IVE: An Intro

IVE was formed in late 2021 by Starship Entertainment, home of MONSTA X, WJSN, and CRAVITY. The name is from the English contraction of “I HAVE”, and is about the group having infinite possibilities. (Very “Teenagers A To Z” of them) They have six members: An Yujin, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, Leeseo, Gaeul, and Rei, who range from 19-24 at time of writing. It’s always strange to write about a group where some / all of the members are younger than me, and this is no exception.

Here are my credentials: Like many people, I first learned about IVE through Wonyoung, who it’s not an exaggeration to call one of Kpop’s most prominent faces, for endorsements, crazy fangirling, and criticism alike. I remember when they debuted in 2021, but I’d say I really became aware of them when Love Dive came out the next year. This is actually the second review I’ve written about IVE. I wrote the first one in April of 2024 (on this same post, hence the date), and while I’ve updated it since then, I felt like it was time to completely redo it. (Full disclosure, my first review about them wasn’t too positive, but my opinion’s softened a little with time) The main reason I’m doing this now is because IVE are going to be in my area soon during their upcoming tour, and I’m considering going. So, let’s get into it!

Single #1: Eleven

I’ve been a k-pop fan since early 2019, so I was well and truly in it when Eleven came out at the end of 2021. Mostly following older girl groups, I was intrigued when these rookies came on to my feed with so much confidence and a song that set itself apart. Though Eleven is most known for its unique slowed-down pre-chorus and the infuriatingly catchy “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, you make me feel like Eleven~~” hook, I think that its strength lies in the ways it plays with structure, letting the verses be laid back so the chorus can race forward and so on. Though, I have to sayI’m still not the biggest fan. I get what the song is going for with these tempo changes, but for me they feel like they come out of nowhere and it just doesn’t quite work.

I also enjoyed the b-side from this single, Take It.

My biggest issue with Eleven isn’t with the song itself, but which the music video. Like I said at the beginning, IVE are 19-23 now. When this song came out, only two of the six members were adults, and barely at that—Yujin turned eighteen two months earlier—and member Leeseo was only 14! And yet not only are they styled to look older than they are, but there’s a dozen shots focused on their legs or up their very short skirts, the choreo draws attention to their hips, and they’ve clearly been directed to make eyes at the camera. Though I was a little uncomfortable the first time I saw it, now that I’m older than all of them were there I’m just angry. Those are children. Stop.

Single #2: Love Dive

Next up on the list is Love Dive, the song that firmly put IVE on my radar. With a light electro beat, those trademark woozy vocals, and a concept inspired by the myths Cupid and Narcissus, Love Dive takes the confidence of Eleven and marries it with the “teen royalty” concept that really catapulted IVE to fame. Its transitions are as smooth as butter (like a criminal undercover) and the whole song glides along with a gentle, ethereal vibe that, at its best moments, feels like you’re floating with them. I also quite like the MV; it’s beautifully shot and colored and much less egregious than Eleven’s in terms of its sexualization, besides the short dance break in the breathy bridge. I still consider it one of their best singles.

I didn’t really like the b-side Royal, though; I’ve never been a fan of anti-drops.

Single #3: After Like

After Like is the third of IVE’s run of early singles, and goes for a more expansive sound than the previous two, feeling like a natural build on Eleven and Love Dive’s minimalism. I’ve always been a fan of disco and synth, so I’m a bit biased, but I think the song does a good job melding old and new, both sampling the iconic “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor and fitting right in with kpop trends of the time. Though it’s not one of my favorites, it’s still a strong song, and I’ll sing along whenever it comes up on shuffle.

As a side note, I really liked the MV’s color coding, giving each member a distinct monochrome set, both because it was helpful while memorizing faces and because I love me some color-coding. (If you’re learning names too, Leeseo is yellow, Liz is light blue, Yujin is pink, Wonyoung is red, Rei is green, and Gaeul is dark blue.)

From the single, I also liked the lower-pitched vocals of My Satisfaction, with its great build-up and more sprawling chorus.

Album #1: I’VE IVE

Kitsch marks the start of a slow shift in IVE’s discography, moving away from the electro pop of songs like After Like and more towards trap. The verses, while a little more staccato than their work before, still feel very true to their style and are pretty good, as is the pre-chorus, but the main hook goes for a girl-crush anti-drop that is so relentlessly catchy that it’s now unwillingly stuck in my head. Then there’s the fact it makes no damn sense. What does the word “kitsch” have to do with literally anything? Look, I’m fine with a track being strange and having weird lyrics as long as the singers own it and have fun with it—like SHINee’s Ring Ding Dong or (G)I-DLE’s Tomboy—but when they take it so seriously, it just sucks all the fun out.

The album’s main single I Am has been a favorite of mine since it came out, which is no surprise to anyone who follows the blog. A return to IVE’s smooth and self-assured synth pop sound, it’s centered around a sprawling chorus perfect for a night driving through a city alone. I also appreciate that the dance moves have changed to be less sexual and more elegant, though I wish it could’ve happened earlier. Overall, it feels like an earned celebration of IVE’s message and aesthetic, as well as just a really good song.

From the first album, I’ve IVE, I enjoyed the hints of reggae in groovy Lips, the carnivalesque summer pop of Not Your Girl, and the dramatic, declarative chorus of Shine With Me, which finally gives them a chance to show off their vocals. My hidden gem, Blue Blood didn’t catch my ear the first time I wrote this review but its militaristic drums, powerful sound, and great vocals have slowly grown on me. I really wish they had chosen it as the prerelease instead of Kitsch.

EP #1: I’VE Mine

Either Way is the first of two pre-releases for IVE’s first EP, I’ve Mine, and, in the grand tradition of pre-releases, goes for a more toned-down, more self-reflective style than we’ve seen from them so far. (“Some say I sound full of myself,” Wonyoung says // “Some say I’m almost like a fool,” Rei adds.) It’s so honest that it’s honestly painful at times, especially when it came to the part where they were singing about the hate people directed at the other members. The quiet scenes of them just going about their lives were powerful, and finally were a moment where they all looked their age. Either Way forces the audience to see these girls as exactly what they are: kids. I don’t think it’s something I would listen to every day, but I do respect IVE immensely for it.

Off The Record is the second pre-release for this EP, and strikes a middle ground between the serious, mature Either Way, and the official single Baddie (which we’ll get to in a minute) with a laid back city pop beat. This song too deepens the audience’s understanding of IVE as people, being about their bond with each other and the “off the record” late-night conversations that made them close. My favorite part was probably the bridge, which had some lovely vocals and was a great setup for the final chorus.

Baddie, as mentioned earlier, is the official single from the EP, though you probably wouldn’t know it from my thoughts. While both Either Way and Off The Record felt like IVE finally shedding their aura of “cool” and being able to just exist in their own fame, Baddie really overcorrects for this. I don’t it’s irredeemable or anything—it has its moments—but overall it’s just one of many “look at me I’m so cool and unique and better than you” songs with a repetitive, ridiculously catchy (and not in a good way) chorus. Trust me when I say “I’M A BADDIE B-B-BADDIE BADDIE PRETTY LITTLE RISKY BADDIE” has been stuck in my head for four days. Not only does it not stand out from its competition, but it just doesn’t sound anything like IVE.

From the EP, I’ve Mine, though I enjoyed the synth sound of Payback, my hidden gem was Holy Moly. Like Love Dive in the best way, its elegant and woozy background and gorgeous vocals are addictive, and like Blue Blood before it, I wish it had been a single instead.

We’re going to pause here for now, so we’ll be on to Part 2 next time. Tschüss, 안녕!, and Goodbye!