By Dong Sun-hwa
A crop of K-pop stars are taking the baton from GOT the Beat, NewJeans and Monsta X – all of whom dropped music in January – with fresh releases in February.Included are BSS, a subunit of K-pop act Seventeen, Key of boy band Shinee and 11-piece group The Boyz.BSS are expected to put out their new release, Second Wind, on February 6, according to their management company. BSS are named for the initials of the Seventeen members who belong to this subunit: Boo Seung-kwan, Lee Seok-min (stage name DK) and Kwon Soon-young (stage name Hoshi).
“Second Wind refers to a second breath or new vitality,” the group’s label, Pledis Entertainment, said in a statement. “For their coming songs, BSS will transform themselves into a pep squad and bring laughter and energy to people, helping them get their second wind.”
BSS debuted in 2018 with the digital single “Just Do It”.
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On February 13, Key will release his second repackaged album, Killer, according to his record label SM Entertainment. It will be fronted by a lead single of the same name.The coming album will carry three new songs – “Killer”, “Heartless” and “Easy” – as well as 11 tracks from Key’s second solo studio album, Gasoline, which dropped last August. Some of the tunes included are “Villain”, “Guilty Pleasure” and “Burn”.
Gasoline ranked first on the iTunes Top Album Chart in 24 regions upon its release.
“Killer will highlight Key’s diverse musical style,” SM said in a statement. “It will also mark the beginning of various activities that he will carry out this year.”
The 31-year-old has also appeared on several entertainment shows, such as MBC’s I Live Alone. At the 2022 MBC Entertainment Awards, he won the excellence award in the variety category (male). Key, whose real name is Kim Ki-bum, debuted in Shinee in 2008. He made his solo debut in 2018 with the digital single “Forever Yours”.
The eighth mini-album by The Boyz will hit streaming platforms on February 27, according to their agency IST Entertainment.The company has not yet revealed the title of the EP, but hinted that the members will “display their growth” through it.
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“Last year, The Boyz bagged several trophies at different music awards such as the Asia Artist Awards (AAA), and successfully wrapped up their first-ever world tour,” IST said. “They also performed at the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park – the largest concert venue in Korea – and attracted 24,000 concertgoers. This time, the singers will showcase higher quality music and performance.”
The act’s last EP – their seventh mini-album, Be Aware – was released last August. The Boyz burst onto the K-pop scene with EP The First in 2017 and they have had a series of hits since, including Reveal (2020).
