IVE’s “REBEL HEART” Named One of Billboard’s ‘Best K-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far)’
IVE (members An Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo) has once again demonstrated its strong presence in the global music scene.
On July 21 (local time), U.S. music media outlet Billboard released its list of “The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2025 (So Far): Critic’s Picks,” and IVE’s “REBEL HEART” made the cut.
“REBEL HEART” is a pre-release track from IVE’s third mini album IVE EMPATHY, released in February. The song portrays a solidarity march of rebellious spirits, layered with rich vocal harmonies, an uplifting chorus, and a lush soundscape that blends emotional strings with uptempo drums.
Billboard praised the track, stating:
“The English-language chorus stands out, and its rebellious outcry is particularly captivating. Through this song, IVE continues to expand its sonic spectrum beyond Korea and solidifies its position as a rising global force in K-pop.”
Upon its release, “REBEL HEART” received an explosive response from music fans both in Korea and abroad, becoming one of the major hit songs of 2025. It achieved a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) on Korea’s major digital charts, won 11 trophies on music shows, and entered Billboard’s Global (Excl. U.S.) chart for 10 consecutive weeks, signaling its worldwide popularity.
The song also gained attention at global festivals, drawing massive Korean singalongs from local audiences during Lollapalooza Berlin and Lollapalooza Paris. This broke language barriers and cemented the song’s status as IVE’s new signature anthem.
As of now, “REBEL HEART” has surpassed 57 million streams on Spotify, continuing its global success and heightening anticipation for IVE’s next steps as a representative leader of K-pop.
Meanwhile, IVE is scheduled to appear at the upcoming 2025 Coupang Play Series on July 30, where they will participate in the opening ceremony and halftime show for the first match between Team K League and Newcastle United (Newcastle).
Written by Mun Wan Sik
Translated by Lee So Yun
