Sure, you could hit replay on the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack for the 100th time…or you could meet the next IRL girl group you’re about to obsess over.

AtHeart (a multi-national squad made up of idols Arin, Aurora, Bome, Katelyn, Michi, Nahyun and Seohyeon) debuted this fall with their dreamy EP Plot Twist. The hypnotizing title track quickly cemented their status as soon-to-be K-Pop princesses (perhaps you, dear reader, are one of the over 16 million people who’ve watched the music video on Youtube).

But it turns out these pitch-perfect performers are also just a group of teen girls chasing their dreams. We caught up with a few of the members following their recent trip to the U.S. to talk about the deeper meaning behind their name, their superstar origin stories and, yes, even their take on New York City pizza.

Girls’ Life: Tell us how you decided on the name AtHeart for your group.

Nahyun: We picked our name, AtHeart, because it represents a mix of “heart” and “connection.” It means we want to connect with fans all over the world and grow together.

GL: When did each of you first start performing?

Arin: I’ve loved dancing since I was little. I began in kindergarten and slowly worked my way up to bigger stages, even world competitions.

Seohyeon: I started dancing when I was five. I’ve basically been performing ever since. I got into different styles like K-pop, street dance and contemporary, and I even did musical competitions where I could sing and act.

Nahyun: I’ve been dancing ever since I was little. I think my very first stage was my grandma’s living room [laughs]. It all started with those little performances at her house.

Bome: I was in the choir in elementary school, and then I started singing in a band when I got to middle school. That’s when I think I really started wanting to be on stage more.

Katelyn: Deep down, I always wanted to be on stage and in front of a camera. That feeling didn’t really come to life—my life before the pandemic was just about school. But when the pandemic happened, that’s when I told my mom I was serious about this.

Michi: I’ve been dancing since I was three. Through recitals, competitions, musicals and school shows, I discovered that I wanted to pursue being a performer as more than just a hobby.

GL: How did you decide on “Good Girl” as your pre-debut song? What’s the deeper meaning behind it?

Bome: “Good Girl” is about wanting to get to know each other—even when everything still feels a little unfamiliar—so we thought it was perfect as our pre-debut track. And since it has an energetic beat and a playful, bold vibe, it let us break out of the typical “good girl” image and show a more confident side of ourselves.

GL: Your EP Plot Twist totally took off this fall! What was your reaction to its instant success?

Arin: Since it was our first debut, I was really nervous—but also super excited. The reaction was way better than I expected and hearing so many nice comments made me happy.

Michi: Right off the bat, Plot Twist resonated with us all so naturally. I can listen to “Push Back” 1000 times without getting tired of it. We hoped that others would enjoy the songs as much as we did. The concept of going through contradicting emotions and confusing feelings seemed to be able to reach a lot of people.

GL: You just got back from visiting Los Angeles and New York City. Any fave moments from your travels? 

Arin: I loved how calm and healing the vibe was in L.A. In New York, I got a bit of that Seoul energy, which made me feel at home. But honestly, the best part was the Korean food.

Seohyeon: In L.A., my favorite part was definitely the AtHeart Experience concert we did at our company’s headquarters. And in New York, I loved seeing Times Square and watching the Knicks.

Nahyun: The AtHeart Experience event was the most memorable for me. When we performed our song “Knew Me,” everyone sang along. It honestly made me really emotional. We saw Chicago while in New York, and it left a big impression on me.  Someday, I’d love to try doing a musical, too.

Bome: In L.A., the AtHeart Experience was definitely the highlight, and in New York, the fan meet-up was what I remember the most.

Katelyn: We finally saw our headquarters in L.A., and it was amazing. And for New York—well, I’ve always loved New York. There’s just something about it.

Michi: We got to meet our international fans for the first time at our L.A. performance. Then in New York, I finally lived out my big city dreams! Of course, we had to try the pizza, but my favorite thing was when we met our fans and saw Chicago on Broadway.

GL: What’s one item that’s definitely on your 2026 bucket list as a group? 

Michi: Thinking ahead to 2026, there are still so many more sides of us I hope we can show everyone. And promoting in the U.S has made me want to meet more fans from all over the world!

Stream “Plot Twist” here and follow us on IG @girlslifemag for more insider celeb content!

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Top image by TITAN Content.
All other images: @atheart.titan
Answers have been edited for length and clarity.