IVE is officially entering its next era: Starship Entertainment has confirmed that the K-pop sextet will return with a new EP called “Looks Can Kill” on October 26, 2026, marking the group’s first comeback in roughly eight months since their chart-topping album “Revive+.” Ahead of the full release, IVE will drop a pre-release single on October 19 and has already started teasing a cinematic “Girl Hero” concept through projection-mapped city billboards and a three-day Spotify fan event in Seoul. Here’s everything confirmed so far about the release dates, the concept, and what else IVE’s six members have been up to this September.
What Is IVE’s “Looks Can Kill”?
On September 27, 2026, Starship Entertainment confirmed that IVE will release a new EP titled “Looks Can Kill” on October 26, with a pre-release single arriving a week earlier on October 19. The announcement came via a projection-mapped teaser beamed onto a Seoul skyscraper, reading “IVE — SPIN-OFF RELEASE 2026” against a cinematic, superhero-style backdrop. It’s IVE’s first comeback since February’s “Revive+,” the group’s second studio album, and arrives about eight months after that album’s lead singles wrapped their promotional run.
The “Girl Hero” Concept and Teaser Rollout
IVE’s teaser rollout has leaned hard into a “Girl Hero” visual identity, playing off the EP’s title with a comic-book and superhero-film aesthetic. According to Starship’s official schedule poster, the group will reveal the album’s tracklist on October 4, followed by “HERO IN EVERYWHERE” content on October 5 and a “POST CREDITS SCENE: GIRL HERO” teaser on October 6. The physical album itself will come in five different versions — including “GIRL HERO,” “HERO COMICS,” and “SPIN-OFF” editions — each built around a different piece of the superhero concept. The pre-release title track, also called “Looks Can Kill,” will get its first-ever live performance on October 19 before the full EP’s October 26 release.
Spotify DIVE ACADEMY: A Three-Day Fan Event at Ark Gangnam
Fans won’t have to wait until October 26 for a taste of the new era. IVE is teaming up with Spotify for “Spotify DIVE ACADEMY,” a three-day immersive fan experience running October 17-19 at Ark Gangnam in Seoul. The first two days feature interactive zones and missions built around the “Girl Hero” concept, while October 19 transforms the venue into a one-night concert featuring An Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo performing fan favorites alongside the first-ever live performance of the “Looks Can Kill” title track. Fans outside Seoul aren’t left out — Spotify says performance videos and a behind-the-scenes talk segment will be released exclusively on the platform afterward.
Why This Comeback Matters: Revive+’s Perfect All-Kills
“Looks Can Kill” arrives on the back of serious momentum. IVE’s “Revive+” era delivered the group’s sixth perfect all-kill with double title track “Bang Bang,” which topped every major domestic chart simultaneously, plus eight music-show wins for “Bang Bang” and one for co-lead single “Blackhole.” Both songs also charted internationally — “Blackhole” landed on Billboard’s Global 200, Global Excl. US, and World Digital Song Sales charts and was still ranking months after release. IVE wrapped the supporting “Show What I Am World Tour” on September 13 in Taipei, their 28-show second global tour, before turning straight around to prep this new EP — making “Looks Can Kill” one of the shortest gaps between a world-tour finale and a full comeback in the group’s five-year run.
Jang Wonyoung’s Big September: Dior, Bulgari, and a BLACKPINK Reunion
While the group preps its comeback, member Jang Wonyoung has been having a moment of her own in the fashion world. On September 30, she made her first-ever appearance at a Dior runway show, posting photos with the caption “My first show day” and wearing a softer, more pared-back look — a white lace top, black skirt, and natural makeup — than her usual glamorous red-carpet styling. The appearance came shortly after she was named a Dior ambassador, and photos from the event showing her meeting BLACKPINK’s Jisoo drew plenty of attention online. It follows a string of other luxury appearances this year, including the Bulgari Eclettica high-jewelry event in Seoul in May, reinforcing Wonyoung’s status as one of K-pop’s most in-demand faces for global fashion houses even as she gears up for IVE’s next era.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exactly does “Looks Can Kill” come out?
The pre-release single, also titled “Looks Can Kill,” drops October 19, 2026. The full EP follows a week later on October 26, 2026, in five physical versions.
What was IVE’s last release before this comeback?
IVE’s last release was their second studio album “Revive+,” which arrived in February 2026 with double title tracks “Bang Bang” and “Blackhole.” Both became hits, with “Bang Bang” earning the group’s sixth perfect all-kill.
Can international fans experience Spotify DIVE ACADEMY?
The live event itself is a one-time, in-person show at Ark Gangnam in Seoul on October 19. However, Spotify has confirmed that performance videos from the event, plus a video podcast of the members’ talk segment, will be released exclusively on Spotify afterward for fans everywhere.
IVE’s “Looks Can Kill” era is shaping up to be one of the group’s most ambitious yet, pairing a bold superhero visual concept with the momentum of a record-breaking previous album cycle. Between the October 19 pre-release, the October 26 full EP, and the Spotify DIVE ACADEMY fan event in between, there’s a lot for fans to watch for this month — on top of individual member moments like Wonyoung’s growing fashion-world profile. We’ll keep tracking the comeback as more teasers and the tracklist roll out.
