IVE Goes All Out with Visuals—An Yu-jin, REI, and GAEUL as Super Heroes

The group IVE has shed its existing image and transformed into intense 'girl heroes.' While each member completed a different character using masks and unique props, they heightened expectations for the new album by capturing charisma, playfulness, and a kitschy sense all at once.

On the 8th, agency Starship Entertainment released individual concept photos for the new album 'Looks Can Kill' through IVE's official SNS. In the photos released this time, An Yu-jin, REI, and GAEUL expressed their own hero characters with different expressions and poses. It is eye-catching that they did not stop at simply presenting intense styling, but used masks and props to highlight the individuality of each character.

First, An Yu-jin captured attention with styling centered around purple, a mask, and an intense gaze. While charisma was felt in her sharp expressions, a playful atmosphere was added in the scene where she held a water gun. By moving between seriousness and playfulness, she completed a character that is not confined to a single image.

REI revealed her own sense through the unique use of props. She created a personality-filled atmosphere with unexpected styling, such as arranging a mask like a ribbon or lifting her hair. Rather than a standardized hero image, she added a different kind of fun to the concept by putting forward a free and quirky charm.

GAEUL maximized her kitschy charm by using speech bubble-shaped cookies that evoke a scene from a hero comic. Adding flexible poses and strong energy to this, she completed an atmosphere where cuteness and charisma coexist. A characteristic feature is that while each member shows a different color, they blend naturally within a single concept.

The character illustrations released alongside the photos also doubled the fun of this concept. Rather than reproducing familiar hero images as they are, IVE twisted and reinterpreted them in their own way. The 'girl hero' concept, which emphasizes strength and confidence while not losing humor and individuality, left a unique impression by interlocking with IVE's signature confidence.

IVE will pre-release the title track 'Looks Can Kill' on the 19th, then release the mini-album of the same name on the 26th to begin full-scale comeback activities. This comeback comes approximately 8 months after the 2nd full-length album 'REVIVE+' in February. At that time, the double title track 'BANG BANG' achieved a perfect all-kill on major domestic music charts, recording IVE's sixth cumulative perfect all-kill song.

Having recently completed their second world tour 'SHOW WHAT I AM', interest is also high regarding what kind of music and performance IVE will present with the new album. As the concept photos have already foreshadowed an intense transformation, fans' expectations are growing for how this 'girl hero' universe will unfold on stage.

Read the original (Korean)