IVE’s Western Expansion Sparks Debate as Report Questions Starship’s Global Strategy

 

IVE at the 2026 Golden Disc Awards. Photo: TV10 via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

A recent report examining IVE’s overseas performance has sparked debate over how Starship Entertainment can expand the group’s strong popularity in Korea and Japan into Western markets.

Money Today Broadcasting noted that despite IVE’s string of major domestic hits, the group has yet to enter either of Billboard’s two main U.S. charts, the Hot 100 and Billboard 200.

The report also pointed to differences in the scale of IVE’s touring by region. Their latest world tour expanded from six to eight North American cities, with stops at arena-sized venues including Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

In Japan, however, IVE performed at Tokyo Dome and Kyocera Dome, drawing a combined 127,000 attendees across the two venues. The group’s latest tour also did not include European dates, despite visiting countries including France, Spain and the United Kingdom during their first world tour.

The report connected that gap to Starship Entertainment’s overall business structure. According to the figures cited, overseas revenue accounted for 14.9% of the company’s total revenue last year, considerably lower than the overseas shares reported by several larger K-pop agencies.

At the same time, the article acknowledged IVE’s significant success in Asia, particularly in Japan, and described expanding that existing fanbase into the United States and Europe as Starship’s next major growth challenge.

The report prompted a defensive response from many users on TheQoo, with some arguing that IVE is already touring successfully outside Asia and questioning why the group’s achievements were being framed negatively.

Others connected the timing of the article to recent debate surrounding submissions for the Grammys’ new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category, although that interpretation came from commenters rather than the MTN report itself.

Netizen Reactions

The sampled discussion was largely defensive of IVE and skeptical of the report’s framing. Several users questioned why IVE’s global performance was being criticized, while others speculated—without evidence from the article itself—that its timing was connected to the ongoing Grammy Asian Pop category debate.

1. IVE fighting!

2. This article reeks of some kind of internal document...

3. I was wondering why an article like this suddenly came out, but after reading the comments, I guess people think it’s because of the Grammy submission... seriously...

4. If they’re doing this to IVE too, then seriously ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Is there another girl group from a mid-sized agency already touring this well outside Asia? What year is this, 2022?

5. Seeing Starship submit to the Grammy Asian Pop category that people are boycotting over racism makes it seem like they really want recognition from the U.S.

6. Instead of worrying about idols who are already making plenty of money, they should write about the group that got called an “empty-seat concert,” didn’t cancel its domestic show, and supposedly even handed free tickets to couples passing by.

7. So what? IVE fighting ^^

8. This article smells so stale.

9. The Grammy Asian Pop category caused a lot of controversy over racism, and people are boycotting it, so what’s the problem?

10. IVE fighting!

Source: TheQoo