K-pop female pop-ballad duo Davichi has by all accounts upgraded its musical style, and revamped its image in the act’s latest EP, “Davichi Hug,” which was released on Wednesday.

The two artists, Lee Hae-ri and Kang Min-kyung, previously enjoyed a string of successes with hit songs like “The Letter,” “8282” and “Turtle” under their previous management label Core Contents Media.

However this time around the idols seem keen to leave their girly and bubbly images behind by returning to the scene with more melancholy notes and mature themes that permeate throughout their latest EP, released under their new managing agency CJ E&M Music.

Davichi’s medium-tempo song “Sorry If I’m Happy” strikes a distinctively feminist approach, in contrast to some of the duo’s previous releases, including the energetically mournful single, “I Love You Even Though I Hate You.”

The new album’s lead single “Cry Again” is also another lovelorn ballad. The music video for the track was shot on location in Budapest and shows the singers enacting a heartfelt dramatic sequence with expanded emotional and vocal range.

By Yoon Sarah (sarah356@heraldcorp.com)