LE SSERAFIM's Sakura Discloses Why She's Not The Group Leader Despite Being The Oldest Member

LE SSERAFIM‘s Sakura and Chaewon recently sat down for an interview with Yoo Jae Suk on Pinggyego. They talked about a variety of topics ranging from their jampacked schedules to their group dynamics.

Regarding the latter, Chaewon’s role as the leader was put into focus when she was asked to name the difficult parts about being in this position. A leader is one who unites the members and represents them in front of the company and public. They also often receive the spotlight when it comes to interviews and the like.

Chaewon replied that there are good and bad parts to it. While it is overall burdensome to be the leader, she believes it makes her stronger.

Having the title of a group leader is a burden to carry but I think that kind of pressure keeps me productive.

— Chaewon

She had accepted this role from the company right before LE SSERAFIM debuted.

Yoo Jae Suk: Was it chosen by votes?

Chaewon: Not a vote. It was recommended by the company. They asked me and I agreed to it. I said that I wanted to lead this group well.

Most K-Pop groups automatically make the oldest member the leader given the country’s hierarchical culture. This prompted the host to ask why Sakura, the eldest, was not in this position. After all, she was born in 1998 while Chaewon was born in 2000.

You didn’t say, ‘But shouldn’t Sakura be [the leader]?’

— Yoo Jae Suk

Sakura interjected that not only did she believe in Chaewon’s abilities, but she was also not at all interested in becoming the leader. She even went so far as to have it written down in her contract.

But for me ‘not being a leader’ was the condition in my contract. It wasn’t because I was afraid to be the leader.

— Sakura

As the oldest member, she wanted to avoid possibly becoming too authoritative due to her age and role.

If the oldest person becomes the leader then the other members might feel uneasy.

— Sakura

Chaewon agreed with Sakura’s reasoning. She noticed that their dynamic as a team is smoother because they have specific roles as the leader and oldest member respectively.

But I think it’s good for us. Having a leader is also like having an older sister. A leader could get burnt out carrying all the weight. So it’s nice to have an older sister to lean on.

— Chaewon