Why LIGHTSUM chose 'kawaii' concept for Japan debut

LIGHTSUM made its Japanese major-label debut in Japan with a kawaii concept built around local idol culture. The six-member group released its mini-album Re:idol on Sept. 23 after a roughly two-year hiatus. Cube Entertainment said the goal was to introduce Japanese idol culture alongside LIGHTSUM’s new charms and build a long-term local base.

LIGHTSUM released its debut mini-album Re:idol on Sept. 23.

The group consists of Sangah, Chowon, Nayoung, Hina, Juhyeon and Yujeong.

The Japanese debut followed a roughly two-year hiatus, and the group is meeting fans in Hokkaido, Tokyo and Osaka through live performances and high-touch events.

Published Oct 1, 2026 11:26 am KST

The 6-member K-pop act returns from a 2-year hiatus to embrace local Japanese fan culture, revive its career

K-pop girl group LIGHTSUM / Courtesy of Cube Entertainment

A five-year veteran K-pop girl group has taken the rare step of launching its Japanese major-label debut.

LIGHTSUM, which debuted in Korea in 2021, has embarked on a new venture built around "kawaii" — the Japanese aesthetic centered on cuteness — leaning into the country's distinct idol culture. Now in its sixth year, the group is seeking a fresh start in Japan by abandoning its established style to tackle the overseas market.

The six-member act — Sangah, Chowon, Nayoung, Hina, Juhyeon and Yujeong — released its debut mini-album, "Re:idol," on Sept. 23. The album title signals the group's intent to start over in Japan under a transformed identity.

The release arrives after a roughly two-year hiatus. Adapting its image for the new concept, LIGHTSUM brought the bright, charming aesthetics of Japanese idols to the forefront, overhauling its makeup, stage wardrobe and poses.

The kawaii concept marks a sharp departure from standard K-pop girl-group conventions. Instead of replicating its Korean image in Japan, the group actively embraced the participatory fan culture of the local idol scene, modifying its greeting etiquette and choreography while scheduling individual fan-signing sessions, high-touch greeting events and one-on-one photo sessions.

The move prompted questions across the industry, particularly over why the group chose a concept catering to a niche audience even within Japan.

"Rather than targeting only a specific niche demographic, we wanted to showcase Japanese idol culture together with LIGHTSUM's new charms," an official from Cube Entertainment told the Hankook Ilbo. "We plan to meet local fans with a more approachable, bright and lovely look."

Members of LIGHTSUM, clockwise from top left, Sangah, Hina, Nayoung, Juhyeon, Yujeong and Chowon / Courtesy of Cube Entertainment

The members also had reservations about the pivot during the planning stages.

"Because this was a process of preparing for a new challenge, the members had various concerns," the agency said. "However, they found value in gaining diverse experiences in a new environment and prepared step by step."

The campaign's ultimate objective is also clearly defined as establishing LIGHTSUM among local fans rather than chasing short-term commercial success, using direct, in-person encounters to broaden the group's long-term appeal.

Following the album's release, LIGHTSUM is meeting local fans directly across Hokkaido, Tokyo and Osaka for short live performances and high-touch events. The group also documented its preparations for the Japanese debut in the streaming documentary "Re:Idol."

To establish a competitive edge in Japan, the group is adapting its music, digital content and fan engagement methods to make the members more familiar and accessible to local fans.

"The primary goal is to firmly establish the group locally and lay the groundwork for ongoing engagement through performances and other avenues," the agency said.

For LIGHTSUM, the Japanese debut carries far greater weight than a standard promotional expansion. It represents a long-awaited chance to return to the stage after enduring an extended period of inactivity. In the documentary, member Sangah recalled the strain of their prolonged hiatus.

"What upset me most was having an empty schedule, but recently my schedule has become very packed," Sangah said. "Rather than feeling exhausted, I am simply so happy."

The members echoed similar sentiments. Chowon said she hopes to "make LIGHTSUM known to many people and stay busy promoting in both Korea and Japan without resting." Nayoung added, "I want to have an incredibly busy year-end. Just performing on the stage we waited for is a precious opportunity."

