IVE

IVE’s glamorous pop oeuvre isn’t just for show. The Korean group’s music shimmers with emboldened confidence, sweet honesty and even a healthy dose of narcissism—as literally described in the lyrics of its slick hit single “LOVE DIVE”. Formed in 2021 with a name shortened from the expectant phrase “I Have”, the Seoul-based sextet of Gaeul, Rei, Yujin, Liz, Wonyoung and Leeseo carry diverse charms with diamond-sharp poise, whether they’re flying into starry ’80s synths on “After LIKE” or manifesting their dreams on the power-marching “I AM”. IVE’s aesthetic may lean luxurious and preppy—the group even sing about it on the low-bubbling single “Kitsch”—but the members’ message is ultimately one of self-acceptance, as heard on softer B-sides like “Heroine” and the pop-rock ballad “Either Way”. Anyone can project a shiny façade in public; IVE recognise that your most important supporter has to be yourself.