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| K-pop boy group Stray Kids / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment |
K-pop hotshots to electrify fans in June
By Dong Sun-hwa
May was a big month for K-pop. A plethora of A-list groups like Le Sserafim, aespa and (G)I-DLE rolled out their new music offerings, dominating the music charts in Korea and beyond. In June, Stray Kids, NCT's Taeyong and ATEEZ will arrive on the music scene and keep their fans cool with their summer songs amid sweltering temperatures.
The first in the lineup is Stray Kids, whose third full-length album, "5-STAR" will hit shelves on June 2. It will be fronted by the title track, "S-Class," according to the group's management company, JYP Entertainment.
It has taken two years for the octet to drop a studio album, following the release of "NOEASY" in 2021. With "NOEASY," Stray Kids became the first JYP artist to sell more than 1 million copies of an album.
"5-STAR" will carry 11 other tunes including, "Super Bowl," "TOPLINE," "DLC, "FNF" and "Youtiful." The three Stray Kids members ― Bang Chan, Changbin and Han, who are collectively known as "3RACHA" ― produced all of them in cooperation with other acclaimed musicians and creators. Korean-American rapper Tiger JK co-wrote the song, "Topline" and also featured on it.
"The upcoming album will highlight Stray Kids' vigor and confidence," JYP said in a statement.
Following the album release, Stray Kids are set to hold a fan event at the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park, southern Seoul, July 1-2.
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| Taeyong, a member of K-pop act NCT / Courtesy of SM Entertainment |
The EP will offer seven tracks including the lead single of the same name, according to his record label, SM Entertainment. Taeyong took part in the creative process of all of them, the company added.
The lead single is a hip-hop song peppered with drum and percussion sounds, which imparts a hopeful message that everyone can shine anywhere.
"The album will be brimming with Taeyong's own musical sentiment," SM said in a statement.
On the day of the album release, Taeyong is also scheduled to hold a special event for his fans in celebration of his solo debut. It will take place at the SJ Kunsthalle in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.
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| K-pop boy band ATEEZ / Courtesy of KQ Entertainment |
On June 16, K-pop act ATEEZ will be back. The octet is poised to put out its ninth mini-album, "THE WORLD EP.2 : OUTLAW," which shows how the members struggle for freedom amid the darkness. Its title track is "BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)."
"Given that a trailer for the album ranked 16th on YouTube's Trending Worldwide (Music Videos) chart, we could see that numerous people are interested in our upcoming release," ATEEZ's agency KQ Entertainment said in a statement.
ATEEZ recently wrapped up two world tours titled, "THE FELLOWSHIP : BEGINNING OF THE END" and "THE FELLOWSHIP : BREAK THE WALL," performing in front of 430,000 fans around the world.
