Intense K-pop Competition in May... Multiple Groups Including tripleS, RIIZE, and Jin Make Comebacks

The K-pop industry is launching an unprecedented number of new songs in May, sparking what can be described as a “comeback war.” This strategy is believed to be aimed at preparing for the summer festival season and avoiding South Korea’s early presidential election on June 3. On May 12, the female group tripleS, composed of 24 members, will release their new album *ASSEMBLE25*. The title track, “Are You Alive,” was selected through fan voting—a practice that has become a hallmark of tripleS since their debut in 2023. On the same day, MEOVV, a five-member female group under The Black Label label owned by Taeyang of BIGBANG and Rosé of BLACKPINK, will also debut their album *MY EYES OPEN VVIDE*. Their pre-release track, “HANDS UP,” has drawn attention for featuring a rare Brazilian punk genre in K-pop. The female group (G)I-DLE is set to return with a new mini-album in mid-May. This marks their first group comeback in 10 months since *I SWAY* in July, as well as their first official activity after all five members renewed their contracts with Cube Entertainment. The members have focused on solo projects previously; Minnie released a solo album in January, while Yuqi issued a digital single titled “Radio (Dum-Dum)” in March. The lineup of male groups is equally impressive. Jin of BTS will release his second mini-album *Echo* on May 16, along with the title track “Don’t Say You Love Me.” SEVENTEEN is scheduled to have activities in May, while TOMORROW X TOGETHER will debut their digital single “Love Language” in the style of Afro house on the 2nd. HueningKai contributed to the lyrics for this music video. The rookie group RIIZE will release their first full album *ODYSSEY* on May 19 to celebrate their second anniversary since debut. Featuring the theme of “non-stop growth,” the album includes a total of 10 tracks, starting with “Odyssey,” a track that combines mysterious synthesizers with UK Garage rhythms. Before the official release, RIIZE plans an online premiere on Weverse on May 14, followed by offline screenings in 27 theaters across South Korea, China, Japan, and Thailand starting on the 15th. JYP Entertainment’s rookie group KickFlip will release their new mini-album *Kick Out, Flip Now!* on May 26. They achieved two awards at music ceremonies just 33 days after their debut in January and continued to show strong performance as “K-pop super rookies,” with their first mini-album topping Circle Chart’s weekly chart. An industry insider explained, “These days, once a song enters the charts, it tends to stay there for a long time, so releasing new music in late spring or early summer to maintain popularity throughout the summer is a good strategy.” Additionally, artists aiming to participate in global music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Summer Sonic, which are concentrated in July and August, are also trending toward advancing their release dates to May in order to promote their new songs.