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| The teaser for Red Velvet member Seulgi's upcoming solo EP, "28 Reasons" / Courtesy of SM Entertainment |
Red Velvet's Seulgi, Stray Kids, Le Sserafim and (G)I-DLE to release new music offerings next month
By Dong Sun-hwa
October is set to be a thrilling month for K-pop lovers worldwide, with a crop of singers gearing up for their fresh releases. Seulgi of K-pop girl group Red Velvet will make her solo debut on Oct. 4, nearly eight years after debuting as part of her group in 2014. She is the third Red Velvet member to go solo, following Wendy and Joy.
Seulgi's first solo mini-album, "28 Reasons," will carry six tracks of different genres, including the lead single of the same name, according to her record label, SM Entertainment.
"Seulgi, an all-rounder who has proved her broad musical spectrum through diverse activities, will reveal her unseen side through her solo project," the company said in a statement.
In March, Red Velvet created a splash with its mini-album, "The Reve Festival 2022 ― Feel My Rhythm," dominating a series of music charts including Gaon (Circle).
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| The teaser for Stray Kids' upcoming mini-album, "MAXIDENT" / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment |
On Oct. 7, Stray Kids are poised to drop their new mini-album, "MAXIDENT," according to their agency JYP Entertainment. "MAXIDENT" is a term coined by the members that combines the words "maximum," "accident" and "incident."
The EP will be led by "CASE 143," the group's first-ever lead single about love.
"In 'CASE 143,' Stray Kids liken the confusion surrounding love to a 'case,' and express their love to their crush using the code, '143,' which means, 'I love you,'" JYP said in a statement. "143" indicates the number of letters in each word of the phrase, "I love you."
The label added, "Stray Kids, which showcased their unique music style with songs like 'Back Door' (2020) and 'MANIAC' (2022), will exhibit their new side with the upcoming release."
The octet recently held the "Stray Kids 2nd World Tour 'MANIAC' Seoul Special (UNVEIL 11)" concerts at the KSPO DOME in Olympic Park, located in Seoul's Songpa District.
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| Members of rookie K-pop act Le Sserafim / Courtesy of HYBE |
Rookie K-pop girl group Le Sserafim will bring out its second mini-album, "ANTIFRAGILE," on Oct. 17, about five months after debuting with its first album, "FEARLESS." The quintet is the first all-female act launched by HYBE, which houses K-pop juggernaut BTS.
HYBE's chairman, Bang Si-hyuk, and creative director Kim Sung-hyun, who produced Le Sserafim's debut album, will again join hands to bring life to Le Sserafim's new EP, according to HYBE.
"Bang and Kim led the group to make a successful debut in May, as evidenced by its impressive album sales and music video views," the company said in a statement.
"FEARLESS" sold more than 300,000 copies during the first week of its release, setting the second-highest record among all debut albums by K-pop girl groups. The music video of the album's namesake lead single has exceeded 110 million hits as of Sunday afternoon.
"Bang and Kim are ready to make history again with 'ANTIFRAGILE,' through which Le Sserafim will display its own musical color," HYBE added. "It will tell a story about the inner sides and attitudes of the members, who get stronger as they face more hurdles."
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| K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE / Courtesy of Cube Entertainment |
(G)I-DLE, which is currently on its world tour, is also slated to roll out its fifth mini-album, "I love" next month, according to its record label, Cube Entertainment. The songs included in the album will be released on multiple streaming charts on Oct. 17, and the album will hit store shelves one day later.
It has taken about seven months for the quintet to drop a fresh album, after it made waves with its first studio album, "I NEVER DIE," in March. "Tomboy," the lead track off the album, topped multiple music streaming charts at home and abroad, with its music video garnering over 170 million hits on YouTube.
Cube has not yet disclosed details about the upcoming release, but will begin floating teasers from Sept. 30.
On top of the aforementioned stars, groups like AB6IX, Dreamcatcher and Pentagon are also gearing up for October releases, heating up the competition for the top spots on different music charts.
