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| The teaser for BSS' upcoming release, "Second Wind" / Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment |
BSS, Key, The Boyz to put out new music offerings
By Dong Sun-hwa
Picking up the baton from GOT the Beat, NewJeans and Monsta X ― which heated up the K-pop scene with their new music offerings in January ― a crop of other stars will electrify music fans with their fresh songs and albums in February. Included in the lineup are BSS, a sub-unit of K-pop act SEVENTEEN, Key of boy band SHINee and the 11-piece group, The Boyz.
BSS is scheduled to put out its new release, "Second Wind," on Feb. 6, according to its management company, Pledis Entertainment.
BSS is the initials of the names of three SEVENTEEN members, who belong to this sub-unit: Boo Seung-kwan, Lee Seok-min (whose stage name is DK), and Kwon Soon-young (whose stage name is Hoshi).
"'Second Wind' refers to a second breath or new vitality," Pledis explained in a statement. "For its upcoming song, BSS will transform itself 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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| SHINee's Key / Courtesy of SM Entertainment |
The upcoming album will carry three new songs ― "Killer," "Heartless" and "Easy ― and 11 tracks from Key's second solo studio album, "Gasoline" which dropped in August. Some of the tunes included in the album 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 is also making waves 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 as a member of SHINee in 2008 and made his solo debut in 2018 with the digital single, "Forever Yours."
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| The teaser for The Boyz' upcoming mini-album / Courtesy of IST Entertainment |
The eighth mini-album by The Boyz will hit multiple streaming platforms on Feb. 27, according to its 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.
"Last year, The Boyz bagged several trophies at different music awards such as the Asia Artist Awards (AAA), and successfully wrapped up its first-ever world tour," IST said in a statement. "It also performed at the KSPO Dome in Olympic Park ― which is known as the largest concert venue in Korea ― and attracted 24,000 concert-goers. This time, the singers will showcase higher quality music and performance."
It has taken about six months for the 11-piece act to return with a fresh EP, after it rolled out its seventh mini-album, "BE AWARE," in August.
The Boyz burst onto the K-pop scene with the EP, "The First" in 2017 and it has unleashed a series of hits including "Reveal" (2020).
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