K-pop
enthusiasts can look forward to a refreshing musical oasis as top-tier acts gear up to
release
new summer anthems. Leading the lineup are boy bands ENHYPEN and
Stray Kids
, alongside
Jimin
of the K-pop titan BTS, promising to cool off listeners with their anticipated releases.
ENHYPEN
Boy group ENHYPEN is set to impress fans once again with their upcoming second full-length album, ‘Romance : Untold’, scheduled for release on July 12.
The album, heralded by their record label Belift Lab as a narrative shift for the group, will explore themes of love transcending boundaries, focusing on a tale of romance between a boy and a girl from vastly different worlds.
To introduce their new concept, ENHYPEN unveiled a visually stunning short film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Lee Chung-hyun, renowned for his works ‘Call’ and ‘Ballerina’. In the cinematic piece, the septet transforms into vampires, symbolizing the risks and sacrifices they are willing to make for love.
At a recent fan event in Seoul, ENHYPEN expressed their excitement about the album, saying, "We made different attempts for our comeback this time. We geared up for this album with the determination to create another turning point (in our careers)", as quoted by KTimes.
Since their debut in 2020 through Mnet's ‘I-LAND’ audition program, ENHYPEN has quickly risen to fame with their unique blend of talent and charisma. Their debut album ‘BORDER : DAY ONE" and subsequent full-length release ‘DIMENSION : DILEMMA’ have achieved remarkable success by collectively selling over 1.1 million copies.
BTS’ Jimin
Jimin of K-pop powerhouse BTS is gearing up to release his highly anticipated second solo album, ‘Muse’, on July 19, while serving his compulsory military service. This comes over a year after the successful debut of his solo venture with ‘Face’ in March 2023.
BigHit
Music
, Jimin's management company, has revealed that ‘Muse’ will delve into themes of inspiration and love through seven tracks, with Jimin contributing to the creative process of six songs. The agency shared, "On top of the lead single, 'Who,' the album carries six other tracks including, 'Rebirth (Intro),' 'Interlude : Showtime,' 'Smeraldo Garden Marching Band' and 'Be Mine'. Jimin participated in the creative process of six tracks to recount his authentic stories".
The lead single, ‘Who’, produced by Pdogg and Grammy-nominated artist Jon Bellion, showcases a blend of hip-hop and R&B elements. Ahead of the album's launch, Jimin will treat fans to ‘Smeraldo Garden Marching Band’ on June 28, featuring rapper Loco. The track promises a fusion of big band influences with contemporary hip-hop vibes. Having debuted with BTS in 2013, Jimin began his military service in December 2023, expected to conclude in June 2025.
Stray Kids
Stray Kids is gearing up for their upcoming ninth mini-album, ‘Ate’, slated for release on July 19 under JYP Entertainment. The album will feature the lead single ‘Chk Chk Boom’ alongside seven other tracks like ‘Mountains’, ‘Jjam’, ‘I Like It’, and ‘Runners’, with specific details about the songs currently under wraps.
Anticipation for ‘Ate’ skyrocketed with the release of a two-minute teaser on YouTube, quickly becoming the top trending music video worldwide upon its debut on June 19. The teaser showcases the eight members - Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N - portraying brand models for a fortune cookie manufacturer named ‘Ate’, amassing over 2.4 million views to date. “With its new work, Stray Kids will solidify its presence as a top global artist”, stated JYP Entertainment in a press release.
In addition to their musical projects, Stray Kids is slated to headline Lollapalooza Chicago this summer in August at Grant Park. Established in 1991, Lollapalooza stands as one of the longest-running and most influential music festivals in the U.S., drawing approximately 400,000 attendees annually.
Since their debut in 2018 with the EP ‘I Am Not’, Stray Kids has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the K-pop scene, propelled by hits like ‘Case 143’. Their third full-length album, ‘5-STAR’, released in 2023, shattered records by selling over 4.6 million copies within its first week, setting a new benchmark among K-pop acts worldwide.
July is set to be a star-studded month in the K-pop scene, with highly anticipated releases from (G)I-DLE and the return of second-generation girl group Kara. (G)I-DLE is preparing to drop their seventh mini-album, ‘I Sway’, on July 8, promising new music and exciting performances. Meanwhile, Kara, marking their comeback after more than a year since ‘Move Again’ in 2022, is set to release a new song, celebrating their 15th anniversary since their debut.
