Global outlets are taking notice of I-DLE’s MIYEON and her latest reinvention.
Released Nov. 3, MIYEON’s second mini-album “MY, Lover” is drawing heightened attention from international media and on major streaming charts.
GRAMMY spotlighted the pre-release single “Reno (feat. Colde)” as a Halloween-ready drop, noting that MIYEON takes “an unexpected trip to the ‘Biggest Little City in the World’” ― Reno, Nevada. The outlet also praised the video, inspired by Old West frontier outposts, for its dramatic storytelling, calling “Reno (feat. Colde)” a track made to be watched as much as heard.
UK music magazine Clash wrote that MIYEON’s three-year gap “wasn’t a pause but preparation for a new beginning,” stoking anticipation for “MY, Lover,” her first mini in three and a half years. The piece added that her music and visuals “live in contrast ― soft and dreamlike one moment, then bold and cinematic the next.”
U.S. pop-culture outlet Stardust raved that MIYEON charts “a new direction across a cinematic spectrum and a broader vocal range” on “MY, Lover,” exploring fresh textures with even finer control while preserving the meticulous expression she showed on “MY.”
Italy’s Panorama applauded her approach amid hook-driven, 180-BPM K-pop, saying MIYEON chose “the hardest yet simplest path: to put the voice at the center and let it breathe.” Rather than flooring the gas, they noted, she “refines, steps away from formula, and returns to narrative.”
The momentum is showing up on the charts, too. “MY, Lover” topped QQ Music’s Best-Seller daily and weekly charts in the Chinese market. On Kugou Music, the title track “Say My Name” hit No. 1, while every album cut landed in the upper tier, effectively stacking the rankings. “Say My Name” also debuted near the top of Tencent Music Entertainment’s Korean-language chart.
The set reached No. 1 on iTunes Top Albums in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Russia, and charted in 18 regions overall. On Apple Music, it placed across 10 territories, signaling a strong return for the soloist.
MIYEON will kick off her music-show promotions on Nov. 7 with her first post-comeback stage on KBS2’s "Music Bank."
Photo= Cube Entertainment
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)