Big-name K-pop acts to return to stage this month
By Dong Sun-hwa
August is going to be one of the biggest months for music fans this year, with a plethora of K-pop bigwigs putting out their new music offerings amid sweltering temperatures. Some of the most celebrated girl groups like Girls' Generation, IVE and TWICE are set to return to stage, while boy bands like The Boyz and CIX are also preparing for their fresh releases.
The first in the starting lineup is Girls' Generation, which is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its debut this year.
The SM Entertainment act will drop its seventh full-length album, "FOREVER 1," on Aug. 5. It will be fronted by the namesake lead single, a pop dance track with an energetic melody that will allow listeners to get in a festive mood.
"Through its lyrics, the members will talk about their love for those who always support them," SM explained in a statement. "KENZIE ― who gave birth to the group's numerous hits like 'Into The New World' (2007) and 'Oh!' (2010) ― has again teamed up with the singers, taking part in producing the upcoming album."
"FOREVER 1" will also carry the tunes including, "Lucky Like That" and "You Better Run." The latter is a sequel to Girls' Generation's 2010 release "Run Devil Run" and will depict how a woman takes revenge on a man who cheated on her, SM added.
IVE, one of the hottest rookie stars in the K-pop scene, is also joining the star-studded line up, releasing the new EP, "After Like," on Aug. 22.
It has taken about four months for the sextet to return to the stage following the success of its previous release, "LOVE DIVE." "LOVE DIVE" recently exceeded 100 million streams on Spotify, the world's largest music streaming platform.
Although details about "After Like" have not been disclosed, the group's agency, Starship Entertainment, floated a teaser video titled "I'VE SUMMER FILM" on its official YouTube channel, Sunday. In the clip, the white-clad members read some lines written by popular novelist Chung Se-rang.
"I thought it would be cold on a rainy day, but it was not," Liz narrates in the video. "I am not afraid of anything when I am staying with you. I did not know how brave I was until we became friends."
After all nine members renewed their contracts with their record label, JYP Entertainment, iconic girl group TWICE is poised to roll out the mini-album, "BETWEEN 1&2," Aug. 26.
The album will be fronted by the lead single, "Talk that Talk," a summer song written by collapsedone, the composer behind TWICE's hits such as "What is Love?" (2018) and "The Feels" (2021).
"BETWEEN 1&2" will also offer six more tunes, including "Queen of Hearts," "Basics," and "Trouble." According to JYP, "Queen of Hearts" is an English-language song composed by acclaimed songwriting duo LDN Noise. Member Chaeyoung penned the lyrics for "Basics," while Jihyo participated in the overall process of making "Trouble."
"TWICE members wrote the lyrics for their songs this time, adding the group's musical style to all of them," JYP said in a statement, Monday.
In addition to these K-pop queens, male K-pop acts are also sharpening up themselves to conquer the music scene this month.
Golden Child is scheduled to put out its sixth mini-album "AURA" on Aug. 8. The fresh releases by The Boyz and CIX will arrive on Aug. 16 and Aug. 22, respectively.
Girl group BLACKPINK was planning to release a new album this month as well, but its management company YG Entertainment announced Monday that the quartet's album will hit store shelves in September.
By Dong Sun-hwa
August is going to be one of the biggest months for music fans this year, with a plethora of K-pop bigwigs putting out their new music offerings amid sweltering temperatures. Some of the most celebrated girl groups like Girls' Generation, IVE and TWICE are set to return to stage, while boy bands like The Boyz and CIX are also preparing for their fresh releases.
 |
| The teaser featuring Taeyeon of Girls' Generation / Courtesy of SM Entertainment |
The first in the starting lineup is Girls' Generation, which is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its debut this year.
The SM Entertainment act will drop its seventh full-length album, "FOREVER 1," on Aug. 5. It will be fronted by the namesake lead single, a pop dance track with an energetic melody that will allow listeners to get in a festive mood.
"Through its lyrics, the members will talk about their love for those who always support them," SM explained in a statement. "KENZIE ― who gave birth to the group's numerous hits like 'Into The New World' (2007) and 'Oh!' (2010) ― has again teamed up with the singers, taking part in producing the upcoming album."
"FOREVER 1" will also carry the tunes including, "Lucky Like That" and "You Better Run." The latter is a sequel to Girls' Generation's 2010 release "Run Devil Run" and will depict how a woman takes revenge on a man who cheated on her, SM added.
 |
| K-pop girl group IVE / Courtesy of Starship Entertainment |
It has taken about four months for the sextet to return to the stage following the success of its previous release, "LOVE DIVE." "LOVE DIVE" recently exceeded 100 million streams on Spotify, the world's largest music streaming platform.
Although details about "After Like" have not been disclosed, the group's agency, Starship Entertainment, floated a teaser video titled "I'VE SUMMER FILM" on its official YouTube channel, Sunday. In the clip, the white-clad members read some lines written by popular novelist Chung Se-rang.
"I thought it would be cold on a rainy day, but it was not," Liz narrates in the video. "I am not afraid of anything when I am staying with you. I did not know how brave I was until we became friends."
 |
| K-pop girl band TWICE / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment |
After all nine members renewed their contracts with their record label, JYP Entertainment, iconic girl group TWICE is poised to roll out the mini-album, "BETWEEN 1&2," Aug. 26.
The album will be fronted by the lead single, "Talk that Talk," a summer song written by collapsedone, the composer behind TWICE's hits such as "What is Love?" (2018) and "The Feels" (2021).
"BETWEEN 1&2" will also offer six more tunes, including "Queen of Hearts," "Basics," and "Trouble." According to JYP, "Queen of Hearts" is an English-language song composed by acclaimed songwriting duo LDN Noise. Member Chaeyoung penned the lyrics for "Basics," while Jihyo participated in the overall process of making "Trouble."
"TWICE members wrote the lyrics for their songs this time, adding the group's musical style to all of them," JYP said in a statement, Monday.
 |
| K-pop act The Boyz / Courtesy of IST Entertainment |
In addition to these K-pop queens, male K-pop acts are also sharpening up themselves to conquer the music scene this month.
Golden Child is scheduled to put out its sixth mini-album "AURA" on Aug. 8. The fresh releases by The Boyz and CIX will arrive on Aug. 16 and Aug. 22, respectively.
Girl group BLACKPINK was planning to release a new album this month as well, but its management company YG Entertainment announced Monday that the quartet's album will hit store shelves in September.
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