Happy New Year!
On Thursday, for the Throwback post, I’ll be putting up my top fifty (one) list of 2020. I’m sure at least five people are mildly interested in what I pulled out of my hat for that one. Be patient. It’ll be here before you know it. But today I wanted to talk a little bit about what we have coming up. I mean, folks are ready for the new year and we’ve been getting comeback announcements and previews for 2021 for weeks. I, for one, am extremely giddy at what’s being teased and have already set up fresh playlists to capture the things that tickle my fancy.
Warning: This is in no way a comprehensive list of everything coming up. It’s merely the few that popped into my mind as I was pulling this post together and the ones that I’m pretty tickled about.
Jeong Sewoon
Probably the first announcement for the new year that I fully processed was for part two of Sewoon’s first full album, 24. He released a whole schedule of teasers, vlogs, pics, and so on leading up to the January 6 comeback starting in mid-December and I have been eating it up. The mood feels a bit darker and more experimental than his usual bright singer-songwriter vibe and I’m here for it.
Yes, January 6 is my husband’s birthday, and yes I keep forgetting that and calling it comeback day.
In the Dark, Jeong Sewoon – 24 (Full Album Part 2)
A.C.E
We know almost nothing about this one yet as they’ve only released some amazingly freckled concept photos and a few intriguing hashtags to get us all worked up. This is set to be a collab, but WE DON’T EVEN KNOW WITH WHOM YET. Last comeback they hit us with photos every day for weeks, this time…they’re totally teasing us with very little. I feel you, Beat Interactive, and I like it. I’m ready for what’s to come on January 8.
TOP Media’s Frenzy
TOP Media, home to so much potential and so much sexy, has not one, but THREE comebacks slated for the new year. The first is MCND with their second mini MCND Age coming January 8. Their teaser, for the song Crush follows their last releases nicely in the same sort of bold, in your face, not aged down, harder concept. I’m positive it will be a delightfully solid contribution to their catalog and to Kpop bangers everywhere.
Crush, MCND (MCND Age)
Later in January, we can expect the second solo comeback for one mister Kim Wooseok. I am very, very intrigued by what we’re going to get as we haven’t gotten any hints yet and his first solo made it to my top 50 (spoiler). I so very much enjoy him in groups and on his own. Such a good idol.
And also with no date and no teasers yet, it’s been announced that we can expect a follow-up album from Lee Jinhyuk later this year. I was not deeply in love with his first, but it was fun and the boy has drive and talent, so I’ll be ready to take a listen and see what he’s giving us this time around…now if we could just get him and Wooseok in on an Up10tion comeback I’d be all squared away and happy for TOP Media.
Victon
Victon was supposed to make a comeback with their first full album in the fourth quarter of 2020 but due to COVID positive cases in their agency, the release was postponed to January 11. Yes, several of us have already pre-ordered the album and yes, we are very, very excited to see the full concept after being teased for so many weeks. It looks incredibly beautiful and sounds like it’ll be right up our, and Victon’s, alley.
Voice the Future, Victon (First Full Album)
(G)I-DLE
Also back with a mini on January 11 is one of my fav fav girl groups, (G)I-DLE. Gaaaahhhh, can’t wait. They are so consistently interesting and striking and their teaser for the album is all dreamy and pretty with an excellent track. Consider me teased.
Burn, (G)I-DLE (mini album)
January 11 is a busy day…there is also a Treasure comeback and the debut of a new group T1419 (whose name scares me because what if that’s the age range of the members at debut)
AB6ix
On January 18, we have AB6ix going head to head with Epik High with a comeback called SALUTE: A NEW HOPE which is a repackage of their third mini SALUTE. My first instinct with a repackage is to always be a little defensive. We’ve already gotten this set of songs, why give them to us again? But then I remember how often I ADORE the songs added in re-release and that maybe they weren’t quite happy with the product the first time around a re-package is an opportunity to rework it into something they’re more satisfied with. AB6ix had a rough year last year, I’m down for a re-do.
Later in the Month
As we are now getting later into the month, we are reaching groups that have put out some pics, but no teasers yet, per se. We don’t know genres and maybe not even concepts. I am very much looking forward to January 19 with Oneus and Cravity and the 25th with Golden Child. I was thinking of saving my Ibotta cash for some Airpods, but I think the gods have spoken and I have some albums to buy this month.
Who am I to argue with the gods?
1 Comment
SO MUCH GOOD STUFF COMING!!!!