by July will see two musicians break off from the groups that made them K-pop superstars (but not leave them entirely) to go solo for the first time. The recent announcements of these ventures have fans holding on to the edge of their seats as they wait to hear what their favorites have cooked up. Throughout the month, several other well-known musicians in the South Korean music industry will also dole out tunes and projects they created on their own, including one who is emerging from a period of turmoil to start an exciting new chapter hopefully.
Here are five of the most highly-anticipated K-pop releases coming in July.
July 5 – Kyuhyun – “Together”
In addition to his work as a member of the unstoppable Super Junior, who has been going strong for over 15 years now, Kyuhyun also occasionally releases music on his own. It’s been more than two years since he dropped any solo collection, and thankfully, another taste of something fresh is coming very soon. The superstar’s single “Together” is the latest in his 2021 Project: Season, which sees him sharing tunes that correspond to the season, so expect something hot and summery.
July 5 – Soyeon – Windy
Already incredibly popular as one-sixth of the all-female vocal troupe (G)I-dle, fans were ecstatic when the rapper and singer’s label confirmed that Soyeon was making a solo comeback and that it would be more significant than ever before. Throughout the years, Soyeon has shared a handful of songs on her own, but open July 5, she will drop her first-ever project without her bandmates, an EP titled Windy.
July 6 – Taeyeon – “Weekend”
Since Girls’ Generation split up in 2017 (and even before then), Taeyeon has been hard at work creating music on her own that helps her stand out from the bunch and assert herself as a star in her own right, not just as a member of a group. This month, she’ll release her first solo single of the year (as a lead artist) when “Weekend” hits…though, despite its name, the track comes out on a Tuesday.
July 8 – Woojin – TBA
It has now been almost two years since Woojin left the boy group Stray Kids, and since then, he’s had to face some controversy regarding allegations made against him. It appears all of that is behind the music in now, and he’s gearing up to kick his solo career into overdrive. While exact details about what is coming aren’t precise, it looks like Woojin will release something exciting on or around July 8. He is making fans guess what’s coming, which is certainly one way to ensure excitement remains at an all-time high.
July 26 – D.O. – Empathy
Last month, EXO returned to No. 1 on the Gaon Albums Chart with their latest EP, Don’t Fight the Feeling, which sold more than one million copies as it was initially made available. The group proved that they are one of the most popular acts globally, and now one of the many members, D.O., is finally releasing something without his bandmates. The eight-song project, titled Empathy, will be his first on his own, and looking at how well the group’s material sells in South Korea, there’s no reason to believe he won’t score a massive win on the charts as well.
