Korean POP’s Hottest Summer Comebacks!
Who do you think will be making the biggest splash this summer?
Summer is fast approaching and that means that all the groups that you love and adore are busy preparing their comebacks for you to party to in the sun! We’ve done a comparison of each big group making a comeback and analyzed their “comeback level” to see who might be making waves in the Korean pop universe soon.
Big Bang:
Now that G-Dragon and Taeyang have done their solo things and the group has finished their mini-excursion into Japan, they have regrouped to surprise fans with the release of an MV for “Tell Me Goodbye” from the Japanese OST for Iris, the drama in which TOP stars.
Comeback Level:
Not a full-fledged comeback yet, just a teaser to whet fans’ appetites. 
Super Junior
After the massive success of 2009’s ‘Sorry, Sorry‘ album, all eyes have been on the 13 boys and their comeback. They haven’t just been watched by the Elfs either; the group has really hit the international spotlight so the pressure is on. We think with that in mind, the boys stick to the old adage “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”. The lead single, ‘Bonamana‘ is definitely a retread and doesn’t break any new ground in the groups style. It stays on the same wavelength, sounds almost exactly like ‘Sorry, Sorry‘ and has a very similar MV to boot. Not that I think anyone’s complaining!
Check it out: Bonamana MV:
Comeback Level:
The boys really hit their stride this time, capitalizing on the style that they popularized with ‘Sorry, Sorry’. This can be seen in the numbers: the album has surpassed the group’s own pre-order record, with 200,000 copies sold after the announcement.
Is there anything holding them back? Some fans are not pleased that only 10 members are participating in this album, with Ki Bum busy pursuing his acting career, Kangin in the military, and Han Geng suing SM Entertainment. The group would certainly be at their maximum comeback level if they had their full lineup.
4 Minute
The girls’ new single, ‘HUH’ is a hit. It has the same energy and group vocals and electro-hiphop beat as their previous singles. It’ll definitely be something that you’re going to hear everywhere on the streets in Seoul.
What is clear is that the girls have shed their eclectic dayglo 2NE1-like streetstyle and gone with the dark trend that most bands are adopting nowadays. That’s definitely going to work in their favor.
Check out http://4min.co.kr/ – 4minute Korean website (where you can also watch the teaser trailer)
or the teaser can be seen here:
Comeback Level
The initial reaction to the songs has been positive and if they are able to drop their album and do a successful comeback stage without any nasty plagiarism claims (like the ones that ruined Hyori) then they’re well on their way to hitting the big time.
MBLAQ
MBLAQ, Rain’s protégés, are just starting promotions for their 2nd single album and things are definitely heating up. Despite topping various charts with their debut single “Oh Yeah”, the band has remained mostly lukewarm, not really exploding into super stardom like they should with the support of a powerful hyung like Rain.
MBLAQ’s ‘Y’ MV –
Comeback Level:
Luckily for the boys, their next big single “Y” is on the spot. With heavy club beats, autotune, a steamy hot MV, and a ripoff ‘Again & Again’ chip-tune, the boys are well on their way.
One thing’s for damn sure: those boys need a new stylist. Stat. Those neon outfits have been in both their MVs and they are still unacceptable! And they still need to prove that they have star power and not just powerful backing.
SS501
The boys just have just released some very interesting and shocking promo pics for their comeback album, which has yet to receive a release date. Just like every other band nowadays, they’ve gone to the dark side, which should keep them relevant.
Comeback Level
Really hard to say, there’s definitely not enough information. But fans know that SS501 always get the best producers and turn out solid singles each time, so they’re cruising for a solid comeback but maybe not as enormous as some other bands out there.
2PM:
Where to start with these boys? They’ve been enveloped in a storm of controversy for months now but they’re coming back stronger than ever despite the absence of Jaebum. Their latest single ‘Can’t Stop, Don’t Stop’ is a full-throttle, adrenaline, fist-pumping stomper guaranteed to get your energy up.
Check out the “Can’t Stop, Don’t Stop” Live Performance:
Comeback Level:
It seems like most fans have calmed down after the initial anger, and that most will support 2PM even without Jaebum. That’s definitely a good sign for a guaranteed super comeback.
Wonder Girls
Just like Super Junior, the Wonder Girls know that they have to capitalize on what has proven to be successful. Since their 60s mod look for ‘Nobody’ was received so extremely well, they decided to keep going with it for the new album, retaining the mod look but mixing it with some disco-inspired looks and sounds in their new MV for “Two Different Tears”.
Check out the Wonder Girls’ ‘Two Different Tears’ MV
Comeback Level:
While the song is decent, their comeback single ‘Two Different Tears’ is not quite as immediately catchy as their previous singles, plus the lineup change (the departure of Sunmi and replacement with Hyerim) definitely will hinder the girls.
Their massive popularity throughout Asia and now even increased exposure in America, though, may help them overcome all these obstacles in the way of their comeback.
What is our guess for the summer’s hottest comebacks? We definitely think it will be between 2PM and Super Junior for summer comeback superiority. Let the battle begin!
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