Weekly K-pop News – 4th Week of August 2025
By Nomad's Dream | August 29 2025
This is your weekly K-pop news for the fourth week of August 2025.
At the tail end of summer, looking ahead to September, the fourth week of August has been packed with comeback announcements from major artists. aespa, who are set to make their comeback in early September, released a trailer video. With visuals on the scale of a movie, the teaser has drawn tremendous attention from fans.
The popularity of K-pop Demon Hunters has also had a noticeable impact, reflected even in the direction of the government’s 2026 budget plan. Just when it seemed K-pop had peaked, it’s proving once again to be a hot-button topic.
From 4th generation to what some are calling “4.5th generation,” the K-pop industry continues to steadily walk down a path no one has taken before.
Singer-songwriter Crush releases EP album FANG
The first piece of news is about singer-songwriter Crush, who has released his new album FANG.
Singer-songwriter Crush released his new EP album FANG on the afternoon of August 28. This is his first album release in about two years, following his 3rd full-length album Wonderlost in 2023.
The word FANG means “fang,” symbolizing the act of reawakening instinct. The title track, Up All Nite, features vocals from SUMIN, delivering a sensuous and rhythmic sound.
While Crush has built a lighthearted, humorous image through internet memes, his music has consistently pursued a style that is both free-spirited and sophisticated.
Crush is especially known for his strong synergy with vocal features, and in this new album, he creates his signature captivating atmosphere. The music video emphasizes red tones and neon signs, evoking the mood of a summer night.
FANG is a charming album that perfectly captures Crush’s unique late-summer and early-autumn vibe.
Female Solo Artist Soojin Releases First Single Baditude
The second piece of news is the release of a new single from soloist Soojin.
After leaving the 3rd generation girl group I-DLE (previously (G)I-DLE), Soojin began her solo career with her first EP Lady in 2023, followed by Mona Lisa in 2024.
Now, one year later, she’s returned — but this time not with an EP, but with a single. Her previous EP Mona Lisashowcased a captivating and sensual style, and her new single also carries plenty of Soojin’s unique charm. It reflects her confidence in moving forward on her own terms.
During her time in the group, Soojin was widely recognized for her performance skills, with her dance fancams frequently ranking among the most-viewed and her stages always generating buzz.
Although she left the team due to certain incidents, she has continued to steadily pursue her own music. Interestingly, this perseverance has resonated especially strongly with international fans, drawing even greater support overseas than at home.
The title track, Baditude, is a dance track layered over trap beats, enriched by Soojin’s vocals to create a groovy yet sensuous sound.
As a natural performer, her ability to embody concepts is remarkable. The sexy charisma in her teaser images combined with her solid stage presence makes for a powerful return.
With the K-pop industry leaning more toward “sexy concepts” since the Waterbomb Festival craze, Soojin’s alluring gaze and stage expression are heating things up even further.
Rapper Zion.T Releases New EP POSER
The third piece of news is about rapper and R&B singer Zion.T, who has released a brand-new EP.
The word Poser can be interpreted in many ways, but it’s closest to the meaning of “pretender.” For example, someone who doesn’t exercise but posts gym selfies on Instagram, or someone who carries a book around without reading it — in English, that’s often called a “poser,” with a slightly mocking nuance.
With this EP, Zion.T chose not to focus on “originality” as a keyword, but rather on honesty. Instead of pretending to be a musician, he poured his sincerity into each track in order to truly be a musician. Instead of pretending to be an artist, he made music with the determination to actually be an artist.
In other words, POSER reflects Zion.T’s commitment to avoid becoming a poser — instead, he zeroes in on his true identity as an artist.
If you strip away all his past songs, collaborations, and musical trends, and take his work as an honest expression of himself at that moment, then the title track LOVE ME feels remarkably fresh.
It’s a tune you can easily hum along to — but that simplicity makes Zion.T’s honest confession hit even harder. It may not sound “typically Zion.T,” but in that way, it feels even more like the essence of Zion.T’s music.
4th Generation Girl Group IVE Releases 4th Mini Album IVE SECRET
The fourth piece of news is the release of the fourth mini album by 4th generation girl group IVE.
The pace of girl group album releases is extremely fast. If you count singles, many groups are essentially putting out music once per quarter. IVE themselves made a comeback earlier this year in January, meaning there has been virtually no downtime between their activities and stages.
Releasing a new album now has sparked mixed reactions:
- “Wow, another album already?”
- “It’s about time for a new release!”
Just seeing these responses highlights how exciting IVE’s comeback was in the fourth week of August.