LIGHTSUM's ambitions for this new chapter are not fancy, but straightforward: to meet more fans, maintain an active schedule and stand once again on the stage they love. The response in Japan will ultimately reveal whether adopting established local conventions can restore sustained momentum to a group in its sixth year.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

LIGHTSUM以围绕本土偶像文化打造的可爱概念在日本主流唱片公司出道。这支六人组合在时隔近两年后，于9月23日发行了迷你专辑《Re:idol》。Cube娱乐表示，此举旨在将日本偶像文化与LIGHTSUM的全新魅力相结合，并建立长期的本土粉丝基础。

LIGHTSUM于9月23日发行了首张迷你专辑《Re:idol》。

该组合由 Sangah、Chowon、Nayoung、Hina、Juhyeon 和 Yujeong 组成。

时隔近两年，该组合在日本正式出道。他们将在北海道、东京和大阪通过现场演出和互动活动与粉丝见面。

发布于2026年10月1日上午11:26（韩国标准时间）

这支由六名成员组成的韩国流行音乐组合在中断两年后回归，旨在融入日本本土粉丝文化，重振事业。

韩国女子组合 LIGHTSUM / 图片由 Cube Entertainment 提供

出道五年的韩国流行女子组合迈出了罕见的一步，正式进军日本主流唱片公司。

LIGHTSUM于2021年在韩国出道，如今以“可爱”（kawaii）——一种以可爱为核心的日本美学——为核心，开启了全新的发展方向，并融入了日本独特的偶像文化。出道六年之际，该组合正寻求在日本市场重新出发，他们放弃了以往的风格，转而进军海外市场。

由六名成员组成的组合——Sangah、Chowon、Nayoung、Hina、Juhyeon 和 Yujeong——于 9 月 23 日发行了首张迷你专辑《Re:idol》。专辑名称表明该组合打算以全新的身份在日本重新开始。

时隔近两年，LIGHTSUM携新作回归。为了配合新的概念，LIGHTSUM将日本偶像明亮迷人的美学风格展现得淋漓尽致，对其妆容、舞台服装和姿势都进行了彻底的改造。

可爱风的概念标志着该组合与传统的韩国流行女团模式截然不同。她们没有照搬韩国的形象，而是积极融入当地偶像圈的粉丝互动文化，调整了问候礼仪和舞蹈编排，并安排了个人签名会、近距离互动活动和一对一合影。

此举引发了业内人士的质疑，尤其是关于该集团为何选择在日本国内也只迎合小众群体的概念。

“我们并不想只针对特定的小众群体，而是希望展现日本偶像文化以及LIGHTSUM的新魅力，”Cube娱乐公司的一位负责人告诉《韩国日报》。“我们计划以更平易近人、阳光可爱的形象与当地粉丝见面。”

LIGHTSUM 成员，从左上角顺时针方向依次为：Sangah、Hina、Nayoung、Juhyeon、Yujeong 和 Chowon / 由 Cube Entertainment 提供

在规划阶段，成员们也对这一转型有所保留。

该机构表示：“由于这是一个为迎接新挑战做准备的过程，成员们各有顾虑。然而，他们发现，在新的环境中积累多元化的经验很有价值，并一步一步地做好了准备。”

该活动的最终目标也明确定义为在当地粉丝中建立 LIGHTSUM 的形象，而不是追求短期的商业成功，而是通过直接的、面对面的接触来扩大该团体的长期吸引力。

专辑发行后，LIGHTSUM将在北海道、东京和大阪等地与当地粉丝进行小型现场演出和互动活动。此外，该组合还制作了名为《Re:Idol》的流媒体纪录片，记录了他们为日本出道所做的准备工作。

为了在日本建立竞争优势，该组合正在调整其音乐、数字内容和粉丝互动方式，以使成员们更容易被当地粉丝所熟知和接触。

该机构表示：“主要目标是在当地稳固该团体的地位，并通过演出和其他途径为持续参与奠定基础。”

对于LIGHTSUM来说，此次日本首秀的意义远超一般的宣传拓展。这代表着她们在经历了漫长的沉寂期后，终于有机会重返舞台。在纪录片中，成员Sangah回忆了她们长期休整期间所承受的压力。

桑加说：“最让我难过的是以前日程空空如也，但最近我的日程变得非常满了。我非但没有感到疲惫，反而感到非常开心。”

成员们也表达了类似的感受。周媛表示，她希望“让更多人认识LIGHTSUM，并在韩国和日本两地保持忙碌的宣传活动，不间断”。娜英补充道：“我希望年末能过得非常充实。能够登上我们期待已久的舞台，本身就是一次宝贵的机会。”

LIGHTSUM对新篇章的愿景并不宏大，而是直截了当：与更多粉丝见面，保持活跃的演出日程，并再次站在他们热爱的舞台上。最终，日本市场的反响将揭示，沿用当地既定的演出模式能否让这支成军六年的组合重获持续发展势头。

本文来自《韩国日报》（《韩国时报》的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。