AtHeart on “Plot Twist,” a Whirlwind Debut, and Finding Themselves in Real Time
For a group only a few months into their career, AtHeart already feels surprisingly clear about who they are. The seven-member girl group under TITAN CONTENT officially debuted on August 13, 2025, with their EP Plot Twist, a punchy first chapter that arrived after months of pre-debut buzz around their hyperpop-tinted track “Good Girl (AtHeart)” and a carefully rolled-out lineup reveal. The early attention paid off fast; between music-show stages, international press, and several rookie nods, they’ve quickly slipped onto “next wave of K-pop” lists with listeners.
Their name also says a lot about how they want to move through that spotlight. Combining “Heart” with “At” and the “@” symbol, it hints at a constant connection and a direct emotional line between the members and the people listening to them. Rather than chasing an untouchable idol image, they talk about being sincere and even a little unpolished. The idea is simple—at heart, they are just as confused, hopeful, and in-progress as the fans screaming for them—and the music is where those parallel stories meet.
You can hear that in “Plot Twist,” a high-energy track that snaps between bold delivery and quieter, more exposed moments. There’s plenty of shine in the arrangement, but the writing still leaves room for small, everyday details that feel lived-in. It’s less obsessed with perfection than with bottling that in-between space of growing up and figuring things out. And in a crowded K-pop landscape, that balance between polished performance and something a little more candid is what makes their debut feel personal, even as the choruses go big.
Stardust recently sat down with AtHeart to look back on that first whirlwind debut season, talk about the real lives feeding into their songs, and hear how seven teenagers are learning who they are in front of the world, together.
You just debuted back in August, but I’m sure you’ve grown a lot as artists during that short time. When you think back to that first stage, what details stand out the most in your memory now?
ARIN: The first stage was our debut showcase, and I remember being so nervous and overwhelmed because I was feeling so many emotions for the very first time. All these emotions hit me at the same time, and when the stage ended, I actually started crying because I was just so happy. Feeling something that strong made me realize how grateful I am to be doing this. So now, I always go on stage thinking, ‘This could be my last one,’ and I try to bring even better energy and good tension every time. I’m really excited for everything that’s coming next.
NAHYUN: One moment that really stands out to me is our first performance in the US at the AtHeart Experience. It was our first time performing in front of our US fans, and it was also the day we introduced “Knew Me” on stage. Even though it was the song’s live debut, hearing the fans sing along honestly made me emotional. It’s definitely one of those moments I’ll never forget. I hope we can have many more chances to perform up close and connect with our fans even more.
Your whole concept is about being honest, relatable teenagers rather than distant idols. How does that show up when you’re in the practice room or studio, making decisions together?
BOME: We’ve been trying to express the honesty that comes with being teenagers—both in who we are and in our music. Because of that, we spend a lot of time reflecting, trying different things, and exploring what feels the truest to us. And we always remind ourselves to show our authentic, natural selves rather than something overly polished. Going forward, we want to keep challenging ourselves, talking things through, and helping each other so that people can see us genuinely growing and maturing. We honestly feel like there’s no limit to what we can show, so we’re confident that we’ll be able to share many more sides of ourselves in the future.
MICHI: AtHeart has prioritized authenticity and reliability since the beginning. The idea of us being our authentic selves comes into play when making creative decisions, like how we choose to express our songs and performances through facial expressions and emotions. It helps us stay genuine and stay connected to our music and the messages we want to convey to our audience. Especially in a world where it’s easy to hide parts of yourself and create a false image, we remain open-minded to each other’s ideas, opinions, and feedback to find the best way to accurately represent who we are. During practice, we don’t fear imperfection; we embrace an environment that allows us to experiment freely as we discover who AtHeart is at heart—pun intended. This transparency, openness, and dedication ultimately helps us grow closer to our fans.
Outside of music, what parts of your everyday life do you think influence your songs the most—friendships, family, hobbies, or something else entirely?
SEOHYEON: Outside of music, I think the biggest influence on my songs is just who I am in the moment. I feel like every song carries the artist’s emotions, expressions, the way they act, their personality, and the story they want to tell. So, as I change a little bit every day, those little changes end up showing up in my music the most.
KATELYN: I think it’s my relationships—like my friends and family. And I’ve realized that when I listen to other artists’ songs, they often feel like reflections of how they felt, acted, or expressed themselves in that moment. Whatever I’m feeling or experiencing at the time naturally influences my songs too.
