K-pop stars to start 2024 with new albums
K-pop boy group B1A4 / Courtesy of WM Entertainment
Ushering in 2024, a slew of K-pop groups including B1A4 and ITZY will bring out new music offerings in January amid chilly weather.
Boy band B1A4 is set to drop its eighth mini-album, "Connect," on Jan. 8, more than two years after the release of its 2021 digital single, "Adore you." Its agency, WM Entertainment, will float two teasers, titled "Dreamlike" and "Continue," on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, before unveiling the list of tracks to be featured in the upcoming album. Details of the songs have been kept under wraps.
"To date, B1A4 members have been actively participating in the creative process of their albums," WM said in a statement. "They have also won people's hearts with their musical prowess. That's why a lot of them seem to look forward to the group's fresh release."
B1A4 debuted in 2011 as a quintet consisting of CNU, Sandeul, Gongchan, Jinyoung and Baro and has unleashed a series of hits such as "Baby Good Night" (2012) and "What's Happening" (2013). But it rebranded as a trio in 2018 following the exit of Jinyoung and Baro.
A teaser for K-pop girl group ITZY's upcoming album, "Born To Be" / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
K-pop girl group ITZY is rolling out its new album, "Born To Be," on the same day. It will be fronted by the lead single, "Untouchable," which was written by Swedish songwriter/producer Maria Marcus, among others. Marcus previously worked with Jungkook of boy band BTS.
For the first time in their career, all five ITZY members — Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna — will include their solo tracks on the album. They all took part in composing their songs and writing lyrics, according to the singers' management company, JYP Entertainment. The titles of these tunes are: "Crown On My Head" (Yeji), "Blossom" (Lia), "Run Away" (Ryujin), "Mine" (Chaeryeong) and "Yet but" (Yuna).
"ITZY's upcoming release will be 'fiery,'" JYP hinted in a statement. "Soon after its release, the group is scheduled to embark on a new world tour in February."
ITZY burst onto the K-pop scene in 2019 and rose to stardom with the tracks like "Dalla Dalla" (2019).
K-pop girl group NMIXX / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment
On Jan. 15, NMIXX, another girl group under JYP's roof, will return with the second mini-album, "Fe3O4: BREAK." The "Fe3O4" in the title refers to the chemical formula of magnetite, but JYP has not revealed the hidden message behind it.
Prior to the album release, NMIXX unveiled one of the songs, "Sonar (Breaker)," on Dec. 4 to whet fans' appetites. Blending Latin-inspired hip-hop and UK garage, the tune zooms in on six NMIXX members' determinations and hopes.
Hui of K-pop boy band PENTAGON / Courtesy of Cube Entertainment
One day after NMIXX's comeback, Hui of boy group PENTAGON will make his solo debut with the mini-album, "WHU IS ME: Complex," according to his record label, Cube Entertainment. It has taken about eight years for the 30-year-old to go solo after he debuted as part of the team in 2016.
The details about his new release will be disclosed in due course.
Hui, who has songwriting credits on several PENTAGON songs such as "Shine" (2018), made headlines earlier this year for appearing as a contestant on the audition program "Boys Planet," which gave birth to popular boy group ZEROBASEONE (ZB1).