IVE Returns with New Music and Positive Energy in “IVE EMPATHY” EP

K-pop girl group IVE is back, ready to capture the music scene with their new EP, IVE EMPATHY. After nearly nine months, the six-member group is set to release two standout singles: “REBEL HEART” and “ATTITUDE.”

Shifting from self-love anthems to exploring empathy, the group aims to bring positive energy into the K-pop world. Members An Yu-jin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Won-young, Liz, and Leeseo gathered in Yeouido to talk about their third EP, which was released on Monday.

Leader An Yu-jin expressed her excitement, saying, “I’m thrilled to release an album after such a long time. I can’t wait to share it with our fans.”

The album features two title tracks: the January pre-release “REBEL HEART” and the new track “ATTITUDE.” “ATTITUDE” samples Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner,” giving the classic song a fresh twist with energetic bass and drums.

Reflecting on their creative process, An said, “We try various approaches with every album… Sampling ‘Tom’s Diner’ was one of those experiments. It’s a famous song, but we wanted to reinterpret it with our own story.”

Jang Won-young, known for her positive outlook, added that the lyrics of “ATTITUDE” encourage embracing unchangeable situations with a positive mindset: “The only thing you can change in an unchangeable situation is your attitude.”

IVE has gained a strong following among younger K-pop fans, and Jang emphasized the group’s responsibility to maintain a positive influence: “We want to keep expressing positive, uplifting energy.”

Since October 2023, IVE has expanded its global reach, performing 37 shows in 19 countries, with over 420,000 fans attending their world tour. They also performed at major music festivals like Lollapalooza Chicago and Summer Sonic in Japan.

Gaeul shared, “Through our world tour, we’ve become more cohesive as a team. We hope to showcase all that experience through this new release.”

The group hopes to perform in Nagoya, Japan, where they’ve never had a concert, and plans for an even bigger show than before.

Closing the event, Liz expressed confidence in the group’s future: “With this album, we want people to think, ‘IVE’s done it again,’ and we promise to keep being a group that everyone will be excited to see.”