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| K-pop group IVE member Jang Won-young, third from left, speaks after receiving Best Song during this year's Melon Music Awards ceremony, held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro District, Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Kakao Entertainment |
By Lee Gyu-lee
K-pop group IVE has bagged four awards, including the highest honor for girl groups, at this year's Melon Music Awards (MMA), a music award organized by Kakao Entertainment.
The six-piece girl band won Best Female Group, beating out strong contenders like (G)I-DLE, aespa, BLACKPINK and NewJeans, during the ceremony held Saturday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro District, Seoul. This was the first offline ceremony for MMA in three years following online ones due to anti-coronavirus social distancing rules.
"We weren't expecting it but feel so honored to receive this award," the group's member Jang Won-young said in her acceptance speech. "Today has been a motivational day for us. We'll continue to work hard, so we ask for much support."
The group also notched TOP10, an award for top 10 artists of the year; Best Song with its hit song "LOVE DIVE"; and Rookie of the Year together with NewJeans.
"LOVE DIVE," a mini-album that was released in April, has sold about 338,000 copies in the first week of its release and the title song with the same name as the album topped the monthly streaming chart in June. The song remains in Melon's TOP100 streaming chart.
IVE ― comprised of two former IZ*ONE members An Yu-jin and Jang Won-young, and members Gaeul, Liz, Rei, and Leeseo ― debuted with a single ELEVEN last December. It soon shot to stardom, making a string of hits including "After Like" and "LOVE DIVE."
At the MMA, Best Male Group went to the K-pop juggernaut BTS. Singers IU and Lim Young-woong won the Best Female Solo and Male Solo awards.
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