In Conversation: AtHeart on their Time Travel Project, collaboration, and inspiration
As we all know, nostalgia is in. It's unavoidable in 2026 as the zeitgeist loves the looks of yesteryear, the sound of a decade or two ago, and we're seeing an abundance of remakes. For AtHeart, there's been an immense focus on reimagining the feelings of the past with their recent Time Travel Project release series. Beginning with "Lovefool" by The Cardigans and then Roo'Ra's "3!4!", the two songs from 1996 got a revamp for the present, with members Michi, Arin, Katelyn, Bome, Seohyeon, Aurora and Nahyun repackaging the sound for the present.
While AtHeart are a K-pop group, they're created by Titan Content, a U.S. based company founded by former SM Entertainment executives and creatives. With members coming from a variety of different countries and backgrounds, the seven have been together since the release of "Plot Twist" last August, and have spent 2026 releasing back-to-back releases.
A year in, the members of AtHeart sat down with Notes on K-pop while in Los Angeles earlier this summer to discuss where they're at, and where they hope they're going.
Tamar Herman: Thank you guys so much for making time today, I know you're really busy. How are you guys enjoying LA so far?
Aurora: We had some In-N-Out.
Was it good?
Aurora: It was really good. Yeah.
Did you like their fries? Which type of fries?
Aurora: We got animal-style fries, as well as just the normal french fries.
Are you guys more animal style or regular style fries? [Members shout out their preferences.]
Aurora: I think we have some other couple opinions here, but yeah.
Michi: We actually went to the beach yesterday. Huntington Beach. It was beautiful. The weather has been so nice.
Now there's a lot of interviews and media that we're gonna do, so I think we've just been thinking a lot about what we want to say, or what we want to tell the fans.
What's the topmost thing at the top of your mind that you want to say or tell your fans?
Michi: I think just being able to promote "Say It" more, and get to show everyone how much of a good song it is.
What do you guys like so much about "Say It"?
Aurora: I think for me, it's the melody line. Because it's a sample song from "Lovefool" by the Cardigans, so the melody of that song is similar with our version, with "Say It", so I like the melody line, and the vocals, and the overall kind of nostalgic vibe.
You are all very young, so it's a bit funny to hear about the nostalgic vibe for the 90s. I'm curious about what other 90s music, if any, you are fans of.
Katelyn: Well, my playlist is full of 90s music. I'm really all about that vibe, so when I heard about this kind of project that we would be doing, I was so excited. I don't really listen to just, like, one artist. I have a whole play list. I just search up a vibe that I'm feeling on Spotify, and it's mostly 90s.
Arin: For me, I often listen to music from the 90s, even in the car while we're driving. It's really hard to choose one, but I listen to Korean artists from the 90s, such as H.O.T., S.E.S., Seo Taeji & Boys, Roo'ra.
The classics... AtHeart is under Titan, which is run by many people from SM. So what's the experience for you like, debuting under this label with a lot of experience under it?
Bome: I came into Titan with a dream of becoming a singer, and now that my dream is realized, I had different emotions, including happiness, being nervous, but also being excited at the same time.
What inspired you to dream of becoming a singer?
Bome: For me, Girls' Generation's Taeyeon-sunbaenim [senior].
How about everybody else?
Arin: For me, BLACKPINK's Jennie.
Aurora: Kara.
Katelyn: BTS.
Nahyun: Jang Wonyoung from IVE.
Michi: BLACKPINK, Aespa, and Stray Kids.
Seohyun: Twice and BLACKPINK.
You obviously have a lot of inspirations, so I'm curious about what sort of girl group you all hope to be? Each of who said you were inspired by girl groups sound like you have slightly different tastes, so what sort of ideal characteristics do you hope define AtHeart?
Bome: The strength of girl groups is the uniqueness that each team has when we bring each members' different charms together. For example, BLACKPINK. Everyone likes BLACKPINK and looks up to them. When we have individual energy and charms, and we fortify those with teamwork, that's the best type of characteristics for a girl group.
When you come together as a group of people whether it's a professional team like a girl group or just hanging out with your friends, getting along sometimes is really hard. Teamwork is really an integral part of the identity of a team like yours, so I'm curious about – when you first came together – what your feelings were of the entire group, and how you guys work through conflict nowadays?
Arin: I remember the first moment we all met. We all came from different backgrounds and different countries, and we heard that we were going to have to live in the dorm from the day after. It felt very makmakhae (막막해), I couldn't really foresee what the future's going to hold. I was surprised that we all got along together. We haven't had any specific conflicts yet, but if we do, we're gonna solve it through conversations.
