Most K-pop groups ask you to listen. RESCENE (리센느) also asks you to remember a smell. The five-member girl group from The Muze Entertainment built its whole identity around the idea of "recalling a scene through scent," and for its first two years that concept was better known to critics than to the Korean public. Then, in 2026, a two-second catchphrase on a member's YouTube channel sent a song from 2024 to No. 1 on Melon, and the group collected its first music show trophies more than two years after debut.
This is episode 1 of our RESCENE series: the group history. It covers who the members are, what the name means, every major release from the 2024 debut to the November 2026 comeback, and the milestones that turned a small-agency group into one of the year's most talked-about acts. Dates and achievements below were checked against Korean and international press coverage (Korea JoongAng Daily, The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, SBS, Soompi), Grammy.com, Billboard and the group's official streaming pages. Figures are as of November 2026.
Key takeaways
- Who: Woni, Liv, Minami, May and Zena, the first girl group from The Muze Entertainment. They debuted on March 26, 2024 with the single album Re:Scene and its lead track "UhUh."
- The concept: the name blends re-, scene and scent. Each release is tied to a fragrance theme, from burning flowers in 2024 and soap in 2025 to musk in 2026.
- The turning point: Minami's "Geoje yaho!" moment on Woni's YouTube channel (March 2026) helped push 2024's "Love Attack" to No. 1 on Melon's Top 100 on July 8, 2026.
- Milestones: first music show win on July 14, 2026 with the KARA remake "Pretty Girl," six music show wins in total, and two K World Dream Awards in August 2026.
In this guide
1. RESCENE at a glance
If you only have a minute, this fact sheet covers the essentials. Everything in it comes from the sources listed at the end of the article.
| Item | Details (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Name | RESCENE (리센느), usually written in capitals |
| Agency | The Muze Entertainment (더뮤즈엔터테인먼트); RESCENE is its first girl group |
| Members | Woni (원이, leader), Liv (리브), Minami (미나미), May (메이), Zena (제나) |
| Pre-debut song | "YoYo," released February 29, 2024 |
| Official debut | March 26, 2024, single album Re:Scene, lead track "UhUh" |
| Fandom name | Remine |
| Signature concept | Each album paired with a scent ("recalling a scene through scent") |
| Latest release | 4th mini album PULSE, November 3, 2026, title track "With" |
One detail surprises many international fans: RESCENE did not come from one of the big four agencies, and for most of 2024 and 2025 it had very limited access to TV music shows. Korea JoongAng Daily reported in July 2026 that the members produced more than 1,500 livestreams, videos and other online content over two years, a grassroots approach that later paid off in a way nobody planned.
2. What the name means: K-pop you can smell
Re + scene + scent
The name is a portmanteau. At the debut showcase in March 2024, the group explained that "RESCENE" combines re, scene and scent, reflecting the goal of recalling a scene through scent. Minami put it simply: when you notice a familiar smell, you remember the moment you first smelled it, and the group wants its music to work the same way.
A fragrance for every era
This is not just branding copy. The concept runs through the music, the choreography and even the packaging. Physical copies of the debut album came with perfumed blotter paper, and the showcase hall reportedly smelled faintly of flowers. The "UhUh" choreography includes a move where the members rub their wrists together, the gesture people make after applying perfume. Later releases kept the idea going:
 Photo: Ayala Sender from Vancouver, BC, Canada, Canada / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 |  Photo: Baeadit / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Malene Thyssen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5 |
- Re:Scene (2024): floral. Zena described "UhUh" as the scent left behind after a flower bursts into flame, and the music video follows that "burning flower" story.
- Glow Up (2025): the clean scent of soap, which The Korea Herald and Korea JoongAng Daily both highlighted in their coverage of the February 2025 release.
- PULSE (2026): musk. The members told reporters in November 2026 that its lingering warmth stands for the shared body heat of performers and audience.
Our take: the scent theme is one of the smartest ideas in recent girl-group branding because it gives every comeback a built-in story without forcing a dramatic reinvention. It also explains why the group's visuals tend to lean soft and atmospheric rather than loud. Woni made the key point herself at the debut: you do not need to smell anything to get it, because the scent is meant to come through the sound and the visuals.
3. Meet the five members
The Muze Entertainment revealed the line-up through trailers in February 2024. Here is what reliable reporting tells us about each member's public career. We have deliberately left out personal details beyond what the members and their agency have shared in public promotion.
 Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |  Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |  Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |
Woni (원이)
The leader. Woni is from Geoje, an island city in South Gyeongsang Province, which matters for the story later. In February 2026 she launched a personal YouTube channel, "HelloIamWoniNiceToMeetYou," filled with relaxed everyday conversations and member chemistry rather than polished idol content. According to The Korea Herald, she topped Brikorea's monthly brand reputation ranking for individual idols in both July and August 2026.
Liv (리브)
Liv introduced "YoYo" at the debut showcase as a pop-dance song welcoming everyone drawn to the group's "flowery scent," and she spoke for the group at the PULSE showcase in November 2026, thanking listeners whose support made the months between releases pass quickly.
