[카테고리:] Comebacks

Stray Kids are heading into one of the busiest stretches of their year with momentum on their side. “FARMING,” the pre-release track the group unveiled from its upcoming album THIS & THAT, has surpassed one million views on YouTube — a milestone Korean outlet Ten Asia reported Tuesday came within roughly two days of release — just as the octet prepares to open its new world tour, Stray Kids World Tour <RUN IT>, at Seoul’s KSPO Dome this Saturday, July 25.

“FARMING”: a 3RACHA track with video-game visuals

The track video, titled “THIS & THAT” UNVEIL : TRACK “FARMING,” went up on the group’s official channels on the afternoon of July 17 (KST). Rather than a conventional music video, the clip leans into pixel-art, video-game-inspired imagery that casts the members as a squad of hunters on a mission — a playful visual language that fans immediately began dissecting for album-concept clues.

Like the rest of the record, “FARMING” comes from the group’s in-house production trio 3RACHA — Bang Chan, Changbin and Han — who wrote and composed the song, with Bang Chan also handling the arrangement. The early numbers extend a strong pre-release run for this era: the album’s trailer film topped YouTube’s worldwide music-video trending chart for several days in early July.

What we know about ‘THIS & THAT’

THIS & THAT arrives Friday, August 7 at 1 p.m. KST — midnight Eastern Time in the US — with eight tracks: the title song “This & That,” the June 24 single “RUN IT,” “After You,” “FARMING,” “I Do,” “Way Out,” “그날” (That Day) and a festival version of the title track. JYP Entertainment has emphasized that 3RACHA are credited on every track, continuing the self-producing identity that has defined the team since debut.

The title track’s name was revealed earlier this month alongside a tracklist poster, and the album rollout has moved briskly since: trailer, tracklist, teaser images and now the “FARMING” unveil, with roughly two and a half weeks still to go before release day.

‘RUN IT’ tour opens with five sold-out Seoul shows

The comeback is deliberately timed to run alongside the group’s new world tour. RUN IT opens at KSPO Dome in Seoul’s Songpa District on July 25, the first of five hometown shows (July 25, 26 and 29, plus August 1 and 2) — all of which have sold out, according to Ten Asia. From there the tour moves through Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka, then on to Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok and Singapore, with dates stretching into early 2027.

According to JYP’s tour announcement, the Japan leg will make Stray Kids the first overseas male artist to headline Tokyo’s Japan National Stadium. The group is also slated for major festival appearances in September, including Rock in Rio in Brazil and its own festival brand, STRAYCITY.

Why it matters

This is Stray Kids’ first full touring cycle since dominATE, the 56-show world tour that wrapped in October 2025, and the new album lands mid-tour — meaning the THIS & THAT songs will hit setlists while the record is still fresh on the charts. For a group whose recent albums have consistently opened at the top of global charts, the combination of a sold-out Seoul opening week and a fast-moving pre-release rollout sets up early August as one of the tentpole K-pop moments of the summer.

FAQ

When does Stray Kids’ new album ‘THIS & THAT’ come out?

Friday, August 7, 2026 at 1 p.m. KST — midnight ET / 9 p.m. PT on August 6 — on Korean and global streaming platforms.

When and where does the ‘RUN IT’ world tour start?

The tour opens Saturday, July 25, 2026 at KSPO Dome in Seoul, with five Seoul shows (July 25, 26, 29, August 1–2) before heading to Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. All five Seoul dates are reported sold out.

Where can I watch the “FARMING” video?

The track unveil video for “FARMING” is available on Stray Kids’ official YouTube channels, released July 17 as part of the THIS & THAT comeback rollout.

Sources: JYP Entertainment announcements and official channel releases, as reported by Ten Asia, Sports Kyunghyang, Ilgan Sports and Hankyung.

fromis_9 will release “Glow ME,” their second full-length album and their first in roughly three years, on Tuesday, July 21 at 6 p.m. KST (5 a.m. ET) across online music platforms, according to the group’s agency Ascend (ASND). The 10-track album, led by the title song “Vitamin ME,” is the quintet’s first full-length release since reorganizing as a five-piece — and a deliberate bid to defend the “summer queen” reputation the group has built on a string of warm-weather hits.

A 10-Track Album With the Members’ Fingerprints on It

“Glow ME” arrives about three years after “Unlock My World” (June 2023), the group’s first full album. The new record carries the concept of finding “the most radiant version of myself” through new people, new experiences, and growth through difficulty, the agency said through a written Q&A distributed to Korean media on Monday.

The tracklist runs 10 songs: “Vitamin ME,” “ETERNAL,” “Pocket Treat,” “Blue Heart,” “Screen Time,” “Teacher,” “Cold Blood,” “Why do I cry?,” “DAY 1,” and “Wonderland.” Notably, the members had a direct hand in the writing this time — Song Hayoung contributed to “Screen Time,” Park Jiwon to “Teacher,” Lee Chaeyoung and Lee Nagyoung to “Cold Blood,” and Baek Jiheon to “DAY 1.”

The title track “Vitamin ME” stays inside the group’s signature refreshing summer lane while reaching for a newer sound. “We didn’t want to settle into what was comfortable — we looked for a song that keeps our color but has a fresh appeal,” Baek Jiheon said in the Q&A, as reported by Herald Muse.

Year Nine, and a Second Chapter as Five

The comeback lands in the group’s ninth year since their January 2018 debut, and the members framed the album as proof they are still moving. “We wanted to show through this album that even in our ninth year, we can present new sides of ourselves,” Song Hayoung said, according to Korean outlet Sports Kyunghyang.

