K-pop releases in January to look out for: NewJeans’ EP, Monsta X’s Reason, and an SF9 mini-album
- K-pop girl groups and boy bands are getting ready to drop their latest singles and mini-albums in January
- They include NewJeans, following up their stellar debut with EP OMG, Monsta X’s 12th mini-album, Reason, and SF9, who mark their return with EP The Piece of9
By Dong Sun-hwa
A host of K-pop acts are gearing up to mark the start of a new year with musical offerings. Included in the star-studded line-up are girl group NewJeans and boy bands Monsta X and SF9.
NewJeans (January 2)
The group unveiled “Ditto” – one of the songs to be included on the coming EP – earlier this month and it is dominating the real-time charts of Korea’s major music streaming platforms such as Melon and Genie.
Featuring the sound of Baltimore club, “Ditto” topped the iTunes Top Song charts in seven countries including Thailand and Vietnam upon its release. Baltimore club is a genre originating in the 1990s that blends hip-hop and house.
While OMG has been kept well under wraps, the quintet’s management company, Ador, has hinted that it will shed light on “NewJeans’ winter”. The EP will be fronted by a lead single, which member Hanni had a hand in writing the lyrics for, of the same name.
NewJeans won an award at the 2022 Asia Artist Awards (AAA) earlier this month, four months after debuting with their self-titled album in August.
