Gaeul of IVE appeared on YouTube channel 'MinumsaTV'—run by Minumsa, one of South Korea’s leading publishers—where she walked viewers through her shelves and reading habits.
Fresh off promotions for the fourth mini-album 'IVE SECRET', Gaeul first broke down title track 'XOXZ': “‘XOXO’ means ‘hugs and kisses’ or ‘love,’ and we added ‘Z’ to fold in ‘good night,’ creating a new slang word, ‘XOXZ.’” She then opened her “shelf tour,” showing well-used bookmarks, sticky notes, and index tabs, saying she likes to match the bookmark’s vibe to each book.
Her recommendations spanned school-days picks to recent reads. Citing why the genre grips her, she noted: “I really love mystery and detective fiction—my guesses keep missing in the best way, and it lets my imagination run.” Among memorable gifts from fans, she chose the 'Cornerstone Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection', adding that a trip to London’s Sherlock Holmes Museum cemented her fandom. Other titles she discussed included 'Scythe' (Korean title 'The Reaper'), 'The Hound of the Baskervilles', 'The Silence of the Lambs', and 'Wizard Bakery'—offering quick plot notes and personal takes.
For younger fans, Gaeul recommended 'Wizard Bakery' as an essential youth read. As a comfort pick, she mentioned poet Park Joon’s essay collection 'Although Crying Changes Nothing', highlighting a letter-themed passage that reminded her of fans: “I love writing and receiving handwritten letters. They’re proof of how much you care, and I draw so much strength from them.”
Asked what books mean to her, Gaeul answered “blank space”: “It sounds contradictory, but I think I like mysteries because I can paint the scenes my own way. Reading gives me a white canvas to build worlds on—drawing my story is so fun and meaningful.”
IVE are scheduled to perform at 'ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2025' in Chiba on September 15, 2025 JST.
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