Girl group revives old-school album formats and R&B-driven storytelling amid changing K-pop trends Heart of Woman (Blue Brown Records) Heart of Woman (H.O.W.), the first girl group formed by the late R&B singer Wheesung's label Blue Brown Records, is drawing attention with its Y2K-inspired debut album "Heart Byte: Legacy" — reviving not only the sounds, but also the album formats and promotional practices that once defined K-pop in the late 1990s and early 2000s.The quintet's first full-length album, released on May 28, contains 13 tracks, including the lead single "Lost in Proof," a polished reinterpretation of new jack swing.The album arrives at a time when much of mainstream K-pop is built around addictive hooks, short-form-friendly song structures and English-language catchphrases designed for global audiences. Against that backdrop, H.O.W.'s emphasis on melody-driven songwriting, clear verse-chorus structures and emotional storytelling stands out as a deliberate throwback to an earlier era.But H.O.W.'s appeal extends beyond simply recreating those sounds. The group's debut album draws heavily on the musical legacy of Wheesung, who rose to prominence during the genre's peak in South Korea in the early 2000s. Reinterpreting the deep emotions and nostalgic sensibilities characteristic of R&B through its own lens, the group positions itself as a continuation of that musical tradition."(Our music) contains both Wheesung's brightest moments and moments we hope to create going forward," member Ayne said during the group's debut showcase on May 28.While the members never get to meet Wheesung, who died in March last year, the album was designed to carry forward elements of the singer's musical legacy.The Y2K influence extends beyond the songs themselves. Rather than following the current industry trend of debuting with standalone digital singles, the group chose to release a full-length album complete with bonus tracks."We wanted to faithfully pay tribute to the era, when artists released full-length albums as carefully crafted works with a cohesive story," Ayne said.Member Ji-hyun added that the group studied older performances extensively to recreate the atmosphere of the period."To capture the Y2K feeling, we practiced a lot by studying older songs and dances," she said. "We watched a lot of videos and even traveled to the US to learn dance and vocal styles from that era."The group's promotional strategy has also embraced nostalgia. A highlight medley released ahead of the album encouraged listeners to experience the project as a complete body of work, echoing the days when fans listened to entire CDs or cassette tapes while guessing which track might become the biggest hit.At the same time, the album is not simply a recreation of the past. While rooted in Y2K aesthetics, it incorporates metallic textures and futuristic production elements that reinterpret the era through a contemporary lens.And yet, industry insiders caution against reading too much into the revival. While nostalgia-driven concepts continue to surface in K-pop, few expect Y2K-inspired music to become the industry's dominant sound."Y2K-style music has continued to appear over the years," music critic Lim Hee-yun said. "It might attract more attention now because younger artists are embracing it, but I don't think it will become the dominant sound at the top of the charts."Lim also suggested that economics may play a role in why smaller agencies often revisit older K-pop sounds."Creating the kinds of high-impact songs that are designed for short-form platforms often requires the resources and marketing power of major K-pop agencies," he said. "For smaller companies, spending heavily to work with global songwriters on tracks similar to those released by groups like Aespa or Illit is extremely difficult. From their perspective, pursuing Y2K-inspired or melody-driven songs and hoping for a reverse-charting hit could be a more realistic strategy."