Album
Release Date
April 29, 2024
Composers / Lyricists
Ryan S. Jhun, Jo Yoon-kyung, Sean Fischer, David Charles Fischer, Sofia Kay, John Mavrogiannis
Participating Members
About the Song
TKO is a track by IVE from their album IVE EMPATHY, released under Starship Entertainment. The song was composed by Sean Fischer, Ryan S. Jhun, David Charles Fischer, Sofia Kay, and John Mavrogiannis, with lyrics written by Jo Yoon Kyung, and arranged by Ryan S. Jhun and Sean Fischer. TKO delivers a bold and emotionally charged narrative that captures the moment of emotional surrender and decisive clarity, using powerful metaphors of impact and confrontation to express the intensity of love and personal conviction, while IVE’s confident vocal tone and polished production emphasize themes of emotional strength, control, and the ability to stand firm without hesitation, reinforcing the group’s distinctive identity built on confidence, composure, and self-defined empowerment.
[FULL LYRICS – ROMANIZATION & ENGLISH ONLY]
geot-hin be-il sok-e dang-chan smile
better watch out baby, i bite
hold up nal ye-ui-ju-si hae
ga-byeop-ge baet-deon ne mal in goody bag
ain’t no show and tell,
Bold smile behind the lifted veil
Better watch out baby, I bite
Hold up, keep an eye on me
Your light words in a goody bag
Ain’t no show and tell,
nun-eul mat-chul ttae i-mi da-reun my keul-lae-seu
toek kkeut-eul dang-gyeo i-je
nol-lan neol ga-dun eyes
him-kkeot nae ji-reun fire
jeol-dae neon mot pi-hae nal
When our eyes meet, already a different class
Pull up your chin now
Eyes trapping your surprise
Fire I shouted with all my might
You can never avoid me
ppeon-han ne meo-ri-sok
mit-da da-chyeo neon keun ko
i’m bad to the bad to the, bone
cuz ima tko
swip-ge nol-lin ne son
jeon-bu bu-swo nan ne peul-lot
Your obvious mind
Trust and get hurt, big mistake
I’m bad to the bad to the, bone
Cuz ima TKO
Your easily teasing hands
I break all your plots
cuz ima tko
ha-yah-ge beon-jin seu-mo-keu
so hot but the ice so cold
let them know tko
Cuz ima TKO
White spreading smoke
So hot but the ice so cold
Let them know TKO
bi-ttul-eo-jin ne gwan-si-meun heo-ni
yeo-yu-ro-un seu-teu-re-i-teu kko-ja neo-eo gip-pi
hello haters, imma blow you a kiss
take my punch line
eo-seo ring wi-e ol-la
Your twisted interest is honey
Calmly plant a straight deep
Hello haters, Imma blow you a kiss
Take my punch line
Hurry, get on the ring
jip-jung hae nae-ge-man
toxic dok-i doe-neun ne
amu gibberish
se-ge bal-ba eop-sae get clean
ju-meok-eul ol-lyeo i-je
Focus only on me
Toxic, your poison
Any gibberish
Step hard, erase it, get clean
Raise your fist now
beol-sseo bin teum-i bo-yeo
nal-ka-rop-ge ppeo-deo right
Already see the gap
Stretch sharply, right
ppeon-han ne meo-ri-sok
mit-da da-chyeo neon keun ko
i’m bad to the bad to the, bone
cuz ima tko
swip-ge nol-lin ne son
jeon-bu bu-swo nan ne peul-lot
Your obvious mind
Trust and get hurt, big mistake
I’m bad to the bad to the, bone
Cuz ima TKO
Your easily teasing hands
I break all your plots
cuz ima tko
ha-yah-ge beon-jin seu-mo-keu
so hot but the ice so cold
let them know tko
Cuz ima TKO
White spreading smoke
So hot but the ice so cold
Let them know TKO
imma baddie
toek kkeut-kka-ji
eong-kin ne breathing
keep on workin’
i’m so crazy
Imma baddie
To the tip of your chin
Your tangled breathing
Keep on workin’
I’m so crazy
hoe-sim-ui ta-i-ming
deoh gip-ge nam-gyeo no-eun
sang-cheo-reul ga-reu-go
hit that noise
bo-yeo jul-ge
wan-byeok-han tko
To hit you once
Cutting deeper
The scars left behind
Hit that noise
I’ll show you
Perfect TKO
ju-do hae nan this flow
hyung-teo ma-jeo-do so glow
let them know tko
cuz ima tko
ha-yah-ge beon-jin seu-mo-keu
so hot but the ice so cold
let them know tko
I lead this flow
Even scars glow
Let them know TKO
Cuz ima TKO
White spreading smoke
So hot but the ice so cold
Let them know TKO
The song uses boxing metaphors to declare a final victory over those who underestimate or judge the protagonist. It conveys a message of overwhelming confidence, where the protagonist shatters the opponent’s “plot” and delivers a decisive blow with lethal charm.
