How did rookie group IVE become so popular? Netizens share their thoughts

Starship Entertainment’s girl group IVE earned the title of Monster Rookies in no time. The ELEVEN hitmaker group broke multiple records within just four months of their debut. The six-member group became the talk of the town the moment their photo teasers were released. During the member reveal promotions, netizens took to all possible social media to discuss how they were a “visual group."

With a second album released in just four months, IVE again made headlines on a popular South Korean online forum in which netizens discussed possible reasons behind the group becoming famous so quickly. The girl group stands out among other rookie groups because it has two former IZ*ONE members, Wonyoung and Yujin.

A testament to IVE’s popularity are the whopping 116 million views on their debut song ELEVEN’s music video and 52 million views for LOVE DIVE, released on April 5, 2022.

Concept, members, songs: K-netizens share why they think IVE became a popular rookie group

IVE recently surprised fans by announcing their first comeback, just three months after their debut. The second single album, LOVE DIVE, peaked at No. 1 on the Gaon charts. The album sold 338k units on Hanteo charts, ranking No. 4 on the highest first-week sales by a fourth-generation girl group.

The majority of the comments on the popular South Korean online forum titled What do you think made IVE successful? included praise for every group member being a visual.

In K-pop terms, a visual is someone who looks gorgeous and has pretty features. Another reason consistent among the comments was the group’s concept and song choice. Many also praised the company for treating them well and giving them good promotions.

Take a look at some comments from K-netizens here:

Comments on IVE's popularity (Screenshot via Instiz)

Meanwhile, some think that the popularity of IVE is majorly due to Wonyoung. Wonyoung’s tall height and facial features fit right into South Korean beauty standards.

Wonyoung has dominated the majority of the conversations around the group, whether it's criticism of the company for giving her outfits that stand out or her visuals that blow people away. Moreover, she is also one of the few female idols that always springs up in every topic of fourth-generation visuals.

International fans also tweeted that they believe Wonyoung and Yujin together brought the world’s eyes to them. Audiences then discovered Gaeul, Rei, Liz, and Leeseo, who attracted fans with their own charms.

Expand Tweet

The girl group also recently released a tour of their dorms on national television. The reveal surprised fans and many praised Starship Entertainment once again for their treatment of the group.

Expand Tweet

The rise of IVE, the only K-pop girl group with 13 music show wins right after their debut, has just started. Audiences and fans look forward to witnessing the kind of music they will release in the future.