Minami (미나미)
RESCENE's Japanese member. Before debut she competed on MBC's 2021 survival show My Teenage Girl, reaching the finale and finishing 13th, outside the winning line-up. In 2026 she became the face of the group's viral moment, which we cover below.
 Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |  Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |
May (메이)
Some early English coverage romanized her name as "Mei." At the debut showcase she said the members had all dreamed of becoming idols after watching senior artists, and hoped to become that kind of inspiration for someone else.
Zena (제나)
The youngest member. Before RESCENE, Zena appeared on Channel A's 2022 competition show Stars Awakening and, as a middle school student, worked as a visual model for the virtual girl group MAVE:. She has said the experience felt surreal because she simply attended a photo shoot.
4. RESCENE timeline: every release from 2024 to 2026
RESCENE's catalog is compact enough to finish in an afternoon. The table lists the main releases in order; OST work and collaborations are left out to keep it readable.
| Release date | Release | Lead track(s) | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 29, 2024 | Pre-debut single | "YoYo" | First song released under the RESCENE name |
| Mar 26, 2024 | Re:Scene (single album) | "UhUh" | Official debut; "burning flower" scent concept |
| Aug 27, 2024 | Scenedrome (1st mini album) | "Love Attack" | Named by Grammy.com among 10 K-pop songs that "electrified" 2024; No. 1 on Melon in 2026 |
| Feb 5, 2025 | Glow Up (2nd mini album) | "Glow Up" | Soap concept; picked by Billboard critics among the best K-pop songs of 2025 so far |
| Jul 2, 2025 | Dearest (2nd single album) | "Deja Vu" | Two-track single with B-side "Mood" |
| Nov 25, 2025 | Lip Bomb (3rd mini album) | "Bloom" (pre-release "Heart Drop," Nov 6) | Last release before the breakout year |
| Apr 8, 2026 | Digital single | "Runaway" | Released just as the group's online buzz was building |
| Jul 8, 2026 | Remake single | "Pretty Girl" | Remake of KARA's song; first music show win |
| Nov 3, 2026 | PULSE (4th mini album) | "With" | Musk concept; five tracks |
 Photo: K-POPIT 케이팝잇 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 |  Photo: 티비텐 TV10 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 |
2024: a critically noticed debut year
The debut single arrived with a press showcase at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul. Five months later, Scenedrome brought "Love Attack," which Grammy.com later described as starting boldly before swooshing into a Swedish-pop style chorus, calling RESCENE one of the most arresting debuts of 2024. Recognition from US outlets did not yet translate into Korean chart success, though. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, "Love Attack" first touched Melon's Top 100 at No. 100 in March 2025 before dropping off again.
2025: steady releases, little mainstream reach
The group kept a busy schedule: Glow Up in February, Dearest in July and Lip Bomb in November. Billboard included "Glow Up" in its mid-year critic's list of the best K-pop songs of 2025, praising its dreamy sound and glitchy hyperpop hooks and noting the quick English-version rollout. Even so, The Korea Herald summed up the period plainly: until 2026 the group had struggled to break into the domestic mainstream.
5. The "Geoje yaho" breakthrough of 2026
How a catchphrase spread
On March 20, 2026, Minami appeared on Woni's YouTube channel in a look inspired by Japanese gyaru (ギャル) fashion. Woni joked that people in her hometown would scold Minami if she showed up in Geoje dressed like that, and Minami shot back, "Geoje yaho!" Yaho is a casual Japanese greeting, so the line is roughly "Hi, Geoje!" Clips of the moment spread across short-form video platforms and online communities, and the phrase became a meme.
 Photo: Choi2451 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Brit in Seoul / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
From meme to No. 1
New viewers who came for the meme stayed for the music. "Love Attack" re-entered Melon's Top 100 at No. 98 on May 28, 2026 and reached No. 1 at 10 p.m. on July 8, almost two years after release. Korea JoongAng Daily reported that the five members cried as they thanked Remine in a surprise livestream that night. Other older songs climbed as well, a pattern Korean media call yeokjuhaeng (역주행), literally "running backward" up the charts.
It would be easy to call this luck, but the details argue otherwise. The meme only worked because there was already a deep library of member content and a catalog strong enough to keep newcomers listening. That is our reading of the reporting, and it is the most useful lesson in RESCENE's story for anyone following smaller K-pop acts: the viral moment opened the door, while two years of work kept people inside.
Hear the song that started the comeback. RESCENE's official Spotify artist page collects "Love Attack" and the group's singles and mini albums in one place, so you can follow this timeline in order while you read.
6. Wins, awards and city ambassador roles
First music show trophies
On July 14, 2026, RESCENE won first place on SBS Life's The Show with "Pretty Girl," beating VAYONN and AHOF with 10,000 points, the group's first music show win since its March 2024 debut, as Soompi reported. Less than two weeks later, on July 26, "Love Attack" won on SBS Inkigayo, a trophy for a song released almost two years earlier. By the start of the PULSE era, The Korea Times counted six music show wins: four for "Pretty Girl" and two for "Love Attack."
