K-pop releases in April 2023, from IVE’s first full-length album to NCT DoJaeJung’s debut to fourth Kep1er mini-album
- IVE are rolling out their first full-length album, I’ve IVE, on April 10, and girl group Kep1er will drop their fourth mini-album, Lovestruck!, on the same day
- NCT DoJaeJung, a subunit of boy group NCT, are poised to make their debut on April 17, and girl group Apink will release their 10th mini-album, Self, on April 5
By Dong Sun-hwa
The competition on the K-pop charts is intensifying this month, with a legion of prominent stars gearing up with their new music offerings. Included in the line-up are NCT DoJaeJung, IVE, Kep1er and Apink.
IVE (April 10)
Girl group IVE’s first full-length album, I’ve IVE, will drop on April 10. It has taken more than a year for the six-piece act to roll out a studio album since their debut in December 2021.
To whet the appetites of their fans, IVE unveiled one of the songs, “Kitsch”, on March 27. The track has already made a splash, grabbing the No. 1 spot on multiple music streaming platforms including South Korean music streaming service Melon.
“‘Kitsch’, which highlights IVE members’ uniqueness and self-confidence, will help them solidify their identities,” Starship Entertainment, IVE’s management company, said in a statement. “Their coming album will revolve around the themes of self-love, self-confidence and free-spiritedness.”
Kep1er (April 10)
Led by “Giddy”, the coming EP will express the emotional roller-coaster that the nine members face after falling in love.
“Their fresh mini-album will feature the thrill of love and various feelings related to it,” the group’s agencies, Wake One Entertainment and Swing Entertainment, said in a statement.
Lovestruck! will also offer four other tracks: “LVLY”, “Back to the City”, “Why” and “Happy Ending”.
NCT DoJaeJung (April 17)
Fronted by a lead single of the same name, Perfume will carry five additional tracks: “Kiss”, “Dive”, “Strawberry Sunday”, “Can We Go Back” and “Ordinary”.
“The EP will offer songs of various genres, which all centre on the theme of love,” the trio’s agency, SM Entertainment, said in a statement. “It will have a romantic vibe that can fascinate fans.”
The company added that Doyoung, Jaehyun and Jungwoo will bring their unexplored sides to the fore.
“The three members first performed as a trio during NCT’s Seoul concert last October,” it said. “Their fans reacted wildly to their performance and chemistry, asking them to form a subunit.”
The three NCT members took the stage with “Can We Go Back” at Jamsil Sports Complex’s Main Stadium in southeastern Seoul and garnered rave reviews for their performing skills.
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Apink will release their 10th mini-album, Self, on April 5. On April 12, Park is expected to roll out his seventh EP, Blank or Black, and Lee will unleash her second mini-album, Over the Moon. Epex’s fifth EP, Prelude of Love Chapter 2. “Growing Pains”, will hit shelves on April 26.
