Taeyeon, aespa and a new NCT unit to release new music in 2023

K-pop agency SM Entertainment has previewed its upcoming music release plans for the first half of 2023.

On February 20, SM uploaded a report of its earnings for the fourth quarter of 2022 to its official website for investors. In the new report, SM also shared the line-up of comebacks it has scheduled for the first half of 2023.

According to the report, April will see the release of Girls’ Generation leader and soloist Taeyeon’s fifth mini-album, the debut of a new NCT sub-unit with their first mini-album as well as girl group aespa’s first-ever full-length album.

Meanwhile, veteran boyband SHINee are scheduled to make a comeback with their eighth studio album in May, marking their first group release since their seventh repackaged  album ‘Atlantis’ in April 2021. It will also mark their first comeback after member Taemin completes his mandatory military service this April.

An unnamed member of NCT is also set to make his solo debut in May with a mini-album. Also included in the line-up are the upcoming solo records of Super Junior’s Yesung (February 27), SHINee’s Onew (March 6) and EXO’s Kai (March 13), all of which were announced in recent weeks.

Elsewhere in the report, SM also shared its upcoming concert line-up, most of which have concluded recently or are currently underway. New additions include Taeyeon and Red Velvet, who will be holding concerts in the second quarter of the year.

SM’s latest revenue report comes in the midst of an ongoing takeover of the agency by competitors HYBE, who recently acquired a controlling stake in the company. The move has been met with resistance by SM employees and leadership. CFO Jang Cheol-hyuk argued in a video statement released yesterday (February 20) that HYBE’s takeover of SM would create a monopoly to the detriment of the entire K-pop industry, among other claims.

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