tripleS's 'Are You Alive' Takes K-pop by Storm: 24 Members Awaken with Powerful Comeback

The Awakening: tripleS Returns with 'ASSEMBLE25'

On May 12, 2025, the 24-member group tripleS made their highly anticipated comeback with their second full album 'ASSEMBLE25' and the title track 'Are You Alive' (깨어). This marks another complete group activity following their previous full album 'ASSEMBLE24', which produced their anthem 'Girls Never Die'.

The new album continues the group's unique narrative where individual 'S' members discover their abilities and come together to form the powerful collective known as tripleS. This storyline mirrors the actual formation of the group, where members trained individually before meeting and uniting as one team.

MODHAUS, tripleS's agency, began building anticipation for this comeback by releasing the first music video teaser on May 1st, followed by another teaser (Awake Ver.) on May 5th. These teasers immediately captured fans' attention with their cinematic quality and mysterious storyline, showing wounded girls and meaningful scenes that hinted at the song's message.

Behind 'Are You Alive': Concept and Creation

The title track 'Are You Alive' carries special significance as it was directly chosen by global fans, showcasing the unique participatory nature of tripleS's fandom. The song was co-written by several notable contributors including Jaden Jeong, who is known for creating complex K-pop narratives, along with Dain Jang, Lila, and Ikki.

Musically, 'Are You Alive' was composed by HARING, Ikki, Kwon Ae-jin of MonoTree, and Lyd, with arrangement by HARING. The track balances between hope and despair, reflecting the uncertain lives of the characters in tripleS's universe.

The concept for 'ASSEMBLE25' builds upon the group's established lore, where small 's' individuals who were unaware of each other's existence awaken to their abilities and unite to become the powerful 'S' that forms tripleS. This mirrors the real-life journey of the members, who trained separately before coming together as a group.

The album's packaging includes special features like the Double Class Objekt (random 1 of 24 types) and a QR Postcard, continuing tripleS's tradition of innovative physical album elements that connect to their Cosmo platform.

The Music Video: Visual Storytelling

The official music video for 'Are You Alive' was released on May 12th through both the group's official channels and 1theK (Wonderk). The video expands on the teasers' mysterious atmosphere, presenting a visually stunning narrative that complements the song's message.

In the music video, we see the 24 members of tripleS in various symbolic settings that represent their journey of awakening. The visual storytelling employs rich symbolism and cinematic techniques to convey the emotional depth of the song.

The choreography showcased in the video demonstrates the group's synchronized power while allowing individual members to shine in their respective parts. Despite the challenge of coordinating 24 members, tripleS manages to create dynamic formations and transitions that highlight their unity as a group.

The aesthetic of the music video aligns with tripleS's unique visual identity, combining futuristic elements with emotional storytelling that resonates with their core message of individuals finding strength together.

Lyrics and Message: Between Hope and Despair

The lyrics of 'Are You Alive' explore the tension between hope and despair, asking the titular question that serves as both the chorus hook and the emotional center of the song. The opening line "Are you alive?" immediately establishes this theme, inviting listeners to reflect on their own existence and consciousness.

The song's lyrics continue tripleS's tradition of empowering messages, encouraging listeners to awaken to their potential and unite with others. This theme of collective strength through individual awakening has been consistent throughout tripleS's discography, particularly in their ASSEMBLE series.

The vocal direction, reportedly handled by one of the song's co-writers, showcases the diverse vocal colors of tripleS's 24 members. The song's arrangement allows for both powerful group moments and more intimate sections that highlight individual voices.

The emotional journey of the lyrics mirrors the visual storytelling in the music video, creating a cohesive artistic statement that has resonated with fans worldwide.

Showcase and Promotions: tripleS in Action

On release day, May 12th, tripleS held a media showcase at Blue Square in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, where they performed 'Are You Alive' for the first time. The showcase marked the beginning of their promotional activities for 'ASSEMBLE25'.

The live performance, captured in a video by BEHIND press, demonstrated the group's stage presence and the powerful choreography for 'Are You Alive'. All 24 members - Yoon SeoYeon, Jeong HyeRin, Lee JiWoo, Kim ChaeYeon, Kim YooYeon, Kim SooMin, Kim NaKyoung, Gong YuBin, Kaede, Seo DaHyun, Kotone, Kwak YeonJi, Nien, Park SoHyun, Xinyu, Mayu, Lynn, JooBin, Jeong HaYeon, Park ShiOn, Kim ChaeWon, Sullin, SeoAh, and JiYeon - participated in this comeback, showcasing their unity as a complete group.

The group's promotional strategy includes music show appearances, variety show guest spots, and content releases through their Cosmo platform, which continues to be a central hub for fan interaction. The Cosmo app allows fans to collect limited seasonal Objekts, support their favorite members, and participate in various Gravity activities where they can voice their opinions about the group's direction.

This integrated approach to promotions demonstrates tripleS's innovative fan engagement model, which blends traditional K-pop promotion tactics with their unique participatory platform.

Fan Reception: Global WAVs Respond

The reception from tripleS's fandom, known as WAVs (We Are Voice), has been overwhelmingly positive since the album's release two days ago. The music video has been accumulating views rapidly on both the official tripleS channel and 1theK, with fans praising the visual quality and conceptual depth.

On social media platforms, WAVs have been actively sharing their favorite moments from the music video and discussing the connections between 'Are You Alive' and previous tripleS releases. The hashtags related to the comeback have been trending in various countries, indicating the global reach of tripleS's fanbase.

Fan communities have particularly appreciated the equal distribution of parts among the 24 members, noting how the song's arrangement allows each member to have a meaningful contribution despite the large group size. The choreography has also received praise for its complexity and synchronization.

The participatory nature of tripleS's fandom is evident in how fans are engaging with the comeback through the Cosmo platform, collecting digital Objekts and participating in discussions about the new content. This two-way interaction between the group and fans continues to be a defining characteristic of tripleS's unique position in the K-pop industry.

tripleS's Evolution: From ASSEMBLE to ASSEMBLE25

The release of 'ASSEMBLE25' marks a significant milestone in tripleS's career trajectory. From their earlier mini-albums like 'ACCESS', 'ASSEMBLE', 'AESTHETIC', 'MUHAN', and 'MUJUK' to their first full album 'ASSEMBLE24', the group has consistently evolved while maintaining their core identity.

The ASSEMBLE series in particular shows the group's artistic growth, with 'Rising' emerging from the first ASSEMBLE album and 'Girls Never Die' becoming their anthem from ASSEMBLE24. Now, 'Are You Alive' continues this tradition of creating signature songs that define each era of tripleS.

The group's subunits - Cosmo, Objekt, and Gravity - have allowed for different combinations of members to showcase their talents in various contexts, but the full group comebacks remain special occasions that unite all 24 members and the entire fandom.

As tripleS continues to develop their narrative and musical identity through 'ASSEMBLE25', they solidify their position as innovators in the K-pop industry, both in terms of their music and their unique fan engagement model.