The Delight of CSR
POP MUSIC’s CSR brings the fun, youthful energy one might expect from a group named after the Korean words for “first love,” cheot sarang. As a group composed of members born solely in 2005, their debut concept last year revolved heavily around the age of 17 and its coming-of-age adventures. Their discography feels reminiscent of those seen in the early careers of third generation girl groups such Apink, GFRIEND, and Lovelyz. Having three music releases under their belt, CSR enters the crowd of fourth generation girl groups with bright and innocent tunes.
Sequence : 7272
Sua, Geumhee, Sihyeon, Seoyeon, Yuna, Duna, and Yeham sang their way into many people’s hearts on their debut last July with the EP Sequence : 7272. Though English-speaking K-Pop fans might pronounce the numbers at the end of its title like “seven-two-seven-two,” the phonetic pronunciation in Korean holds more meaning. Pronouncing “seven” and “two” in a sequence sounds similar to jjiritjjirit, a Korean term for throbbing — in this case, of the heart — which fits to evoke the heart-thumping experience of a first love. The title track “Pop? Pop!” uses onomatopoeia to describe the heart bursting with overwhelming emotion.
CSR compares* this explosive revelation of a first love to everything from fireworks in the sky, to a balloon popping, the crackling of popping candy, and even corn kernels turning into popcorn. The repetitive “pops” following the chorus strike as catchy while the group displays some impressive handwork. “Pop? Pop!” is one cute package sure to leave listeners grinning in nostalgia.
Sequence : 17&
CSR came back in the fall with their first single album Sequence : 17&. Released in November, the title track “♡TiCON” (pronounced “love-ticon”) details the confusing feelings of love, especially towards an unexpected crush. The choreography features badges shaped like hearts, initially attached to CSR’s outfits, that play a role in the chorus when the members take the hearts into their hands and present them to the viewer like a gift.
On December 2, 2022, this display of love earned CSR their first show win on Music Bank. Although the win garnered some controversy due to low album sales and streaming numbers, the group clarified in an interview with Korea JoongAngDaily that the response encourages them to work harder. The single album marked a transition period between age 17 and 18, another step in growing up. Coinciding with the Sequence series’ completion, CSR also promoted the B-side track “Anding (&),” a pun combining “and” with “ending.” The song discusses* the friendship between the members and their affection for their fans, MAEUM, which means “heart” in Korean.
DELIGHT
CSR followed up Sequence : 17& with DELIGHT in March. While “Pop? Pop!” and “♡TiCON” display a nervous side of teenage years, the latest title track “Shining Bright” beams with confidence. This pop-rock track tells listeners to remain persistent in the face of obstacles. “Walls are mirages that the world made up / do what you want, follow your heart / listen to the heart beating faster,” they sing* after the first chorus. It includes a nice callback to “Pop? Pop!” when Yuna uses “pop” repeatedly to signify an increasing heart rate.
CSR continues the theme of growing up with the promoted B-side, “Eighteen (Signal).” This song brings together the present and the future, talking about the present and future selves sending signals of encouragement and comfort. Befitting a song using “signal” in its title, morse code anchors this song as a motif. CSR expresses this desire of the future self saving them by using “S.O.S” in the chorus, an emergency morse code signal. However, with the way CSR continues to trek on, it appears only an exciting path lies ahead for this young group.
“Pop? Pop!” lyric translations from: CSR “Pop? Pop!” Debut Stage | The First Judgement
“Anding (&)” meaning from: Simply K-Pop CON-TOUR Ep. 546
“Shining Bright” lyric translations from: CSR “Shining Bright” Special Clip
Edited by Omani