From Red Velvet's Wendy to BTS' J-Hope, K-pop stars to drop new albums in March
March is set to be a hectic month for K-pop fans worldwide, who may have to add a lot of new songs to their playlists.
Numerous big-name stars will bring out their new music offerings next month, including rookie boy group Xikers, Wendy of girl group Red Velvet and even J-Hope of the Grammy-nominated boy band BTS, who is currently fulfilling his compulsory military service.
xikers (March 8)
K-pop boy band Xikers / Courtesy of KQ Entertainment
Ten-member boy band xikers will unleash its third mini-album, "HOUSE OF TRICKY : Trial And Error" on March 8. Fronted by the lead single, "We Don't Stop," the upcoming album will carry five other tracks including "Trial And Error(whereabouts)," "Red Sun" and "Supercalifragilistic."
Members Minjae, Sumin and Yechan penned the lyrics for the title track and other songs, according to the group's agency, KQ Entertainment. It added that Hongjoong of boy group ATEEZ, which debuted under KQ in 2018, also contributed to the lyrics.
"With its new release, Xikers will showcase a broader musical spectrum," KQ said in a statement, Monday.
After arriving on the music scene with the debut album "HOUSE OF TRICKY : Doorbell Ringing" last March, Xikers has been actively expanding its global presence, holding its first world tour — "TRICKY HOUSE : FIRST ENCOUNTER" — only about six months after its debut.
Red Velvet's Wendy (March 12)
Wendy of K-pop girl group Red Velvet / Yonhap
Red Velvet's Wendy is slated to put out her second mini-album, "Wish You Hell," March 12. It will be led by the title track of the same name, according to her record label, SM Entertainment.
"The album will consist of six tunes offering a glimpse into Wendy's musical diversity," SM said in a statement, Monday.
The agency floated a teaser on X — formerly Twitter — which portrays a white heart drawn on a blackboard standing at the center of a mysterious classroom.
It has taken nearly three years for the 29-year-old to roll out a fresh mini-album. She dropped "Like Water" in April 2021. Fronted by the title track, "Like Water" ranked first on iTunes' top albums chart in 33 regions around the world upon its release, demonstrating Wendy's global clout as a solo artist.
BTS' J-Hope (March 29)
BTS member J-Hope's upcoming album, "HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1" / Courtesy of Big Hit Music
J-Hope of K-pop juggernaut BTS, who started his mandatory military duty last April, will unveil a special album, titled "HOPE ON THE STREET VOL.1," on March 29.
According to his management company, Big Hit Music, the main theme of the upcoming album is street dance, which J-Hope regards as his artistic roots. It will include six songs highlighting the singer's musical growth.
One day before the album's release, a six-part documentary of the same name will premiere on the streaming platforms Tving and Amazon Prime Video. Prior to enlisting, J-Hope visited Osaka, Paris, New York, Seoul and his hometown Gwangju to feature how he interacts with other dancers through the medium of dance.
"BTS' J-Hope decided to release an album and a documentary sharing the same theme, so that he can express his message more vividly," Big Hit said in a statement, Monday.
In addition to the aforementioned acts, boy bands TEMPEST and LUN8 will also release new mini-albums on March 11 and March 13, respectively. NCT Dream, BTOB and HIGHLIGHT are also poised to release new material next month, but the exact dates have not yet been revealed.