Performing a sold-out show at the Kia Forum can be daunting, but IVE brought it down for their first U.S. stop for their Show What I Have world tour. Yujin, Wonyoung, Liz, Rei, Gaeul, and Leeseo wowed the audience with elaborate and stunning stages, complemented by even more gorgeous costumes. IVE’s fans (called DIVE) were delightfully entertained for the entire set with passionate fans screaming for Wonyoung’s name sprinkled throughout the night.
After a stunning first VCR featuring the members asking the audience to get “ready for lift-off,” the concert opened with “I AM” as the graphics flashed a POV shot of an airplane going off the airport’s tarmac. The members wore diamond-encrusted white outfits for the first section, entrancing the audience with their royal and elegant energy. The intense choreography continued with a rock version of “Royal” as confetti sprinkled down on the audience at the last chorus almost too perfectly, enhancing the melodic punches to the song.
As the members strut their way back to the main stage, the march-like intro of “Blue Blood” began, demonstrating their powerful feminine strength. They danced like white swans in a winter lake, gliding over the stage as their arms waved gracefully. Leeseo particularly shined during this section with her screaming, “Let’s go!” confidently, leading to more cheers and thunderous applause while they stomped throughout the last half.
It didn’t take long before the members introduced themselves with roaring screams throughout the arena, with a female fan noticeably screaming “I love you” over and over again to the members from the lower bowl sections. They were stunning and they knew it, with Wonyoung specifically amping up her charismatic charm as the entire arena screamed her name during her introduction. Despite the language barrier, IVE seemed relaxed yet buzzed with energy, keeping up the conversation. If they were nervous, they did not show that in the slightest.
The fierceness from the first three songs dissipated as the members proceeded into the ballad “Heroine” with a light pink girly backdrop flashing in the background. They elevated their coquettish demeanor during “Cherish” with the members winking and flirting with the audience, generating screams. At some point, a camera was given to Gaeul, giving the impression that she was livestreaming on Instagram while she blew kisses. The backdrop was a mockup of the members’ official Instagram feed and Instagram LIVE, a cute approach to the song concept.
Cheers erupted when the beginning of their first single, “Eleven” erupted through the speakers. The song ended with a small dance break with a group of dancers while the ending continued to create a grandiose exit for the next VCR.
The extended duration of the VCR foreshadowed to DIVEs that IVE had more to offer, giving the energy of a debut showcase. The members didn’t take long before coming out with jaw-dropping Cinderella blue gowns, segueing into more emotional pop ballads like “Shine With Me” and “Either Way.”
Soon after, the members took turns to change into shorter ensembles by once again engaging with the crowd. They expressed their gratitude for selling out a big venue for their first tour. It was clear that they were genuinely shocked by the reception, despite being known as “monster rookies” for the fourth generation of K-Pop.
The members displayed their cutesier side by performing “Lips.” They also performed “Mine” complete with sky blue umbrellas reminiscent of the musical film, Singin’ in the Rain with pink candies dancing in the background. The crowd got amped up again for “Off the Record,” their second single from I’ve Mine.
The main highlight of the concert was definitely the solo and duet stages. It showcased the members’ strengths and charisma with different complex sets and costumes.
Gaeul opened the section with a concert-exclusive female idol cover staple, Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” in a sleeker black fit. As the lights faded to black, Rei emerged to do a cute but short rendition of NIKI’s “Every Summertime” before the duo came together to perform a little cover of Spice Girls’ “Wannabe.” At the end, they nailed the bottle-flipping game with two successful attempts, sparking cheers and applause.
After a moving rendition of “Reality” popularized by the 2011 Korean film Sunny by Wonyoung and Liz, the crowd noise grew exponentially as Yujin and Leeseo executed a cover of Little Mix’s “Woman Like Me.” The girl crush energy was incredibly high as the duo strutted confidently down to the B stage, complete with perfect hair flips, sensual facial expressions, and a dance break that energized the crowd for the next section. This was also when fans began to bark, exclusive and not uncommon to the K-Pop concert experience.
The last section commenced with a creepy and rather eerie VCR specifically filmed for the U.S. leg. The IVE members were introduced as innocent bystanders at a modern dance academy where the teacher forewarned the other dancers about the mysterious disappearances of their peers. The mood shifted when one of the dancers discovered a tack impaled in her foot, prompting the members to reveal mischievous smiles. As the film progressed, it became evident to the audience that the members weren’t innocent after all. They engaged in unsettling acts of witchcraft in an attempt to frighten the dancer, ultimately leading her to depart from the academy. The interesting twist added a sinister layer to the video, generating confusion but piquing interest from the crowd.
“Hypnosis” began with a glitching screen as floating sheets emerged, adding to the eeriness of the stage. The drama unfolded in front of DIVEs’ eyes as the members rocked in the rocking chairs to the chorus and seamlessly slid in and out from behind the white sheets throughout the song. After Rei and Gaeul’s ending raps, Wonyoung made her way towards the wooden vanity set. Fully immersed in her acting role, she grabbed a lipstick to write “Satisfied?” as “My Satisfaction” started, continuing on the gritty and dramatic aesthetic of the two B-sides.
Of course, DIVEs can’t forget about “Love Dive,” a song that was so incredibly well-loved in 2022. The title track won multiple accolades during that time, including “Song of the Year” at several award shows. Everyone tuned in to yell the iconic “Narcissistic, my God, I love it” line at the appropriate times, and as always, IVE knew to give it their all. The members didn’t spare any time to get into their more experimental songs, “Kitsch” and “Baddie.” Despite that, DIVEs embraced it all, singing word for word, even doing the choreography in their seats.
The main show couldn’t have ended more perfectly with “After Like” and its iconic interpolation of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” Bringing back their backup dancers on stage, the stage burst with confetti again with interlacing fireworks in the background.
As usual for a K-Pop show, the concert didn’t end there. The members went back on stage wearing their concert merchandise to perform “OTT” before saying their goodbyes. Gaeul noted the language barrier didn’t bar DIVEs from still singing along, saying, “I realized that even though our languages are different, we’re connecting through the songs that we love together.”
Yujin added that she felt worried about the tour initially as it was their first time being in the States for that long, stating, “You guys were really amazing and I got big energy and I became confident [to finish the tour]. I think I can do it!”
The concert ended with their first English single, “All Night (feat. Saweetie),” a reinterpretation of Icona Pop’s 2013 single. The stage erupted in a burst of rainbow colors as confetti cannons marked the finale, signaling the end of the show. The members took their sweet time waving to everyone as they exited the stage, likely soaking it all in after the success of their sold-out first headlining show in the States.
Not many acts can boast of selling out a show at the Kia Forum, so it was rather heartening to see IVE this early in their career do just that. The members clearly have a bright future ahead of them with numerous No. 1 hits and incredible star power. With their trajectory, one wouldn’t be surprised if the Forum becomes their new home.
The U.S. leg of IVE’s world tour will continue onto Oakland, Fort Worth, Atlanta, and Rosemont, before wrapping up in Newark on March 29. Following the U.S. run, IVE will head into their Europe leg, followed by shows in Latin America, Asia, and Australia.