So you guys met one day and moved in together the next day?
Michi: So actually how it happened was that we came one by one, and slowly we built this group together. But I think it was really interesting because, like Arin was saying, we really couldn't understand how we would all come together because we were so different. Not in a bad way, just we all come from such different backgrounds that we weren't sure how we were gonna fit into AtHeart. But I think even after debut we're still figuring this out. But slowly everything is falling into place and becoming so much more natural for us. Even without saying anything, we just know what each other is thinking, or what we'd want to do, and I think communication is also something we really value.
Katelyn: I think it helps that we're together twenty-four-seven. I think it helps us grow together as a group.
Aurora: And going back to the question before, I think we're very unique because, again, we all come from different backgrounds, we all come from different countries. We have so many different charms and strengths. At the start, just like Arin said, it was kind of makmakhae, where I couldn't really see how the future was gonna go. But then I think we grew on making this as our strength and unique charm as our group. I think now, just like Michi said, we just know instantly what everybody's thinking of.
You said specifically that you guys couldn't imagine what the future would look like for you, so now I'm curious: a year later, how do you imagine your future, or what do you think, or hope, is on the path ahead of you guys?
Michi: Right now, since we kind of formed into this one being, we all have the same goals in mind. We kind of figured out who we are, so now, from here, we just want to go as far as we can with our music, with who we perform to, with everything we make. I mean, obviously, we still want to explore and discover what fits us, and what kind of concepts would suit AtHeart the best. But right now, we just have so many dreams.
What's your current dream? Either as individuals or as a group?
Bome: So I really want to do our solo concert, maybe a tour. Because even when we do the [weekly] music shows, there is very high energy and vibe in the room when we only interact with our fans. So I'm hoping we can have a concert that's full of setlist of just our own songs.
Katelyn: Yeah!
Michi: Oh, and also, we always say this, but performing at each of our hometowns one day. Because it would come full circle. Even the girls from Korea aren't from Seoul, they're from all different parts of Korea. So just being able to go back to where we started. And also, I don't know if this is only me, I think this applies to all of us. But in the future, having a bigger role in our music as well, being able to put in more of our opinions, and just being the ones behind it more.
Other members: Yeah, yeah.
Earlier, Michi, you described AtHeart as coming together as one being, and I immediately thought of the idea of like a transformer. So, I'm curious... Who do you guys think reflects each body part of AtHeart?
Aurora: That's a really interesting question.
Arin: Oh, it's fun.
Michi, to Nahyun: Okay, our maknae, let's go.
[Members start talking among themselves.]
Arin, counting off on her fingers: Right leg, left leg, right arm, left arm, stomach...
Aurora: Stomach??
Michi: It could be mouth, eyes, nose...
Katelyn [pointing to different body parts]: This, this, this, and this.
Nahyun: I think the legs are going to be Bome and Arin, because they're going to be the support of the body.
Aurora: They're the oldest in the group, so we trust them to be sturdy.
Nahyun: The arms are me and Seohyun, because we are the ones who cheer the whole group on.
[Thinking] It's so hard!!
Aurora is the neck, because she has the voice that suits the AtHeart vocals the most. She represents the color of AtHeart the best.
The head is Michi because she represents the bright energy that we have as a group. Katelyn is the heart because she's the one who takes care of us.
Do you all agree with this?
All: Yeah!
What was the hardest thing about, coming together as AtHeart?
Arin: Because we have different strength points as individuals, it was hard to meet in the middle ground at first. But as we learned from each other, we were able to come together as a group.
What do you think defines AtHeart's music so far, and what makes it unique?
Nahyun: I think our biggest strength is our vocals that suits different genres, not specifically one genre, but matches many genres.
Michi: I think we talk a lot together before recording each song about how we want to approach it. Say, for "Good Girl", we all agreed upon, like, "We need to go into the recording booth and do this as high energy as we can, and smile as much as you can." So in the end it all sounds like one voice.
And for "Plot Twist", it was kind of the opposite, where it's emotional. So we focused a lot on making that sound different. So I think people who listen to our music can find enjoyment in hearing such different sides of our own voices.
Aurora: Since all of our vocals are really different, I think at the start it was hard to kind of bring every voice together. But like Michi said, we always try to talk about how we want to approach the song, and how we want to execute it in our own way. So now I feel like it's becoming faster to, like, bring everybody in, and so on.
