By Tássia Assis
“I can’t wait to listen to the screams,” the beautiful 19-year-old dancer Gaeul, eldest member of the rising woman group IVE, says about performing earlier than a reside viewers. “We by no means heard them due to COVID[-19 restrictions].” Since their debut in December 2021, the sextet has stormed charts in South Korea and overseas, swiftly changing into the ones to look at within the Okay-pop business. Nevertheless, as with most pandemic-era teams, all that success has solely been skilled nearly — or on a minimal scale, just like the intimate showcases and fansigns arrange for his or her debut and the discharge of IVE’s newest single album, Love Dive, on April 5.
However because the world fastidiously resumes leisure actions, for IVE, the screams come from the 65,000 folks attending the 2 days of KPOP.FLEX, Europe’s first mega Okay-pop competition. Set to happen in a stadium in Frankfurt the weekend after the group’s late-night Zoom name with MTV Information, the occasion contains the band’s first large-scale, in-person, and abroad efficiency. “I’m actually trying ahead to seeing our [fandom] Dive and listening to what the viewers appears like,” the sweet-voiced and modelesque Wonyoung, 17, says forward of the gig.
She and Gaeul are cozying up round a conference-room desk, together with fellow group mates Yujin, Rei, Liz, and Leeseo. Sporting outsized hoodies and light-weight make-up, they appear to be common — albeit impossibly stunning — Gen Zers: wide-eyed, but a bit of shy about the whole lot. It’s fairly the distinction to the luxurious, confident picture they’ll later current at KPOP.FLEX, in addition to the aesthetic idea with which they grew to become synonymous all around the web: chaebol crush.
With solely 4 songs of their discography, IVE have already carved a definite area of interest for themselves because of that idea. Chaebol crush will be outlined as a mix of the overly assured and boisterous “woman crush” sounds (like Itzy’s “Loco” or Blackpink’s “Kill This Love”) and the luxury, preppy visuals of chaebol inheritor tropes in Okay-dramas (the flowery children who stem from family-owned enterprise conglomerates). Wonyoung mentions that she had by no means heard of that definition earlier than, however that “it’s so cute and I adore it.” She additionally provides that Love Dive “is de facto near that idea” and that even the B-side is known as “Royal.”
Throughout our interview, Wonyoung and Yujin typically take the lead when answering questions. They each participated within the survival present Produce 48 on South Korea’s music TV channel Mnet and had been a part of its ensuing woman group Iz*One from 2018 to early 2021. These experiences and their fluency in English have attuned them to the unrelenting schedules and interactions with media that Okay-pop idols routinely face, however the different members usually are not far behind. One in every of their most important objectives in prepping for this live performance was learning English “very exhausting,” in response to the magnetic chief and vocalist Yujin, 18. All of them put ahead their finest efforts to talk the language as a lot as attainable. “We’re all the time working towards extra. It may be vocals, dancing, or selection schedules, however we’re all the time making ready quite a lot of issues,” says Wonyoung.
IVE are tasked with the grand mission to open KPOP.FLEX on day one. Sporting college uniform-inspired outfits and sparkly pink sneakers, they carry out “Love Dive,” “Royal,” and their unforgettable debut hit, “Eleven,” which rose to No. 4 on Spotify’s international Viral 50 chart final yr and was the most-streamed tune on South Korea’s YouTube for 5 weeks. On day two, they enter the stage proper after veterans Mamamoo and carry out the identical setlist with much more confidence — this time in stylish black outfits adorned with glistening jewels.
Sebastian Gollnow/Image Alliance/Getty Photos“I used to be so nervous because it was our very first stage in entrance of worldwide followers,” reveals the hanging Japanese rapper Rei, 18, after the live performance by way of e mail. “However after our two-day efficiency, it made me need to do extra international levels in order that I can talk with Dive in all components of the world.” Gaeul, Liz, and Leeseo share related emotions, calling the expertise “of overwhelming emotion,” “unreal but a bit of nerve-racking,” and “as if I used to be dreaming,” respectively.
“The second I noticed the total home, I used to be very shocked to witness how a lot Okay-pop is beloved by lots of people. I obtained unimaginable power from the viewers,” Yujin says. “Earlier than we bought on the stage, there have been quite a lot of issues that we would have liked to verify and concentrate on, so it did make us all barely jittery, however as soon as we had been up there, we loved [it] to the fullest.” Gaeul additionally shares that she waved on the viewers “by way of a small crack earlier than going up on the stage, and there was virtually an ear-splitting roar from the followers. I used to be very amazed and completely satisfied.” Her secret for calming her nerves earlier than performing is “making eye contact with the members.”
IVE’s synergy is what holds them collectively whereas they navigate landmarks akin to changing into trainees, debuting, and now acting at an enormous occasion like KPOP.FLEX. Yujin says that IVE’s bewitching essence additionally comes from their individuality: “We’re all actually cool onstage, however we now have some totally different, cute factors off stage. I believe that’s our attractiveness.” The 17-year-old Liz — who has a “heavenly voice,” in response to Gaeul and the sweetest dimpled smile — believes that IVE members “work together properly, so we are able to make up for one another’s weaknesses.”
Sebastian Gollnow/Image Alliance/Getty PhotosAll of them reside collectively in a spacious dorm overlooking the Han River in Seoul, an expertise that Wonyoung says is akin to “dwelling with our besties.” Once they really feel down, it’s the opposite members who first decide them up, akin to when Rei misses her household in Japan, or when Yujin is in want of additional motivation. “I’m very grateful to characterize the group [as a leader], nevertheless it [can be] burdensome,” she says. “Typically, actually generally, I lose my confidence. However once I have a look at my members, I get it again.”
Leeseo, the youngest of the group at 15 and whom Liz calls “goofy, vivid, and bubbly,” says that her fellow members had been important for her to debut efficiently. “As a result of Wonyoung and Yujin had been to numerous broadcasting TV exhibits and stuff [as part of Iz*One], they informed me rather a lot about what goes on behind the scenes and the logistics [of] it, so I used to be capable of get the total image beforehand.”
“Wonyoung compliments even the smallest issues, and he or she actually boosts my confidence rather a lot,” Rei provides, whereas Wonyoung gingerly fixes a strand of the rapper’s hair. “Earlier than I am going onstage, she typically says, ‘Oh, your coiffure appears to be like good at the moment, your make-up appears to be like good on you.’ Having Wonyoung by my aspect helps me to have a cheerful, pleasurable life.”
“I actually like Rei,” Wonyoung notes with a giggle. “I normally give recommendation to the members, like who can go subsequent and the way issues go on. I believe I’m good at giving recommendation” — a press release with which all of the others agree. The spherical of compliments doesn’t cease, and Wonyoung then praises Gaeul for all the time encouraging them: “Once we’re working towards, I really feel like she’s dealing with the center so we are able to get in the proper mindset.” In flip, Gaeul says she loves Liz’s voice, whereas Liz expresses happiness in that Leeseo’s power all the time “brightens up the vibes.” Leeseo appears to be like as much as Yujin’s “gentle charisma,” and Yujin ties it up by saying she additionally loves Rei’s rap model.
That’s simply how IVE are: on prime of the world, however with their ft on the bottom. KPOP.FLEX was just the start. “The truth that we’re being beloved rather a lot began to sink in after seeing folks sing alongside to our songs,” Liz says by way of e mail after their whirlwind showcase. “I felt extraordinarily grateful.”
