BTS·SEVENTEEN·Lim Young-woong… major artists to make comeback after pandemic

▲ This photo, captured from BTS' official Twitter, shows the boy group BTS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo provided by Pledis Entertainment shows a promotional image for K-pop group Seventeen's first English-language single "Darl+ing" released on April 15, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, provided by Mulgogi Music, shows singer Lim Young-woong. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- Amid the lifting of pandemic measures and growing expectations toward a recovery of daily life, stars representing the music industry are about to make a comeback one after another.

The outlook of the music industry looks bright as artists with strong fandom and high music charts records are beginning to resume their activities after the pandemic.

K-pop superband BTS plans to make comeback in June, according to the K-pop industry, Monday.

The group recently finished the “BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE-LAS VEGAS” performance and revealed the comeback news by announcing a date, “2022.6.10.”

There are high expectations that the septet will release a full-length album after a long time and meet fans.

BTS has performed with singles such as “Butter" and “Permission to Dance." When the group drops a full-length album, it will be the first to release in 2 and 4 months, after “MAP OF THE SOUL : 7.”

There is a high interest in what BTS, which has established itself as a global pop star, will achieve this year.

Last year, BTS topped the U.S. Billboard main single chart ‘Hot 100’ for ten weeks with “Butter,” so there is a high possibility for the band to set a new record with the new album.

The agency raised expectations for the comeback and said, “It will be a new album that opens a new chapter.”

SEVENTEEN will drop a new album next month and make certain it is a group representing K-pop.

The group, which officially entered the global market with the first English single “Darl+ling,” will return with a fourth full-length album “Face the Sun,” on May 27.

It is anticipated that there will be big responses around SEVENTEEN’s new album.

SEVENTEEN has sold more than 1 million copies of each album including the 2019 third full-length album “An Ode,” “Heng:garae,” “Semicolon,” “Your Choice,” and “Attaca.” The group has a million-seller record for five albums in a row.

SEVENTEEN plans to release a new album at 1 p.m. (KST) Friday and midnight at 0 a.m. on Friday (ET). This seems to be targeting the U.S. market and the entry to the Billboard charts.

Another singer just as popular as a K-pop artist is the ‘hero’ Lim Young-woong.

Lim, who made hit songs such as “My Starry Love,” “Trust in Me,” and “Love Always Run Away,” will return with a new album on May 2.

This will the singer’s first regular album since his debut.

When the presales of the “IM HERO,” album began on April 1, some sites were disrupted in access due to the high number of users at once.

Lim also plans to hold a national tour concert. The singer will begin in Goyang city in Gyeonggi Province to Changwon, Kwangju, Daejun, Incheon, Daegu, and Seoul and hold a total of 21 performances.

With the comeback announcement of major artists, the music industry is also speeding up.

Some singers and groups, who have been preparing for activities around the same time, are known to make changes in their schedules. They plan to move their schedules into a period where they can avoid the major artists' return and gain more spotlight.

“There weren’t that many comeback plans until a few days ago but now, the schedules of big artists are packed in a certain time. It is not easy to even reserve a showcase spot,” said one official from a mid-sized agency.

“After the social distancing measures lifted, artists of all genres are preparing their comeback,” adding, “People are going to be cautious over the timing of the comeback.”

(This article is translated from Korean to English by An Hayeon.)

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