IVE SECRET - EP

<i>IVE SECRET</i> is the second Korean mini album of 2025 for IVE, the K-pop girl group known for hits like “LOVE DIVE” and “After LIKE.” As the title suggests, the six-track album is an exploration of the lesser-known, complex emotions behind the glossy facade of the fourth-generation team, composed of members Gaeul, Yujin, Rei, Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo.

Sonically, this means a more subdued sound for IVE. Gone are the soaring choruses of “I AM” and “REBEL HEART.” Instead, dreamy lead single “XOXZ” builds to a rap-chant chorus of the title slang, created to mean “I love you, good night, see you in my dreams.” IVE pairs the low-key chorus with a lulling, melodic “ooh-ooh, ooh,” a subtle and powerful reminder of their vocal prowess.

The album’s “secret” theme is more explicit in tracks like “Dear, My Feelings,” a song about looking back at old diary entries with fondness, and “♥beats,” a laidback electropop bop about love explored on a digital landscape. Wonyoung participated in writing the lyrics for “XOXZ,” while Liz co-wrote the lyrics for “Midnight Kiss,” a midtempo pop ballad about missing a lover.