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Netizens were left confused on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, after girl band IVE flew to Japan from a relatively empty Gimpo airport, despite the band's popularity in Korea.
The popular six-member group made waves in the K-pop industry after their debut album ELEVEN achieved chart-topping success. It helped the girl band earn the title 'Monster Rookies.'
In Korea, artists with a large following are often greeted by their fans at airports when they depart for overseas schedules. Needless to say, after the group departed from a relatively empty airport, netizens and the band's fans were taken aback and took to social media to express their surprise.
One flabbergasted person on an online forum even wrote:
"How can it be that empty though?"
Empty airport for IVE leaves Netizens confused, speculations pour in across forums and Twitter
Many Korean and international fans were perplexed when Starship Entertainment's girl group left for Japan from an empty airport. The majority of comments on an online forum post speculated about the group and their fans.
One internet user wrote
"Why do they always hide while going around?"
While another commented that it didn't seem like the band's fans were the kind to chase around their idols.
Some fans revealed on Twitter that there was no prior announcement of the Japan trip, while others hinted at the possibility of the group's chart-topping numbers being rigged. Others praised the fans for not mobbing the artists at the airport and suggested that the practice be "normalized."
IVE's meteoric rise to fame
Comprising of Gaeul, Rei, Liz, Leeseo and former IZ*ONE members, Wonyoung and Yujin, the band shot to fame almost overnight after their debut in 2021. Their captivating visuals, confident performances and stunning choreography largely impressed both domestic and international audiences.
ELEVEN was a smash hit, winning first place 13 times on Korean music shows and charting for over ten weeks on Billboard U.S.A.’s Global 200 list. The album sold 152,229 copies in its first week, the most ever sold by a debuting artist in Korea in 2021.
After a successful debut, the band established themselves as one of the best fourth-generation acts with the successes of their second and third most recent singles. These singles were titled LOVE DIVE and AFTER LIVE.
Commenting on their quick rise to stardom in a press conference, they said:
"It was something we did not expect and we want to thank everyone. After we were finished with the promotional activities of our debut, we gave each other feedback and promised each other that we would continue to try hard."
Two of Korea's biggest entertainment companies, Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) and Melon Music Awards (MMA), nominated the group for Best New Female Artist. They also have a Song of the Year nomination for their second recent single.
