October 28, 2026 | K-POP News
IVE’s REI stepped into a different musical role with “Hello,” her first solo television drama soundtrack. Released in September, the song gives her the lead vocal across two recordings — one in Korean and another in Japanese — for the time-travel romance Dive to You.
Both versions were released on September 27, 2026, as 너에게 다이브 OST Part.1 for the Disney+ and Channel A drama. “Hello” is not a new October release. What makes the earlier recording worth revisiting is the way REI brings the same story to life in two languages.
A first solo OST for REI
“Hello” begins with a gentle piano line before opening into a fuller string arrangement. The song is built around a longing to reach someone precious again, even if that means turning back time. REI keeps the early passages restrained, letting the melody carry the emotion before the arrangement grows.
That feeling fits the drama’s premise. In Dive to You, twins discover an old camcorder that allows them to travel into the past as they try to save a first love. Rather than spelling out every part of the plot, the soundtrack stays close to the characters’ sense of hope and uncertainty.
Why the two languages matter
As a Japanese member of IVE who usually performs in Korean, REI was well placed to record both versions. The Korean track is simply titled “Hello”; the Japanese recording is listed as “Hello (君の明日へ)”, with a subtitle meaning roughly “Toward Your Tomorrow.” The pair belongs to the same soundtrack release, not two separate comeback singles.
It is worth hearing the versions side by side. Small changes in phrasing and the sound of the words give each recording its own texture, while the piano-and-strings arrangement keeps them connected. With no other IVE members trading lines, REI has room to sustain the song’s quieter moments on her own.
The three-track release also includes an instrumental. According to the official album credits, Heo Seong-jin and Diory composed and arranged the music. Heo wrote the Japanese version’s lyrics, while the Korean version credits Heo and Jinri of Full8loom. Those credits help explain how the two vocal versions were developed from one musical foundation.
What this adds to REI’s catalogue
IVE’s best-known singles are built around a six-member performance, with voices moving from one member to another. “Hello” asks something different of REI: to hold a song together as its featured singer while serving the mood of a television drama.
It is a notable addition to her growing list of individual projects. More understated than an IVE title track, “Hello” highlights her vocal tone and ability to shape a song around a story. It also marks her first solo drama OST, rather than a new independent solo album.
The Korean and Japanese recordings have been available on music services since September 27. For more on her career, see REI’s A–Z member profile.
Sources: Melon — official album listing and credits; iMBC — September 27 OST release report.