After LOONA’s run sent its members in different directions, Heejin, Haseul, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry quickly found their way back to each other as ARTMS. What started as a new banner for familiar faces has evolved into its own arc, with the group pushing further from their origins and deeper into a sound and story that feels unmistakably their own.

Early ARTMS tracks like “Unf/air” and “Virtual Angel” made that clear right away, folding in flashes of hyperpop, sharp electronic textures, and a few left-field pop turns that feel like a natural extension of their evolved instincts. Since then, they’ve only widened the frame. ARTMS has taken their latest tour on the road, released the introspective Club Icarus album, and put these songs in front of fans long enough for them to breathe in real time. Alongside that, the members’ solo releases keep showing just how many directions this universe can stretch.

It’s a run marked by visible, hands-on creativity, where writing, styling, and performance all feel closely held. For a group that already survived one lifetime and rebuilt from the ground up, it’s exactly where you want to see them. Now, the lineup is catching up with Stardust to talk about the ARTMS journey, new music, tour life, and the universe they’re building together.

Dall essentially sketched the outline of ARTMS. What musical or visual rule did you have for that album that maybe you're now ready to break?

HeeJin: We do break visual and musical rules occasionally, but this is not necessarily a prerequisite to move forward. So what I'd like to focus on is the conceptual evolution from our debut to Club Icarus. Dall was an album that explored the idea of transcendent love, a love that exists whether the one I love is right in front of me or beyond the screen.

In Club Icarus, we took this idea a step further—the person beyond the screen becomes real. Since we all ache and have our own wounds, Club Icarus was envisioned as a place where we can heal each other's pain. And in this vein, I'm excited to see what we do next and what our next project will shape out to be.

On Club Icarus, is there a production choice that best captures the "ARTMS" center—or an element you keep protecting in mixes?

Choerry: I'd say this element is not really about production or music but rather something larger that is at the core of ARTMS—the sincere desire for connection. For example, on Club Icarus we focused on the concept of one's digital hideout extending into their reality. It wasn't simply through the online spaces, images, or the narrative, but we were able to communicate and connect with fans through the club events as well as the tour—we wanted to create fun experiences of the online connecting with the offline, along with our fans.

As five artists with strong solo identities, how do you typically decide who leads a section—by timbre, narrative, choreography, or something else?

HeeJin: Vocals as well as performance are important; however, I believe that the most crucial thing is the question of how I am going to appeal to the general public. That's why whenever we are in the process of making an album, I always sketch an image inside my head—in that way I can move forward. I am also not afraid of voicing my opinions to the company. I think that the visual aspect is the most important.

Kim Lip: Of course, everyone knows that each member can bring out a good vibe in their own unique way. However, when I listen to the song, I can more or less picture who would suit that part the best.

HaSeul: The five of us have very distinctive and unique personalities, so rather than one member taking the lead, when someone is assigned a certain part, they make an effort to make it truly their own. And through that effort, that part becomes something that really represents them.

JinSoul: Since we have spent a long time together, we know and understand each other's personalities, so upon hearing a certain part, we can immediately visualize who suits that part the best. Of course, things like vocal tone or choreography are naturally taken into consideration, but sometimes the members' personalities come through too, [laughs]. On the flip side, they also like to challenge themselves with new things.

Choerry: I don't think we have ever had any difficulties in the process of making group songs, as we think similarity and our understanding of the direction we want to go in are the same. We also don't shy away from giving suggestions if someone's confident in a certain field or has a good idea.

You've built tours with evolving concepts—Lunar Theory into Grand Club Icarus. What does the new tour change in pacing, visuals, or set architecture?

HaSeul: Grand Club Icarus is a completely different show compared to Moonshot and Lunar Theory. Grand Club Icarus is a club where we all gather together to heal our wounds, and musically, as well as performance-wise, it resonates with club music aesthetics. Also, we will be performing with a special DJ on tour—it's a big challenge and also a new direction to explore as an artist.

Your solo tracks from 2023-2025 have landed really well with fans. What does each of you explore solo that doesn't quite fit inside ARTMS?

