Male K-pop solo returns to thrill music fans this summer
The summer of 2025 is shaping up to be a season of solo comebacks in the K-pop scene, as several male idols step away from their group activities to showcase themselves as individual artists. From emotionally rich ballads to genre-defying hybrid tracks, each release offers a distinct musical color, giving fans fresh reasons to celebrate their favorite artists' evolution on stage.
Onew, the leader of SHINee, will return Tuesday with his second LP.
Titled "Percent," the album comes just five months after his fourth mini album "Connection." Featuring 11 tracks, including the main single 'Animals,' the album chronicles a journey of self-completion through emptiness and fulfillment.
Onew participated extensively in the production process as both an artist and a producer, solidifying his unique musical identity. He contributed to the lyrics and arrangement of the main track and is credited as a lyricist on six of the album's B-side tracks.
Following the release, Onew will launch his first solo world tour 'Onew The Live: Percent,' beginning in Seoul on Aug. 2 and traveling to 16 cities worldwide.
Astro's Yoon San-ha is also set to make his genre-bending return on the same day.
He will drop his second solo mini-album "Chameleon," marking his return after 11 months. The main track 'Extra Virgin' is a hybrid pop song that fuses country-style chord progressions with a heavy hip-hop rhythm.
Yoon will kick off his 2025 fan concert tour 'Prism: from Y to A' in Seoul this August, with additional stops in Asia and Latin America through September. He is also to star in the upcoming KBS2 series "My Girlfriend Is the Man," which premieres July 23.
Lee Minhyuk of BTOB will also return with new music this month.
The singer will release a new EP, "Hook," on July 21, which marks his first solo project in three years since his second studio album, "Boom." While he performs under his real name in group promotions, his solo stage name Huta reflects a different charisma and artistic persona.
In a teaser trailer, he appears in front of a dimly lit boxing ring, donning a hooded robe and exuding intense energy, heightening anticipation among fans.
Nam Woohyun, the main vocalist of Infinite, is scheduled to drop his fifth mini album "Tree Ring" on July 30.
It will be his first album since the release of his digital single "Boyfriend" in September 2024 and marks his first official album release since his first solo LP "Whitree" in November 2023.
A coming-soon poster featuring the cross-section of a tree — marked like a fingerprint — teased the new concept. Known for his active involvement in songwriting and composition, Nam's return is highly anticipated by fans.
Following the new music release, Nam will also hold his fifth solo concert 'Tree High School' at Seoul's Olympic Hall on Aug.16–17.
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