"We're back!"

Boy bands that defined the golden age of the second generation K-pop in the late 2000s are making a comeback. After girl groups such as Girls' Generation and KARA returned last year, this year we're witnessing the resurgence of boy bands like SHINee, U-KISS, TEEN TOP, and INFINITE, who are all proudly flaunting their unwavering popularity by releasing new albums after a long hiatus. The second-generation idols played a pivotal role in spreading K-pop globally, igniting the inception of international fandom. Their return coincides with the Y2K (retro) craze sweeping the music scene since last year, adding a nostalgic touch to their reappearance.

INFINITE, who made their debut in 2010, is celebrating their 13th anniversary with a full-member comeback. They announced their intentions for a "fresh start" with their seventh mini album, 'Begin' (13egin), released on July 31. This album is their first in five years, following their third full album, 'TOP SEED,' in 2018. All six members are back, attracting significant attention. The 'B' in 'Begin' represents the number '13', signifying their anniversary. INFINITE will be performing their first concert in many years, titled 'COMEBACK AGAIN,' at the Seoul Olympic Park KSPO Dome on the 19th and 20th. This is their first full-member concert in seven years since 2016.

Preceding them, SHINee also made a full-member comeback. Having focused on solo activities due to members' military service, they celebrated their 15th debut anniversary by releasing their 8th full album, 'Hard'. They also held an in-person concert for the first time in seven years and will be releasing a film, 'My SHINee World', in September.

U-KISS, who debuted the same year as SHINee in 2008, recently released 'Playlist' after a hiatus of 5 years and 6 months. The band, which has gained popularity in Japan during their active years, will hold a solo concert on the 28th and 29th and meet their fans.

TEEN TOP, celebrating their 13th debut anniversary this year, has joined the second-generation idol comeback lineup after three years by presenting their new album '4SHO'. Since their debut in 2010, they continued with individual activities such as drama, musical, and solo performances. The group activities were temporarily halted due to military service and contract expiration.

TEEN TOP's Ricky said, "We prepared with more ambition after watching the still-cool performances of our senior second-generation idols, from whom we have much to learn." They plan to hold solo concerts and overseas performances as part of their group activities after a long hiatus.

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