IVE, ILLIT and RIIZE All Drop New Music on October 26

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Three of K-pop 's biggest names go head to head on October 26, 2026. IVE release their mini album Looks Can Kill, ILLIT drop their fifth mini album BREAK EVEN, and RIIZE unveil a prologue single for their second full-length album. The Korea Times describes the date as the peak of a crowded October comeback race. IVE: Looks Can Kill Starship Entertainment's IVE return with Looks Can Kill, their first release in about eight months, following their second full-length album REVIVE+. According to allkpop, the title track is released first on October 19 at 6pm KST (10am WAT), followed by a highlight medley on October 21. The full mini album arrives on October 26, the same day the group unveils a spin-off film. The campaign is built around a new "girl hero" concept. Allkpop lists a detailed schedule of teasers: concept photo sets titled "GIRL HERO", "HERO COMICS", "HERO ON SET" and "SPIN-OFF", plus music video teasers for the title track on October 16 and 17. The Korea Times adds that the label has teased the release with projection mapping on Seoul high-rises and film-style posters in the Seongsu neighbourhood. ILLIT: BREAK EVEN HYBE girl group ILLIT release BREAK EVEN at 6pm KST (10am WAT) on October 26. According to their label, Belift Lab, the title borrows an economic term for a state of neither loss nor gain, and the album is built around a refusal to keep pouring effort into a relationship that gives nothing back. The new record follows "It's Me", which The Korea Times says peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100. ILLIT have been active as a four-member group since June, when Moka paused activities to focus on her health. They warm up with encore concerts at Inspire Arena in Incheon on October 17 and 18. RIIZE: a prologue to album two SM Entertainment's RIIZE release a prologue single on October 26 ahead of their second full-length album, due next spring. The group revealed the plan at its third-anniversary fan meeting at Inspire Arena in September, which drew about 23,000 fans over two days, according to The Korea Times. The rest of October's rush The Korea Times lists releases from KickFlip, NCT WISH, PLAVE, Xdinary Heroes and MEOVV on October 12, as well as a solo debut EP from Sung Han-bin. NMIXX release their sixth EP, Strange Muse, on October 19. BLACKPINK's Lisa follows with her EP PRESS PLAY on October 23, the same day as a new song from BABYMONSTER. The month closes with AND2BLE, a quintet featuring four former ZEROBASEONE members, on October 27, and gender-free boy band XLOV on October 28. The Korea Times reports that AND2BLE's debut sold more than 730,000 copies in its first week, while XLOV's I, God topped 200,000. Why same-day releases matter When three major acts release on the same day, fans mobilise to buy and stream, and first-week sales and music show results become a direct contest. It also makes the following weeks of music show broadcasts unusually competitive. Each of the three acts comes from a different major agency, Starship, HYBE 's Belift Lab and SM. For more on the scene, visit our South Korea hub. Key facts IVE: Looks Can Kill; title track October 19, mini album October 26 ILLIT: BREAK EVEN, fifth mini album, October 26 at 6pm KST RIIZE: prologue single on October 26; second full-length album due in spring 2027 Agencies: Starship, Belift Lab (HYBE) and SM Entertainment For fans, the result is a week of overlapping teasers, releases and stages that will test their buying power and the strength of each group's following. What's next IVE's title track arrives on October 19, ILLIT play Inspire Arena on October 17 and 18, and all three acts release on October 26. First-week sales figures should follow in early November, and RIIZE fans will then wait for news of the second full-length album due in spring 2027. Sources: The Korea Times | allkpop