IVE is returning as “girl heroes” after eight months away. The group will release their new mini album, “Looks Can Kill,” on October 26, with the title track of the same name dropping early on October 19.
According to a report from SpoTV News, the comeback lands about eight months after their second full album, “Revive Plus,” which arrived in February. As a group approaching their sixth year since debut, this comeback is being framed as an important turning point.
The centerpiece is a full concept shift. IVE will transform into six heroines reflecting each member’s personality, reinterpreting classic hero tropes through the group’s own kitschy sensibility. It extends the “self-assurance” identity they have built since debut, following their cupid and magical-girl eras.
The album carries six tracks: the title song “Looks Can Kill,” plus “Mirror Mirror,” “Snakeskin,” “Crumbs,” “Girls Girls Girls,” and “Glow Motion.” Rei took part in writing the title track’s lyrics, with Gaeul and Liz also contributing to songwriting, and the album features collaborations with Gaeko, Omega Sapien, Lil Cherry, and Zara Larsson.
The comeback also arrives as IVE faces grumbling within their own fandom. Starship Entertainment has drawn criticism for a string of paid content and events using IVE’s intellectual property, including a pricey media art exhibition and a raffle-style event with slim odds for fan communication prizes that sparked accusations of excessive commercialization of the fandom.
No official statement was available addressing the fan complaints. The report notes that only strong music and performances can turn that sentiment around.
Concept teasers are already rolling out ahead of the October 19 pre-release, and attention now shifts to whether the “girl hero” transformation can reset the mood.
