Hit by 'Cupid,' global listeners are head over heels for Fifty Fifty

Virality was the key to success for the K-pop girl group Fifty Fifty to break records in the biggest Western music charts, US-based Billboard and UK-based Official Charts, despite its low profile in South Korea.

Fifty Fifty, which consists of four members -- Keena, Aran, Sio and Saena -- debuted in November last year with its first EP “The Fifty” led by the title track “Higher.”

Fifty Fifty, housed by a small-sized independent record label Attrakt, seemed set for an uphill struggle against K-pop rookies backed by K-pop powerhouses in an already overcrowded K-pop market. Attrakt is a newcomer label established in 2021 and Fifty Fifty is the first and the only idol group it has launched so far.

In light of the odds stacked against it, Attrackt aimed for virality on TikTok to target a global audience instead of a local fandom.

A TikTok dance challenge of Fifty Fifty with the sped-up version of its latest single “Cupid” went viral on the platform, which translated into commercial success.

Soon after the song’s popularity, “Cupid” charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Official Singles Chart Top 100.

“K-pop has had an issue connecting their songs with TikTok users, who are very influential in music these days on a global scale. There are several songs by top-selling acts that have gone viral on TikTok, but there needs to be more to engage with that audience," Jeff Benjamin, a K-pop columnist at US music magazine Billboard, told The Korea Herald.

"'Cupid' is brilliant for being released in these two similar but distinct versions that allow the listener to pick their favorite. Not only does 'Cupid' have both a Korean and English version to cater to the different audiences, but Fifty Fifty has fully leaned into what makes a song a 'hit' on TikTok by officially releasing their own sped-up version of 'Cupid,' since that remix is what helped the song initially get noticed.”

Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” currently stands at No. 9 on the Official Singles Chart Top 100 and at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 -- the highest rank achieved by a female K-pop act.

Experts also point to the band's musical strengths as a factor to its success, setting it apart from most K-pop artists who rely mostly on downloads and album sales from their fandom.

“Fifty Fifty exercises subtle vocals that are easy to listen to. They did not focus on the performance or an impact in the hook, but rather on making a good song that makes you want to listen more,” said local music critic Jung Min-jae.

“I have to give a shout-out to the members of Fifty Fifty themselves, since I think they are genuinely standout vocalists. The youngest member, Aran, has a gorgeous warm tone that reminds me of a lot of western R&B and soul singers. ‘Cupid’ also has a chord change in the original Korean version's final chorus, which I haven't heard in many K-pop songs lately, and it gives it an epic ending and makes it stand out from the high competition of hit girl group tracks,” Benjamin said.

After its rapid rise to stardom, the group and its production team was being cautious about what to present next.

“We are burdened by the chart results and pondering over what song we should drop next. We'll make an effort to return with better music that can show our distinctive colors as a group," Saena of Fifty Fifty said during a press conference last month in Seoul.

It appears that the agency is almost ready to bring the girls back onstage.

“Please look forward to our next episode. Another one coming soon,” announced Siahn, the co-CEO of Attrakt who produced Cupid, on Fifty Fifty’s official YouTube channel two weeks ago.