From Treasure to Stray Kids, boy bands gear up for October return

Group image of Stray Kids for its new album "Maxident" (JYP Entertainment)

With the rush of cool air, boy bands are welcoming the year's colder seasons with new music, and some big names, from Treasure to Stray Kids, are in for a clash in the coming weeks.

Among the most anticipated returns will be Treasure, the rookie boy band of K-pop powerhouse YG Entertainment.

Treasure is set to drop its new album, "The Second Step: Chapter Two," on Oct. 4.

The act's second EP, "The Second Step: Chapter Two," will be fronted by the main track "Hello," which "depicts the various emotions of excitement, joy and comfort in Treasure's own positive vibe vivaciously and positively," according to YG.

The album will carry on the story told by Treasure in its previous album, “The Second Step: Chapter One," dropped in February.

While the full group consists of 12 members , Treasure will come back as a 10-piece act for the upcoming album. YG in May announced members Mashiho and Bang Yedam would be taking a temporary break from Treasure. Mashiho is extending his stay with his family in Japan due to health concerns, while Bang Yedam will focus on studying producing and improving his skillsets as an artist until the end of the year, it said.

Following its return, the boys are set to hold their second stand-alone concert, "2022 Treasure Concert in Seoul," on Nov. 12-13. Taking place at KSPO Dome in the Olympic Sports Complex in Jamsil, Seoul, the concert will mark the act's first show at the 15,000-seat concert venue.

The Seoul concerts will be followed by the act's first-ever arena tour in Japan, which will kick off at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center's Hokkai Kitayell on Nov. 26. The arena tour is expected to garner around an audience of 210,000 in total, which will be the biggest inaugural tour held by a K-pop act in Japan.

Up next is Stray Kids, which is rushing back to the K-pop scene with no time for a break following its second world tour "Maniac." The act recently closed its nine-city 19-show series around the world with the last set of shows at the KSPO Dome on Sept. 17-18.

According to JYP, "Maxident" is a mix of the words "max," "maximum," "accident" and "incident," and refers to a massive, unexpected event. It will be led by the group's first-ever lead single, "Case 143," that sings about love and was produced by the act's producing trio 3Racha.

The act's new music comes seven months after it made history on Billboard with its previously dropped EP "Oddinary." Stray Kids was the third K-pop group following BTS and Super M to have an EP land atop the Billboard 200 main album chart.

"Maxident" will be out at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7.

Concept poster for Treasure's second mini album "The Second Step: Chapter Two" (YG Entertainment)

Other boy bands are also gearing up for new releases, including AB6IX, DKZ, Kingdom and WEi.

AB6IX, the four-piece band of BrandNew Music, is dropping its sixth EP, "Take A Chance," and its title song "Sugarcoat" on Oct. 4. This comes nearly four months after its fifth EP "A to B" that was released in May.

Member Lee Dae-hwi, who recently starred on KBS2's producing survival show "Listen Up," teamed up with aspiring producer Robbin in making "Sugarcoat," a dance pop tune interweaved with the sounds of hip-hop, soul and R&B.

Along with the title song, "Take A Chance" will consist of six side-tracks, "Parania," "Weightless," "Complicated," "Rosonance," "Crow" and the Korean version of "Chance." Monsta X's Hyungwon contributed to producing "Weightless."

Seven-piece band DKZ is also returning in October. The act will drop its seventh EP, "Chase Episode 3. Beum," which will wrap up the group's "Chase" album series.

Rookie band Kingdom is continuing its King-making story with the new album "History Of Kingdom: Part Ⅴ. Louis." The group's narrative is themed around seven kings of seven kingdoms, and each album released under the "History Of Kindgom" series revolves around each member.

The new album will be the first project taken part by the act's new member, Hwon, who joined the group in August, following the departure of former bandmate Chiwoo in May.

"History Of Kindgom: Part Ⅴ. Louis" is set for release on Oct. 5.

Group Up10tion is kicking off its eighth year with its 11th EP, "Code Name: Arrow," on Oct. 12.

Debuting in 2015, the group marked its seventh anniversary on Sept. 10, and is returning as a septet for the first time in over 10 months with the upcoming album.

Rising rookie WEi has also been preparing for an album launch next month, although the date has yet to be confirmed, according to the act's label, Oui Entertainment.

WEi is in the United States holding its last set of shows of its first world tour "First Love: WEi World Tour." Kicking off on Sept. 4 in Bangkok, the boys have traveled around 10 cities in four countries, and is set to close the series in New York on Oct. 2.

By Choi Ji-won(jwc@heraldcorp.com)