Iven Announces Five-Member Relaunch and Seongnam FC Kickoff Appearance; Teases 20th-Single 'Backtalk'

Iven, the boy group, officially restarts as a five-member group. The team, which had been active with seven members, has been reorganized to five members — 케이타, 박한빈, 이정현, 문정현, 박지후 — after 유승언 and 지윤서 returned to their agency earlier this year, and they will relaunch as an official group under 젤리피쉬엔터테인먼트 with an exclusive contract. The first stage of this change will be the home match between 성남FC and 파주 프런티어 FC at 탄천종합운동장 on the 19th. Iven’s ceremonial kickoff will mark the start of the players’ schedule; around 2 PM they will climb onto the ground and greet fans directly. On that day, 이븐 멤버의 친형인 박수빈 선수도 성남FC의 주장을 맡아 형제의 만남이 특별한 연출로 담길 전망이다. After the kickoff, they will watch the match from the stands and continue to cheer. A special fan event is also prepared: fans who share the home-game invitation video posted by 성남FC's official Instagram to their own Instagram Stories will have a chance to win a 성남FC jersey signed by the members. Ahead of the event, Iven expressed their love for football and said they wish 성남FC victory.

Another big news comes in the same week: on the 20th at 6 PM, their first single album ‘뱉어’ (Backtalk) will be released on various online music sites. The two-track single, featuring the title track ‘뱉어’ and the B-side ‘스테이’, is built on a digi-core sound that blends arpeggiated synths, distortion 808, and trap rhythms, delivering a message of carving their own path despite others’ gaze and criticisms. The released music video teaser left a strong impression with the lyric line ‘뱉어버려 침 Freakin’ backtalk’ appearing after a moment of grasping each other. The agency stated that the expression of ‘뱉어’ means to reveal emotions or stories outward, and the English title ‘Backtalk’ carries the double meaning of ‘talk back.’ This marks Iven’s official comeback as a “New Iven,” refining the group’s color and potential as a five-member unit.

Notably, both tracks were co-written by all members. Iven, which debuted as seven members on Mnet’s audition show ‘BOYS PLANET’ Season 1 in 2023, has redirected its direction toward strengthening a hip-hop identity with this reorganization. The group’s previous performance of concepts is expected to mature further this time. The album, focusing on the group’s musical independence and message delivery, demonstrates the members’ confidence and growth by having all tracks co-written by every member. With 케이타, 박한빈, 이정현, 문정현, 박지후 in a five-member lineup, they aim to convey a diverse color and story clearly.

Ahead of the kickoff and the single release, Iven will continue activities to engage with fans. The brothers’ reunion at the kickoff is expected to heighten the atmosphere, and fans’ expectations center on the musical changes surrounding the new lineup. This fresh start is seen as strengthening the group’s unity while retooling their musical identity, thus solidifying their position as a leading 4th-generation boy group. Iven’s five-member relaunch, Seongnam FC kickoff participation, and the release schedule for the 20th single ‘Backtalk’ are drawing great attention among K-POP fans.