Musically, where does each of you feel most yourself right now—whether that’s singing, rapping, dancing, writing, or producing—and how do you hope that part of you will grow over the next few releases?
BOME: Everyone might already guess this, but I feel most like myself when I’m singing. It might sound like an obvious answer, but I actually hope people see that in me, because that’s really who I am. When it comes to singing, the way you deliver a song can make it completely your own, and that’s something I really connect with. I haven’t done it yet, but I really want to try rapping someday, and I’m also super interested in writing and composing. If I ever get the chance, I’d love to try all three.
ARIN: I feel like I shine the most when I’m dancing. I’m really the happiest in those moments, and I love expressing a song with my whole body because it’s so fun to me. I know there’s still a lot I need to work on, and I want to show even more sides of myself as a dancer. And if I ever get the chance, I’d love to help create choreography for AtHeart someday.
When new listeners find your music, what’s one thing you hope they learn about who each of you as individuals?
MICHI: If you happen to discover AtHeart’s music, congratulations! You’re opening yourself up to a new world of our own. As we grow and release new songs, you’ll start to notice the unique qualities each of us brings. Coming from diverse backgrounds, we all have various personalities, emotions, and preferences that you may find yourself relating to. Together, we have built a family-like bond, and through our music, we want to share our raw experiences and true selves as a group of girls who are ready to take on the world. Listeners and fans can connect with who we really are while joining AtHeart on our journey.
NAHYUN: I hope that people who hear AtHeart’s music for the first time can feel really good energy from us. For example, when you listen to “Good Girl (AtHeart)” or “Push Back,” I want you to feel the excitement and fun vibe of those songs. And with “Plot Twist,” I hope you can feel all the different emotions and the more heartfelt moments in it. Through our music, I want fans to feel their own emotions and connect with us in a real and honest way. We want to share our true feelings through every song.
When you look at the music you’ve released so far, what part of this first era feels the most ‘you’ in terms of sound or story?
SEOHYEON: I feel like “Knew Me” is the song that represents AtHeart the most. “Knew Me” is about discovering a new version of yourself, and to me, it reminds me of how each of us—before debut—was just an ordinary student who didn’t fully realize our own strengths or charms yet. After debuting as AtHeart, it felt like we all discovered a new side of ourselves. There’s a line in the song that goes, ‘my eyes are clearer, I like this rhythm that feels like me,’ and when I first read it, it felt like welcoming a new version of myself—like my path was becoming clearer, and I was finally doing something that truly fit me. That lyric really reminded me of myself and the members, which is why the song feels especially meaningful to me.
KATELYN: For me, I’ve said this countless times, but I loved “Push Back” from the beginning. “Push Back” just has this vibe that I love so much, and it has an upbeat, kind of beachy vibe to it, so whenever I’m listening to the song, I’m in a good mood. And I just love afro-style songs and dance, so when we were recording and learning the choreo for this song, I had so much fun.
You’ve said you want listeners to feel seen and understood through your music. Has there been a message or moment with a fan that made you feel seen in return?
KATELYN: Whenever we have these fan events, they tell me things or notice little things about me, and sometimes hearing that makes me feel really appreciated and loved. It’s the small things they notice, and also whenever I receive fan letters.
MICHI: Simply hearing how fans feel better after listening to our music warms my heart since it’s always been a goal of mine to reach people in that way. Also, when fans notice small details in our songs or music videos—even choices we make on stage—it shows me that people care about what we do. The work and thought that goes into the album pays off.
When schedules get busy, what do you like to do together that makes you feel like regular teenagers again, not just performers?
NAHYUN: On stage, I try to look professional and confident, but once we’re back at home, where we all live together, I turn into the youngest who gets taken care of by the members. For example, if there’s a bug, they’re the ones who catch it for me, and when I don’t want to be alone, they stay with me.
ARIN: I think this job makes it hard to go to school normally, and it’s not easy to hang out with friends or make the same memories they do. I’m graduating soon, but one of the few times I really felt like a teenager was when I bought a movie ticket at the teen price. And every time I have to be home before 10 p.m., I’m like, ‘Oh, right, I’m still a teen,’ and it feels kind of funny and cute. When I get to see my friends, we joke around and play like little kids. Moments like that remind me there’s still a teenage side of me.
