Following consecutive hits for 2 years, IVE made K-pop fans raise their brows after their latest song, "Off the Record" failed to debut on the MelOn Top 100. Is it a "flop or is there any reason behind this result?

IVE Drops 2nd Title Track 'Off the Record'

On October 6, the 4th-gen representative girl group IVE revealed its second title track, "Off the Record," following their first song, "Either Way" initially dropped on September 25.

Both songs were pre-released ahead of IVE's official comeback on October 13, with its first mini-album, "I'VE MINE." On this day, the third title track, "Baddie" will also be unveiled, along with other b-sidetracks, "Holy Moly," "OTT" and "Payback."

ALSO READ: IVE's 'Either Way' MV Similar to NewJeans Past Concepts? DIVEs Defend Girl Group

Meanwhile, while the previously released track "Either Way" depicts the lyrics of being unable to escape the gaze of other people amid trying to be the real "me," "Off the Record" attempted to show another "me" with more vivid emotions.

The song contains stories of girls who are curious about love on a night when no one falls asleep. This song especially earned high anticipation as it was written by lyricist Seo Ji Eum, the person behind their hits, "ELEVEN" and "LOVE DIVE."

Director Lee Hye In also participated in their music video, featuring a stylish screen texture that is reminiscent of a home video.

Is IVE's 'Off the Record' a Flop? K-pop Fans Wonder Why Song Failed to Debut on MelOn Top 100 Chart

Aside from their unique comeback with triple title tracks, IVE also challenged a 1 p.m. release, which targets global K-pop fans.

Along with them, BLACKPINK Jennie and NCT 127 also released their new songs, "You & Me" and "Fact Check," respectively on the same day and time.

Despite high anticipation, IVE became a hot topic when it failed to enter the MelOn Top 100 chart the moment it was released.

When this news spread, there were malicious commenters who claimed that the song was "bad" and that the comeback was a "flop."

• "Wow, it's because the song isn't a style that the public wants from IVE."
• "It's not even a usual pre-release, it's a title track."
• "Starship isn't really promoting IVE."

However, DIVEs (fandom) immediately defended the group and revealed the reason it initially failed to debut in MelOn Top 100, one of the main charts on the music-streaming platform.

While it is true that IVE didn't enter the MelOn chart in its first hour, the song would later enter the 2 pm KST chart at No. 100. As of writing, its highest peak was at No. 56.

According to fans, the song wasn't able to debut on the chart mainly because of its release time. While K-pop songs are usually released at 5:30 to 6:00 pm KST, it was released at 1 pm to match the time of global fans.

But in the end, it also affected their domestic performance since after lunch was the time that most students were in their schools, while office workers couldn't listen to music while at work.

• "I wouldn't have expected much because it's 1 o'clock on Friday. I think the score will go up quickly because the song is good."
• "In the first place, 1:00 PM was aimed at the United States, not Korea."
• "Since its fan firepower mostly in their early teens, it's hard to stream because they are at school. It's hard to lift the top 100 at 1 o'clock.
• Ive debuted in 2021 and it's not a popular pick that the public listens to thinking that it's a new group, but it's a group where fandom is important."

Still, expectation is high if the song will be able to claim its top spot in the Top 10.

READ MORE: IVE's 'Either Way' Marks Exciting Start of 'I’VE MINE'— What's Next for the Group?

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Written by Eunice Dawson.