Le Sserafim bring ‘My Melody & Kuromi’ to life in an empowering soundtrack that embraces cuteness as a strength, not a weakness

Le Sserafim (left); poster for 'My Melody & Kuromi' (right). Photo courtesy of Source Music and Netflix.
Popular K-pop girl group Le Sserafim has lent their voice to “Kawaii (Prod. Gen Hoshino),” the theme song for the upcoming Japanese stop-motion animated series, My Melody & Kuromi. The song is part of Le Sserafim’s fourth Japanese single, “Different,” and marks their first collaboration with renowned Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino.
Directed by Tomoki Misato and written by Shuko Nemoto, the series is set in the vibrant world of Mariland, where cake shop owner My Melody’s business manages to draw in big crowds, while Kuromi’s sweet shop flies under the radar and struggles to stay afloat. Kuromi needs to figure out what goes into her rival’s cakes if she hopes to overtake her business. But things get weird when the latter starts experiencing strange things after finding a pink heart in the forest. And as the two prep for a sweets-making contest with pastry expert Pistachio judging the event, things go from sweet to surreal—threatening Mariland and prompting them to join forces for the greater good.
For Le Sserafim, collaborating with Sanrio’s iconic characters for the song “kawaii” has been quite a memorable experience, according to the official press release, where the band members—Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae—shared their thoughts on recording the track. “We really love My Melody & Kuromi, so we were thrilled to be chosen to sing the theme song!” says group leader Kim Chaewon. The song’s message of “believing in yourself and being brave” resonates deeply with the quintet’s own philosophy. “This song embodies the theme ‘cuteness is strength.’ We hope to show how Le Sserafim combines charm with strength, turning each member’s individuality into a source of empowerment,” says Sakura, who’s a Kuromi fan herself.
Huh Yunjin, who co-wrote the English lyrics with Gen Hoshino, hopes people will vibe with the song. “I hope everyone will listen to the song and appreciate the lyrics.” Kazuha’s also stoked to have Hoshino producing the song, a longtime wish of hers, while Hong Eunchae admits to being smitten with the cute world of Mariland. “The characters’ expressions were rich and entertaining to watch,” she adds.
My Melody & Kuromi will be available for streaming on Netflix on July 24. The show celebrates 50 years of My Melody’s adorable adventures and 20 years of Kuromi’s mischief. Since 1975, My Melody has been spreading joy as one of Sanrio’s most bubbly and beloved characters. Meanwhile, Kuromi has won hearts with her tough-but-girly persona since 2005. Now, the two characters are starring in their very own stop-motion animated series, paired with gripping storytelling and a catchy soundtrack that blends Gen Hoshino’s production genius with Le Sserafim’s unique sound. It’s a theme song that bubbles over with the show’s empowering message of fearlessness, a not-so-sugar-coated reminder that being cute is a strength, not a weakness.
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