If fans feel the speed is fast, imagine how busy the IVE members must have been preparing. Compared to 1st generation idols, who might release just one album per year, today’s idols are essentially releasing music every quarter — a truly intense and relentless pace.
IVE’s new album, true to its title SECRET, explores hidden inner layers and unexpected twists. It conveys the group’s intent to break away from a simple dichotomy of outer vs. inner, surface vs. depth, and instead express their identity with confidence and boldness.
The title track, XOXZ, is an abbreviation meaning “meet me in a dream.” The song combines brass and drum-and-bass elements with rap, while opting for minimalist high notes to create a light yet stylish K-pop dance track with a sensuous sound.
With the release of this album, all IVE members are actively participating in music shows and promotional activities. Watching Jang Wonyoung’s military enlistment video go viral underscores the reality of IVE’s comeback. Her video has already surpassed 3 million views within a day, causing a stir on social media. If the video is generating this much excitement, the music itself is sure to cause just as much hype.
Welcome back, IVE!
K-pop Short News – 4th Week of August 2025
Here’s a quick roundup of K-pop news from the fourth week of August.
Sunmi Releases New Single
Singer Sunmi released a new single. While she carries the image of being a former Wonder Girls member and is known for her sensual stage performances, Sunmi is truly devoted to her music. Both Wonder Girls’ hits and Sunmi’s solo tracks showcase her deep musicality and artistry.
Her new single, BLUE!, is written and composed by Sunmi herself. Centered on a band sound, the track also incorporates synths, giving it an alternative pop vibe with a modern twist.
Vocalist Lee Seok Hoon Releases 5th Mini Album
Vocalist Lee Seok Hoon released his fifth mini album, continuing to demonstrate his signature emotive vocal style.
Lee Seok Hoon’s new mini album includes five tracks, with the title track I’ve Grown Up (어른이 됐고) leading the lineup.
The album is titled New, Purpose (새로, 쓰임), and it tells everyday stories of love — how love can give us new meaning or, at times, take something away. The storytelling is simple yet heartfelt, capturing relatable emotions.
The album primarily features string arrangements and Lee Seok Hoon’s vocals, creating a sound that is both minimalistic and deeply expressive.
EXO’s Chanyeol Releases 2nd Mini Album
Following Lee Seok Hoon’s release, Chanyeol from EXO has also released his second mini album, adding another exciting entry to September’s K-pop comebacks.
EXO’s Chanyeol returns with a new release after one year, delivering an album that captures the universal and diverse emotions of life.
The album features songs spanning pop, rock, hip-hop, and R&B, with the title track being the first track, Upside Down. The song is an electronic rock track with a classic guitar riff, and Chanyeol’s youthful charm blends with the sound to create a fresh and unique atmosphere.
Female Ballad Singer Lee Yejun Releases New Single
Ballad singer Lee Yejun has also released a new single, adding another highlight to the week’s K-pop updates.
Lee Yejun’s new single, Only You for Me, is a reinterpretation of Yoo Haejun’s 2009 original of the same name.
While the original was a simple, vocal-focused track, Lee Yejun’s version adds orchestration, creating a richer and more subtle sound.
The single doesn’t include piercing high notes, but its gentle, emotionally rich delivery makes it a perfect listen for the early autumn season.
A-IDOL and I-Chillin
In a previous post, we introduced A-IDOL, a program where artificial intelligence evaluates idol performances.
A-IDOL was promoted as an experimental and bold show because its judges were AI systems analyzing idol stages.
The pilot program aired on MBC and concluded after two episodes. Having watched both, it was an extremely interesting and entertaining show. All participating idols were visibly surprised by the fresh and unusual concepts, but every team delivered a solid stage. While some performances fell short, others were truly impressive.
At the time of the broadcast, Purple Kiss’s group activities had already been announced as ending, which made their stage especially bittersweet. Fans were left frustrated that such talented performers would no longer be seen on stage — their passion seemed to pierce through the broadcast itself.
The team that caught my attention was I-Chillin.
They performed better than expected, and particularly during the MR-less stage, they delivered a nearly perfect and stable performance with pitch that didn’t waver at all.
While other teams also performed well, I-Chillin’s stage stood out the most. I was already a fan, but now I support them even more. I believe everyone who watched A-IDOL likely had a similar reaction:
- “I-Chillin is really good.”
- “A hidden gem.”
I often write that every artist needs a trigger moment to stand out, and I hope Lee Ji’s fancam video serves as that trigger, bringing more attention and praise to I-Chillin’s performance.
Isn’t it about time for them to rise in popularity? They deserve more love and attention.