Hearts2Hearts is celebrating its first anniversary on Tuesday on a serious high, riding the momentum of Friday’s new single, the music video of which continues to rack up views at breakneck speed, and a weekend fan meet and greet in Seoul.

“Over the past year, we’ve grown so much while receiving so much love, and every moment has stayed with me as a precious memory,” said member Jiwoo in a press release on Tuesday. “I really think that we’ve made it this far thanks to our fans S2U, who have always supported us.”


“The past year has been filled with happy memories for us thanks to our fans,” added member Yuha. “Thank you for always being a reassuring presence by our side. We’ll become a Hearts2Hearts that you can be proud of so we can stay together for a long, long time. I love you forever!”

Hearts2Hearts — an octet comprising Ye-on, Stella, Yuha, Ian, A-na, Juun, Carmen and Jiwoo — first stepped into the K-pop scene on Feb. 24, 2025, with its debut track “The Chase” and released the song “Style” and its first EP “Focus” that same year. Hearts2Hearts is SM Entertainment’s first new girl group since aespa's debut in 2020.

“What I remember most is the showcase for our first EP 'Focus,'” said A-na. “Because it was our first one, all of us worked really hard to prepare for it. And during the showcase, I felt as if we grew closer to our fans.”

The group also held its first fan meet and greet at Olympic Hall in southern Seoul’s Olympic Park on Saturday and Sunday. Before the event, Hearts2Hearts released the single “Rude!” on Friday. As of Monday, the song peaked at No. 8 on Melon’s Top 100 chart.

“Even now, I still can’t believe we held a fan meet and greet,” said Carmen. “Every moment of laughter, tears and excitement has become an unforgettable memory, and I was happy I could experience that as a member of Hearts2Hearts.”

"'Rude!' was a song that all of us liked as soon as we heard it,” said Stella. “I’m so happy that it’s getting so much love right after its release. I can really feel our fans’ passionate support, which makes me even prouder.”

The music video for “Rude!” surpassed 10 million views about a day after its release and had over 28 million views as of 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

“This time, we also put a lot of thought into the performance,” said Yuha. “We worked hard to emphasize the chemistry among the eight of us, and we tried to add lots of elements to make it fun for those watching, to the point that every part feels like a highlight.”

“Thank you so much for always cheering us on and loving us,” Carmen said to S2U. “No one knows how big my love for my fans truly is. Don’t go anywhere. Promise me.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]