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Recently, IVE marked the start of 2025 with their comeback track “Rebel Heart,” serving as the lead single for their third EP, “Ive Empathy”. As a top-tier 4th generation girl group which consistently dominated digital charts with each release, IVE was expected to make a strong impact.
However, since their comeback with “HEYA”, IVE has fallen short of achieving a Perfect All-Kill, with their domestic chart performance failing to reach the explosive heights of 2022-2023.
“Rebel Heart” – Good but Safe
With “Rebel Heart,” the title track of their third E.P., IVE received mixed reviews. Sticking to their signature youthful and feminine concept, “Rebel Heart” is visually appealing but lacks excitement. The highlight of the music video is Jang Wonyoung’s portrayal of a stunning bride who turns everything to ashes with a single glance. Musically, “Rebel Heart” utilizes familiar elements, featuring a catchy and memorable hook. Overall, the most fitting word to describe this comeback would be “safe”.
However, despite dropping their song during a rather “uncompetitive” period, the public response to IVE’s new release has been lukewarm. The group is currently competing directly with SEVENTEEN BSS and ENHYPEN. Once a digital powerhouse that debuted tracks straight into the top 5 on iChart, IVE’s rankings for this comeback hasn’t exactly been stellar.
Concerning Chart Rankings
Released on January 13, 2025, “Rebel Heart” ranked alarmingly low on digital platforms. As of January 14, it placed #77 on MelOn, #30 on Genie, #1 on Bugs, and #90 on FLO. Apart from Bugs, IVE has struggled on other platforms, particularly MelOn, which is the most widely used music service in South Korea. These rankings have left fans and the public alike astonished, considering the group’s history of achieving “all-kill” results with each release.
The music video for “Rebel Heart” garnered just over 10 million views within four days, reflecting a rather lackluster growth. This caused many to worry that IVE is losing their popularity.
Possible Reasons Behind Decline
When it comes to IVE, most of the public associates the group with “K-pop princess” Jang Wonyoung or the highly sought-after commercial model Ahn Yujin. Meanwhile, the other four members remain relatively overshadowed. Their agency, Starship Entertainment, has focused its resources on promoting these two popular members.
Debuting in late 2021, IVE is entering their fourth year in the industry. With the competitive nature of K-pop, few girl groups manage to sustain their popularity for an extended period. Critics suggest that Starship’s strategy of heavily promoting two members while neglecting the group as a whole may lead to IVE’s early decline. Once their peak fades and the general public loses interest, the group’s fandom—still weaker than that of male groups—may not be strong enough to sustain them.
At the same time, the music preference in South Korea seems to be changing – with idol music finding it tougher to chart, while music from bands – such as DAY6 and QWER – are seeing notable surges. This suggests that IVE’s decline is not a problem related to the group itself, but rather a larger scale issue associated with the music trend in Korea as a whole.
Conclusion
It is important to note that this is only the beginning of IVE’s 2025 journey. In fact, not every lead single of K-pop groups draws massive attention, and it’s the results of the title song that should be the major focus.
With an EP still on the way, IVE should be given more time to promote before any definitive conclusions are drawn.