Awards
At the 2026 K World Dream Awards on August 27, RESCENE received the Best Fandom and Best Visual Content awards. Counting new 2026 trophies is a moving target during awards season, so for the very latest list, check recent coverage rather than any fixed summary, including this one.
Four cities, four ambassador roles
The meme had a real-world side effect: Korean cities wanted the group. Geoje appointed RESCENE as a promotional ambassador on May 23, 2026, followed by Suwon (June 25), Gyeongju (June 29) and Goyang (July 3). For fans planning a Korea trip, that list doubles as an itinerary of places the group has officially promoted.
 Photo: LookatmiWiki / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 |  Photo: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |  Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 |
| City | Appointed (2026) | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Geoje (거제), South Gyeongsang | May 23 | Woni's hometown and the "Geoje yaho" meme; coastal lookouts such as the Hill of Wind |
| Suwon (수원), Gyeonggi | June 25 | Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site |
| Gyeongju (경주), North Gyeongsang | June 29 | Silla-era heritage, including Bulguksa Temple and the Daereungwon tombs |
| Goyang (고양), Gyeonggi | July 3 | Ilsan Lake Park and the KINTEX convention area |
7. Where a new fan should start
If RESCENE is new to you, listening in release order is the best way to hear how the scent concept and the sound developed. Here is the route we would suggest, using only official platforms:
- Start with "Love Attack" (2024). It is the song most new fans arrive through and the one critics singled out first.
- Go back to "UhUh" and "YoYo" to hear the debut sound and the "burning flower" concept that started it all.
- Play Glow Up as a full mini album. Its five tracks are the clearest example of the airy, layered production Billboard praised.
- Add "Deja Vu" and the Lip Bomb songs to complete the pre-breakout catalog.
- Finish with "Pretty Girl" and PULSE, the releases from the group's breakout year. We will look at the new album in detail in the next episode.
- Watch the official music videos on the group's channel and Woni's YouTube channel if you want the member chemistry that drove the 2026 surge.
Streaming availability and regional catalogs can differ by country, so if a track is missing in your app, check the official artist pages linked in this article.
FAQ
How is RESCENE written in Korean?
As 리센느. The English name blends re-, scene and scent, the group's concept of recalling a scene through scent.
When did RESCENE debut?
Officially on March 26, 2024 with the single album Re:Scene and lead track "UhUh." The pre-debut song "YoYo" came out on February 29, 2024.
What company manages RESCENE?
The Muze Entertainment. RESCENE is the agency's first girl group.
What is RESCENE's fandom called?
Remine.
What does "Geoje yaho" mean?
It is a playful line Minami said on Woni's YouTube channel in March 2026. Geoje is Woni's hometown and yaho is a casual Japanese greeting, so it means roughly "Hi, Geoje!" It became a meme and drew many new listeners to the group.
What was RESCENE's first music show win?
"Pretty Girl" on The Show, July 14, 2026.
The bottom line
RESCENE's history is short but unusually well defined: a clear concept from day one, a debut catalog that critics abroad noticed early, two lean years of constant online content, and then a breakout year that came from a member's offhand joke rather than a marketing budget. The fact that the breakthrough song was already two years old is the best evidence that the music was there all along. In episode 2 of this series we will introduce the new album PULSE and its title track "With," and in episode 3 we will look at how international listeners have responded.
Prefer Apple Music? RESCENE's official Apple Music artist page gathers the group's singles and albums, so you can save the releases from this timeline to your library and work through them in release order.
Sources
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Rescene evokes "burning flower" in scent-focused debut single (Mar 26, 2024)
- The Muze Entertainment — official "UhUh" release page
- Grammy.com — 10 K-pop songs that electrified 2024
- The Korea Herald — Rescene's "Glow Up" inspired by clean scent of soap (Feb 2025)
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Rescene gets squeaky clean with soap-themed second EP "Glow Up"
- Billboard — The 25 best K-pop songs of 2025 (so far): critic's picks
- SBS News — A single phrase, "Geoje yaho," sparks a chart resurgence for a two-year-old song
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Two years and 1,500 videos: how Rescene pulled off a rare K-pop breakthrough (Jul 14, 2026)
- Soompi — RESCENE takes tearful first-ever win on "The Show" with "Pretty Girl" (Jul 14, 2026)
- The Korea Herald — Meet Woni, the underdog with an edge on K-pop's biggest names (Sep 1, 2026)
- The Korea Times — RESCENE returns with "PULSE" after breakout year (Nov 3, 2026)
- SBS News — RESCENE makes comeback with 4th mini album (Nov 3, 2026)
- Wikipedia — Rescene (discography, release dates, ambassador appointments, pre-debut activities)
- Spotify — RESCENE official artist page
- Apple Music — 리센느 (RESCENE) official artist page
By the Korea Vibe Hopper team · Updated November 12, 2026