There is little doubt that “Love Dive” was a huge hit for IVE. The song has won numerous accolades for the girl group and is considered one of their signature songs. However, there was a time when the track was almost performed by a different artist. Sunmi revealed that the single was originally offered to her but the “Gashina” singer decided to turn it down!
“Love Dive” Was Almost a Sunmi Song
During an appearance on KBS Radio’s “Park Myung Soo’s Radio Show,” Sunmi shared some insights about her involvement with the hit song by the group IVE. Amazingly, the soloist disclosed that “Love Dive” was initially proposed to her, suggesting that she was considered for the song’s release. However, the track ultimately found its home with the group IVE and became a massive hit in the K-pop music scene.
“It’s such a great song, and when I first heard it, I thought that if my girl group friends perform it, it would do really well. I felt that it might be too obvious if I did it,” Sunmi said. “However, the IVE members did such an excellent job, and they received a lot of love for it.”
When asked if she was upset that IVE had “stolen” the song from her, Sunmi stated that she was not bothered at all and was happy to know “Love Dive” was a huge hit for the girl group.
“Not at all,” she said. “I’ve been in the industry for 17 years, and I don’t feel bad about others doing well.”
“Love Dive” as One of the Biggest K-Pop Songs in History
“Love Dive” was released as the lead single of IVE’s single album on April 5, 2022. The song belongs to the dark pop and electropop genres and features elements such as percussion sounds, rhythmic bass, synth, and a mix of trap, accompanied by lyrics that reinterpret the concept of Cupid in the modern era, shining on the stage.
The song “Love Dive” gained widespread acclaim, with various publications naming it one of the best K-pop tracks of 2022. Critics praised the song’s overall production quality and the vocal performance of the group IVE. Moreover, commercially, it enjoyed remarkable success in South Korea, securing the top spot on the Gaon Digital Chart for four consecutive weeks and ranking as one of the best-performing singles of the year.
The song received numerous awards and accolades, including the MAMA Award for Song of the Year, the Melon Music Award for Song of the Year, and Song of the Year honors at events like the Asia Artist Awards and the Golden Disc Awards.
