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Record companies are preparing major comebacks to coincide with birthdays, holiday promotions, and festival appearances, so May 2025 will see a frenzy of K-pop. New bands and solo performers are also causing ripples: Jin of HYBE follows up his 2024 debut, MEOVV of The Black Label moves from singles to EP, and SEVENTEEN of Pledis marks 10 years of friendship. This piece explores their history, promotional builds, and key information in light of May's release calendar, including these three releases.
K-pop acts set to drop new music in May 2025
The artist biographies that follow include extensive information on each performer, including forthcoming albums, singles, formats, and promotional highlights:
BTS’ Jin
Kim Seok-jin (Jin of BTS) will publish his second solo mini album Echo, including the lead song Don't Say You Love Me, on May 16, 2025, at 1 PM KST. Published in a Weverse article introducing the EP, which contains seven tracks exploring ideas of reflection and memory, concept images of smashing seas and echoing hallways appeared on April 14.
Jin will start the RunSeokjin Ep. Tour in Seoul, South Korea, in June, and then go on to North America and Europe to commemorate the publication.
EXO’s Baekhyun
Baekhyun will make a victorious solo return on May 19, 2025, at 6 PM KST, after an eight-month break with the publication of Essence of Reverie, his fifth extended play (EP).
Running April 25, the teaser video included odd pictures and pillow-shaped dolls, underscoring the album's investigation of creativity and introspection. This EP consists of a duet with singer-songwriter UMI called Do What You Do in addition to his 2024 album, Hello, World.
TXT
Blending Afro-house beats with their trademark young pop energy, Tomorrow X Together (TXT) will return on May 2, 2025, at 1 PM KST with their new digital song "Love Language".
Posted by BIGHIT MUSIC on April 27, the news was accompanied by mood teaser photos stressing pastel tones and lighthearted dance cues. This publication concludes their six-month break after The Star Chapter: SANCTUARY.
SEVENTEEN
On May 26, 2025, SEVENTEEN will release Happy Burstday, their fifth studio album, in honor of their tenth anniversary. On April 21, Pledis Entertainment released the music video for "DARE OR DEATH." The video depicts the album's release as a "renaissance" and a party, complete with floating candles and envelopes.
The project, which revolves around the themes of revolution and explosive new beginnings, was a collaborative effort by all thirteen members, including those presently serving in the military.
Red Velvet Irene & Seulgi
Irene & Seulgi, the first sub-unit of Red Velvet, will come back with a new mini-album in May 2025, their first appearance in five years. SM Entertainment confirmed on April 11 that the couple was completing tracks for the release, their first music together since the 2020 EP Monster.
The fact that their solo K-pop "BALANCE" concert in Seoul was sold out before the release shows the fervor of their followers.
BOYNEXTDOOR
Rookie boy band BOYNEXTDOOR's fourth extended play (EP), "No Genre," will be published on May 13, 2025, at 6 PM KST. "I Feel Good," the title track, is part of the EP. KOZ Entertainment revealed the comeback presentation, which will be streamed live online from Seoul's Jangchung Arena on May 14.
Released in September 2024 as their third K-pop mini-album, 19.99, their digital single "One and Only" peaked at No. 4 on Melon's daily chart. The following EP is in the series.
RIIZE
RIIZE will put out their debut full-length album, Odyssey, on May 19, 2025, at 6 PM KST, signifying their first comeback in over a year. Premiering on April 28, the cinematic K-pop music video shows scenes paralleling the lyrical arc of the album from dark and edgy to joyous and youthful.
SM Entertainment said the group will return in March and release its first full-length album since its debut in September 2023.
(G)I-DLE
After a ten-month break since I Sway, Cube Entertainment said (G)I-DLE will return to the full group with a new mini-album in mid-May 2025.
The group promises powerful and self-composed sound, combining the K-pop members' composition and performance skills. Industry insiders say the group is in the latter stages of creation.
DAY6
Band DAY6's "Maybe Tomorrow," their first K-pop musical release in eight months, will be digitally accessible on May 7, 2025, at 6 PM KST.
Unveiled on April 25th, a "Coming Soon" billboard depicted the band walking beneath a starry sky, suggesting the upbeat, springtime mood of the song.
MEOVV
The debut EP of the female group MEOVV (pronounced "meow"), My Eyes Open VVide, will be revealed on May 12, 2025, at 6 PM KST. The first song, "Hands Up," was published on April 28; the EP will follow on May 12 simultaneously.
Using cat-eye motifs and feline symbolism, teasers for The Black Label, a five-member rookie group, suggested a mature, rebellious idea of K-pop.
P1Harmony
P1Harmony's eighth mini-album, DUH!, will drop at 6 PM KST on May 8, 2025. An extension of their ongoing story universe, the teaser video "A hero should be heroic" (published on April 23) shows the members as superheroes-in-action who are on strike.
While concept images show bold styling and devil-horn accents, May 9th heralds the advent of actual K-pop LPs in the US.
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May 2025's K-pop release schedule underlines the genre's dynamism. These comebacks highlight K-pop's blend of deliberate timing, creative rebirth, and fan-driven anticipation as the second quarter of the year draws closer.
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