HeeJin: Through "Algorithm," I think I wanted to show the liveliness within me. The title of ‘K-princess’ was unfamiliar to me, so the process of making the entire album, K, was very fun!

I explored the hard rock genre for my new song "sAvioR." I was really nervous as it was my first time performing in this genre. When the song came out, I found myself unable to look up the reactions for quite some time, but our OURII liked the track a lot, so I felt the weight fall off my shoulders. I definitely feel like I am broadening my musical spectrum through my solo activities, since it's the type of music we don't explore as ARTMS. Even preparing for this project was such a fun and interesting experience.

Kim Lip: I think that Kim Lip's solo is of a completely different color compared to the concept of ARTMS. ARTMS is quite far away from the sexy concept, but I thought that the track "Can You Entertain?" needed a little bit of sexiness and girl crush energy. To do that, I built on the concepts I've explored so far and brought out a version of myself that feels more natural and expressive within them. I think that among the five of us, this concept suits me the best, and I performed it while truly immersing myself in it.

JinSoul: I recently released my solo song "Ring of Chaos." First of all, the lyrics of the song are entirely focused on me—something that I could only express through a solo track. The music video is based on a hip-hop concept, which is one that we as ARTMS haven't tried yet. There are quite a few moments on stage where I can just freely enjoy myself, which is a first for me, so I think it'll feel really fresh.

HaSeul: I think that my solo songs have a completely different charm to them compared to the ARTMS tracks. They aren't as vivid; they are rather calm, and I put a lot of effort into showing the emotions that are unique to me, Cho HaSeul. Among the solo songs I released, a lot of them are of the city-pop genre; however, in the future, I would love to explore other genres as well.

Choerry: My solo track this time is called "Pressure." I haven't released a solo song in a long time, so it's one that I cherish a lot. Also, as the youngest member of ARTMS, I believe I was able to radiate bright, joyous energy through this release. Also, through participating in writing the lyrics, I believe that this song is a staple to my growth as I'm finding my own identity.

When you think about getting to perform across the US in November, which stages or cities have shaped your setlist decisions the most—and how?

JinSoul: For the Grand Club Icarus tour, we talked a lot about the setlist among the members. One of the most important things to us was that we really wanted to show a different performance than what we showcased on the previous tours. Performances that are not obvious—I hope it doesn't feel predictable, and that even our fans who've been with us for a long time can experience something new this time.

What do you hope first-time showgoers take away from an ARTMS set that isn't obvious on record?

Kim Lip: I think it's the sense of liveliness. What you see on screen might look repetitive at times, but when it comes to performing on stage, I feel like our real charm comes through much more vividly. Being able to make eye contact, smile, and share the moment directly with fans—it's not only enjoyable for them, but for us too. Having that kind of two-way connection during a performance is truly an amazing experience.

If you each had to choose your favorite thing about this tour, what would it be?

HeeJin: I think the club references are something that I am looking forward to the most. Usually, when you think of a concert, the performances continue one after another like a playlist; however, this time, the concert will only be successful if the fans are truly immersed in the fun of it. I really think that we collectively, us as well as our fans, will feel like we are all in the club together, and this is something I am really looking forward to.

Kim Lip: This tour is especially exciting for me since I'm such a big fan of Western food and desserts! I'm really looking forward to experiencing even more cultures and cuisines along the way!

HaSeul: I really love the song arrangements for this tour. We really rearranged all the songs to have a club feel. This time, for the encore, we're performing a mash-up of ARTMS tracks along with our solo and unit songs—it's the first time we're showing it, and I think the fans are going to love it, so I'm really looking forward to it.

JinSoul: On this tour, there are a lot of cities we will be visiting for the very first time. I am so excited to find out what kind of energy these places have! Also, I am very much excited about the rearrangements of our songs, as well as solo performances!

Choerry: For me personally, it's the concept itself. Through Club Icarus, we were able to get closer with our fans. I love the concept and the fact that it allows us to express our stories in a more realistic manner. I am really looking forward to this tour.