with colors? Perhaps are you eager to show various colors of Weeekly through this album, or does it mean something else different? 

Monday: The concept of ‘ColoRise’ captures our intention to show the diverse colors of Weeekly. Therefore, the six tracks in this album all display different colors. Especially with the inclusion of the unit songs, we felt it highlighted each member’s vocal colors. Weeekly aims to explore various styles without being confined to a single genre. We hope for your love and interest in the different facets of Weeekly!

Jaehee: This album, ‘ColoRise,’ captures our aspiration to showcase the diverse colors of Weeekly.

allkpop: Which song from the album do you think best represents each one of you? Something like you feel that it has the same vibe with yourself, maybe thinking that, “Oh, this is my song!”

Soojin: I love all the songs, but among them, I think “Sweet Dream” captures the dreamy atmosphere I’ve been waiting to explore, and it represents me well!

Monday: Among the songs, I think our title track “VROOM VROOM” and the B-sides “Backwards” and “Sweet Dream” represent me the best. I selected three but for different reasons! First of all, the title track “VROOM VROOM” for its vocal aspects, “Backwards” for its mood, and “Sweet Dream” for its opening. Those three tracks seem to capture different aspects of who I am.

Soeun: I think they all suit me…(laughs) Just kidding! I actually love the song “Backwards” the most. I was quite worried because it’s a style I haven’t tried before. But after hearing the recorded version, it surprisingly fits me well, and I feel proud. It’s like, this is my song! (laughs)

Jaehee: For me, it’s “RUBY-DUBY-DU.” It’s such a lovely and cozy song that suits the color of my voice. It’s also my favorite style of music, which represents me well.

Jihan: I think “A+,” the unit song I participated in, and the track “RUBY-DUBY-DU” goes well with the color of my voice!

Zoa: I think everyone suits all the songs. But for me, I’d have to go with the unit song “Sweet Dream”! Because I learned so much from the older sisters throughout the preparation, it really displays the improvements I’ve made!

allkpop: Although this marks your first album for 2023, you had several other activities like the release of the fan song “Good Day (Special Daileee)” as well as your participation in the survival program ‘Queendom Puzzle.’ How was your overall experience joining the show? Were you able to make new friends or learn things?

Jihan: Participating in the TV show called ‘Queendom Puzzle’ was truly an honor and a joy as we had the opportunity to meet and share the stage with respected seniors and fellow artists! We learned so much through this opportunity. We stay in touch and support one another to this day!

Zoa: Since it was our first survival show, we were really worried. But thanks to the older sisters who were on the show with us, it was a time when we could learn a lot and grow!

Soojin: Participating in ‘Queendom Puzzle’ was truly a valuable experience where we gained and learned a lot. Collaborating with precious seniors, juniors, and fellow artists, we were able to create diverse stages, learning not only about the performance aspects but also about teamwork. The lessons learned from 'Queendom Puzzle' were very helpful throughout the preparation of this album.

Soeun: First of all, preparing for various stages allowed me to discover new aspects of myself, thinking, “Oh, I have this side of me too!” Through ‘Queendom Puzzle,’ I formed valuable relationships and we continue to stay in touch, constantly supporting each other.

allkpop: Time flies so fast… Your debut was already over 3 years ago! All of you are now officially adults! What are the things you enjoy most? And as an idol, are you satisfied with the improvements you’ve shown for the past years since your debut? Do you think you can say that you’re now proud of yourself and what you have become?

Jihan: Since becoming an adult, I feel like I haven’t achieved anything particularly yet! I was happy to change my debit card to the one I wanted. I’m not satisfied yet, but I’ll try my best to grow step by step and become an even more impressive singer!

Jaehee: The best part since becoming an adult is feeling like I’ve become cooler. It’s really satisfying when I think to myself, “I’ve become more impressive”... I feel proud. I was 17 when I debuted, and I’ve grown since then. Now being an adult, I feel that I’ve also grown mentally and I’m very satisfied with the person I’ve become.

allkpop: I read in an interview with Weeekly in 2021 where Monday said, “In an interview later, I hope I can say that, ‘Weeekly has its own genre.’” Do you think that you’ve achieved that now already, that you’ve already established a genre that when a K-Pop fan hears a song of yours, they would immediately think, “Oh, that’s a Weeekly song!”?

Jihan: I think we’re still in the process of finding our own colors! It’s really gratifying whenever people tell us that we’re gradually finding it!

Zoa: I believe Weeekly shines in genres that highlight the chemistry among the members! We’ll continue to strive to establish Weeekly’s distinct genre in the future!

allkpop: What does Weeekly do collectively before going up on a stage?

Soojin: Before going on stage, we have a chant that goes, “Can we do it? We can do it!”

allkpop: To conclude this interview, please tell us one of your favorite songs right now and one goal each one of you would like to achieve this year or next year, be it personal or music-related!

Soojin: My favorite song at the moment is all the tracks included in Weeekly’s 5th mini-album! Also, my goal is to do a meet-and-greet with our Daileees. Personally, I’d like to study and master English!

Monday: First and foremost, I was truly honored to do this interview with you! My favorite song these days is “VROOM VROOM” by Weeekly! It’s a comfortable song to listen to in weather like these days, so I definitely recommend it. I’d like to express my gratitude to our fans who waited for Weeekly during our hiatus, and I hope we’ll have more opportunities to meet our Daileees in the coming years. Thank you for always supporting us even from afar. Always love and appreciate you, Daileees!

Soeun: The song that I’m most into these days is “WHAT WOULD YOU DO?” by HONNE. I always listen to it before bed. I recommend listening to it on nights when you can’t fall asleep! And next year, I hope we have more opportunities to meet Daileees who always support us from overseas, and even have the chance to hold concerts abroad. 

Jaehee: Right now, I really love the song “At That Moment” by WSG Wannabe. This year and next year as well, I hope for nothing but fortune and positive experiences.

Jihan: I’d like to engage in many activities to meet Daileees in person, just as you have patiently waited for Weeekly’s comeback!

Zoa: First, I hope our Weeekly album receives a lot of love. Next year, I wish to meet our fans in various places in diverse ways! Also, I’ll become an adult next year~ So I want to show a more mature version of myself! 

Socials:

Twitter: _Weeekly (Company account), by_Weeekly (Members account)
Instagram: _Weeekly
Facebook: Weeekly Official
YouTube: Weeekly 위클리
TikTok: @weeekly
Fan Cafe: Weeekly
Weverse: Weeekly