Park Jiwon described the record’s throughline in similar terms: “It’s the story of finding the most radiant ‘me’ through meeting different people, having new experiences, and growing through hard times.”

The stakes of this release are shaped by the group’s recent history. In January 2025, five members — Song Hayoung, Park Jiwon, Lee Chaeyoung, Lee Nagyoung, and Baek Jiheon — signed with the newly founded agency Ascend after their contracts with PLEDIS Entertainment ended, and the group later reached an agreement with its former label to keep the fromis_9 name. Since the reorganization, the five-piece has released the EP “From Our 20’s” (June 2025), led by “Like You Better,” and the digital single “White Longing” in December 2025. “Glow ME” is the first full-length statement of that second chapter.

Why “Summer Queens” Matters Here

fromis_9 earned the “summer queen” tag through a run of bright, cleanly produced seasonal releases, and Korean coverage of this comeback has framed “Glow ME” as the group rejoining July’s crowded summer-song race. Releasing a full album — rather than a single or EP — in the peak of summer is the group planting a flag on the season it is best known for.

FAQ

When and where can I listen to “Glow ME”?

The album goes live Tuesday, July 21 at 6 p.m. KST (5 a.m. ET) on major streaming platforms, including Melon, Spotify, and Apple Music. Physical editions are available through major K-pop retailers.

Who is in fromis_9 now?

The current lineup is five members: Song Hayoung, Park Jiwon, Lee Chaeyoung, Lee Nagyoung, and Baek Jiheon. They have promoted as a five-piece under Ascend since early 2025, keeping the group’s original name.

Is there a music video for “Vitamin ME”?

Official teasers for “Vitamin ME” have been rolling out on the group’s official channels ahead of release, with the full music video expected alongside the album drop on July 21. Music-show promotion plans have not yet been detailed by Ascend.

Sources: Ascend (ASND) release materials and written media Q&A via Herald Muse, Sports Kyunghyang, News Culture, and Newspim; agency announcements via eToday and My Daily (January 2025).

U-KNOW Yunho of TVXQ released his first single album, “Time’s Tickin’,” on Monday, July 20 at 6 p.m. KST (5 a.m. ET) across global streaming platforms, according to SM Entertainment. The two-track release lands just one day after the 23-year veteran closed out “U-KNOW PROJECT 26: SCENE1,” the first solo concert of his career, at Seoul’s Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium — where the new title track got its live stage premiere before the studio version was even out.

A Two-Track Single Built on Contrast

Despite the compact format — this is Yunho’s first release in the single-album format since his solo debut — “Time’s Tickin’” is designed to show two distinct sides of the performer. The title track leans into the rhythmic, performance-driven energy that has defined his solo work, while the B-side takes a sharp turn in the opposite direction.

That B-side, “An Ordinary Story” (보통의 이야기), is a ballad built on a calm piano melody and lyrical strings, with Yunho delivering an understated, restrained vocal about quietly accepting the moment of a farewell. For an artist best known as one of K-pop’s most intense live performers, the ballad is the single’s clearest statement that he wants to be heard as a vocalist, too.

Physical editions — including a photobook version and a music card (smart album) version — have been available for pre-order at online and offline retailers since June 29, when a teaser video styled like a video-game opening screen first went up on TVXQ’s official social channels. A music video teaser followed through official channels ahead of release day.

An Eight-Month Turnaround From ‘I-KNOW’

The new single arrives roughly eight months after “I-KNOW,” Yunho’s first full-length solo album, released in November 2025. It is a quick turnaround by his standards: his solo catalog, which began in 2019, had previously been spaced out between TVXQ group activities, acting roles, and variety appearances.

The pace appears deliberate. Yunho has described his recent solo projects as chapters of one connected storyline, and “Time’s Tickin’” — a title that reads as a statement of urgency from a performer 23 years into his career — extends that arc.

The First Solo Concert, 23 Years In

The release is inseparable from the weekend that preceded it. From July 17 to 19, Yunho headlined “U-KNOW PROJECT 26: SCENE1” at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Seoul — remarkably, his first solo concert since debuting with TVXQ in 2003.

“Debuting 23 years ago, I finally get to hold my first solo concert — the thrill of a ‘first’ is immense,” Yunho said, according to Korean outlet Edaily, adding that he had been sketching out the concept for a solo show since his military service and waited until he could “tell my story properly.”

The concert doubled as a launchpad: attendees heard “Time’s Tickin’” performed live before its streaming release, a sequencing choice that turned the Monday drop into the closing beat of the concert weekend rather than a standalone event.

FAQ

Where can I listen to “Time’s Tickin’”?

The single is available on global streaming platforms — including Melon, Spotify, and Apple Music — as of July 20, 6 p.m. KST (5 a.m. ET). Physical photobook and music card editions are sold through major K-pop retailers.

How many songs are on the single album?

Two: the title track “Time’s Tickin’” and the ballad B-side “An Ordinary Story” (보통의 이야기).

Has U-KNOW performed the new song live yet?

Yes — the title track premiered on stage during his first solo concert, “U-KNOW PROJECT 26: SCENE1,” held July 17–19 at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Seoul. Music-show promotions have not yet been detailed by SM Entertainment.

Sources: SM Entertainment announcements via TVXQ official channels; Herald Muse; Munhwa Ilbo; eToday; Edaily.