What's your favorite musical moments or lyrics so far from your music?
Aurora: I have one, but I just can't remember it.
Michi: I think for me, my part in "Say It". This time approached it differently than I normally would. My voice is kind of lower, so you can definitely tell it's my part. After the song came out, a lot of my friends and family actually texted me and were like, "Oh, wow, your voice is so low!"And I was like, "Oh, thank you!" I mean, like, "Oh, cool." That is different, but it was a part that I find really stands out, so I'm kind of happy about that.
Bome: For me in "Dot Dot Dot", there's there's a lyric that goes: "이 맘을 믿고서/ 직진해 난 네게" which translates to, "trusting this feeling/ I am heading straight to you", which suits my personality of being confident.
That's a great personality trait.
Aurora: For me, in "Butterfly Doors" there's this lyric [sings]: "맘의 거릴 넘어 네게 기울어갔지". It means, "I'm gonna break this wall that's in front of me, and I'm going to approach you, and I'm going to lean towards you." And I feel like that kind of applies for us and the fans, but also for each other. Because we always try to break down these challenges to become closer, and to lean towards each other and trust each other. So I feel like that's a lyric that kind of means a lot.
That's so sweet.
This is for a newsletter called Notes on K-Pop, and it's for both fans and also industry people, so I ask everyone the same question: what's your relationship to K-pop, and how do you think of or define K-pop?
Aurora: It's a really hard question.
Sorry.
Michi: To me, K-pop is this genre that evolved over time, and obviously started in Korea. I feel like even with the older groups, we see not only this system of how a group is made. But it's an equation of there's always this kind of member, there's this kind of music. But because we're also a global K-pop group, it's not only our music [that] kind of breaks those barriers, our members also kind of don't have those set positions, so I feel like K-pop is kind of becoming a little bit of a freer term.
Bome: The K-pop genre cannot be defined by just one word, because different teams try different concepts and different genres. I feel very proud of what we do, because different people from across the globe support K-pop as a genre, so I want to be part of a group that makes the global fans proud by trying different genres.
What genres are at the top of mind that you'd like to try?
Bome: For me, I really love band songs. I hope for the next song, we do rock style music.
Nahyun: K-pop to me was always besides me while I was growing up, so it almost feels like a friend to me. I hope that for people listening, we can also become a friend who gives love and energy to them.
Before we go, is there anything we haven't chatted about yet that you want to discuss?
Michi: Maybe how "Say It" is a part of our time travel project. I don't know if you know about it, but it's about kind of the concept of how music transcends time. "Say It" as well as another song that we have coming soon, "3!4!" is a part of that project. Since those songs are both made in 1996, it brings together 30 years and the past generation, and is able to mesh it with this generation. We're so happy to be able to spread kind of that nostalgic sound back to the future.
Aurora: It's also a remake, of Roo'Ra. Just like "Say It" with "Lovefool" by the Cardigans, we tried to put in our vibe and charms, but still keep that vibe and sense of musicality the way it was but still add our level of uniqueness to it.
So you guys are going from Swedish pop to K-pop.
AtHeart: Yeah!
Before you go, what's something nowadays that you want other people to know about, that is bringing you joy lately?
Nahyun: I only have good memories of being here in LA, so if I do get vacation next time I hope to visit back with my family.
Katelyn: Oh, ever since the Michael Jackson movie came out, I've just been listening to him non-stop. Even I listen to him to fall asleep. It's an obsession.
Aurora: We can feel it.
Katelyn: And yesterday, we visited his star at the Walk of Fame as well.
What's your Michael Jackson lullaby for falling asleep?
Katelyn: Oh my god...Honestly, any song. I can fall asleep with that.
Michi: Really? Even "Thriller"? [Dances the zombie hands]
Katelyn: I don't have a favorite song, because that's just hard. Every song is my favorite.
Seohyun: Just like Nahyun, I also like to travel, so I like to watch travel videos, which is very healing. And these days, I've been playing a lot of games, too.
Michi: I've been reading a lot since there's a lot of waiting time in between. I just started the sci-fi book, Project Hail Mary, and since the movie just came out, it's getting pretty popular.
Oh, I just watched the movie and I need to read the book.
Michi: No spoilers!
No, no, I won't spoil anything. How about anyone else?
Aurora: "Say It!"
This interview was conducted in both English and Korean, with the support of an interpreter.
Tamar Herman
Tamar Herman
Tamar Herman
