LE SSERAFIM’s “Love Attack” Ranks No. 1 on Melon Thanks to YouTube Meme – Cinderella Story Comes True

The five-member group LE SSERAFIM, originating from the small agency The Muse Entertainment, propelled their new song “Love Attack” to the top of the Melon Top 100 through viral content posted by member Won-i on YouTube. Released in August 2024, the track achieved a remarkable comeback after nearly two years, marking an unprecedented event in K-pop history.

The Muse Entertainment is a small agency founded with an initial investment of 10 million won. LE SSERAFIM made their Debut in March 2024 and released “Love Attack” in August of the same year, but it did not receive significant attention at first. Their stream counts lagged far behind those of artists from larger industry agencies. The group, composed of Won-i, Minami, Zena, Liv, and May, had to spend time without much recognition.

In July 2026, the situation shifted dramatically. As the “Geoje Yaho” meme posted on Won-i’s personal YouTube channel went viral, “Love Attack” saw a 2,019% increase in stream counts. The surge in streams allowed the song to surpass artists from major agencies such as aespa, ILLIT, and CORTIS after being included in weekly chart rankings. As a result, “Love Attack” claimed the first position on the Melon Top 100 on July 8.

Won-i, the Leader of LE SSERAFIM, is from Geoje. She trained in Busan to become an idol before moving to Seoul, eventually debuting as the first idol hailing from Geoje.

The origin of this viral phenomenon dates back to August 15, 2025. The “My Driving Instructor” series was released through the YouTube channel Studioㅋㅇㅋ. It featured videos filmed by Korean comedians Lee Seon-min and Yoo Yeong-u documenting Won-i’s process of obtaining a driver’s license. The videos, which showcased the comedians’ genuine reactions and Won-i’s down-to-earth charm, quickly gained popularity among Korean netizens. Thanks to the success of this series, Won-i’s personal YouTube channel, helloiamwoninicetomeetyou, was created, and the “Geoje Yaho” video uploaded there began spreading worldwide through word of mouth.

The group members also participated in channel activities. Japanese member Minami contributed to creating videos that embodied “gyaru” aesthetics.