In the blink of an eye, we’ve reached August, which means we’re closing in on the second half of 2025. So far, the K-pop industry has given us a lot of incredible music and comebacks. However, these idols still have lots of surprises up their sleeves.
One of the K-pop industry’s biggest entertainment companies, SM Entertainment, recently announced its lineup of artists that will be releasing new music from September 2025 onwards. Besides long-awaited comebacks from the likes of Taeyeon and aespa, the lineup also includes highly anticipated solo debuts from NCT members. Here’s what to expect:
Q3
Haechan (NCT)
Recently, SM Entertainment confirmed that NCT member Haechen will make his solo debut later this year. While nothing is set, the lineup preview hints that the vocalist will debut with a full-length album.
Suho (EXO)
Making his first comeback for 2025 is EXO leader Suho. According to the lineup preview, the singer will return with a mini album, marking his first music release since his 2024 mini album, “1 to 3”.
Chanyeol (EXO)
Another EXO member making his solo comeback is Chanyeol, who is expected to return to the music scene with a mini album. The rapper made his solo debut in 2024 with his EP “Black Out”.
Besides his Korean solo comeback, Chanyeol is also expected to release a Japanese mini-album in the fourth quarter of 2025. This new release marks his Japanese solo debut, making him the third EXO member to make their Japanese solo debut.
aespa
Girl group aespa will also make their comeback later this year. The quartet has already dropped the first teaser for their new mini album, “Rich Man”, which will be released on 5th September 2025.
NCT WISH
NCT WISH announced they’re releasing a mini album on 1st September 2025 (Monday). The NCT subunit will also kick off their concert tour “Into The Wish: Our Wish” in November and will perform in KL in March 2026.
Q4
U-Know Yunho (TVXQ!)
Releasing his first full-length album in Q4 of 2025 is TVXQ! leader U-Know Yunho. This marks the singer’s first solo comeback in over two years. His previous EP, “Reality Show”, was released in August 2023.
Taeyeon (Girls’ Generation)
Also expected to release a full-length solo album is Girls’ Generation leader Taeyeon. The vocalist previously released her 6th EP, “Letter To Myself”, in November 2024 and subsequently held her sixth concert tour.
Yuta (NCT)
After making his solo debut in Japan in 2024 and releasing a Japanese single in May 2025, NCT member Yuta is set to make his solo comeback later this year. The singer is expected to release a full-length album in Japan.
NCT DREAM
NCT DREAM is also expected to release a mini album later this year. The subunit recently released their fifth studio album in July, which will accompany their upcoming tour, “The Dream Show 4: Dream The Future”.
WayV
After releasing their EP “Big Bands” in July, WayV will make another comeback by the end of the year. At the same time, the group will also embark on their second Asia tour, “No Way Out”, which has already kicked off in Seoul.
Hearts2Hearts
Following a successful debut, SM Entertainment’s newest girl group Hearts2Hearts will release their first mini-album. The eight-member group has also released two singles, “The Chase” and “Style”, which have received critical acclaim.
Max Changmin (TVXQ!)
Making his long-awaited Japanese solo comeback is TVXQ! vocalist Max Changmin. The singer’s upcoming single album marks his first solo Japanese release in nearly four years, with the last being the EP “Human” in 2021.
RIIZE
After releasing their first full-length album, RIIZE is expected to release a new single album later this year. The group will also continue with their second tour “Riizing Loud” with stops in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Los Angeles.
Minho (SHINee)
SHINee member Minho will also release a single later this year, marking his solo comeback since releasing his first full-length album in 2024. Meanwhile, SHINee recently released a single album to celebrate their 17th anniversary, with the lead track written by late member Jonghyun.
Jungwoo (NCT)
Another NCT member making his solo debut by the end of 2025 is Jungwoo. According to the lineup preview, the vocalist will release a single in the fourth quarter, making him the ninth NCT member to make their solo debut.
Which release are you looking forward to?
Source: Koreaboo
