(G)I-dle is gearing up for a return in May, according to a local media report Thursday. Agency Cube Entertainment confirmed the news following the report.

The group’s previous album was its fifth EP “I Love” in October last year. The group entered the Billboard 200 for the first time with the EP at No. 71. The mini album topped iTunes top albums charts in 40 regions and sold more than 678,000 copies in the first week, a record for the five-member act.

(G)I-dle debuted in May 2018 with six members. Soojin left in 2021 after allegations of school bullying surfaced.

Seventeen sells 4m copies of 10th EP in preorders

Seventeen sold more than 4 million units of its upcoming 10th EP “FML” in preorders, according to distributor YG Plus on Thursday.

The number easily surpasses the first-week sales record of its previous album, fourth studio album “Face the Sun” at 2.06 million. It is the second album in K-pop history to log 4 million preorders, joining only BTS’ fourth LP, “Map of the Soul: 7.”

On the same day, the band uploaded a second teaser photograph showing the bandmates working in an office stuck in yet another day of inertia. It hints at how they will encourage listeners to approach life more positively in the new album, which is titled after the minorly obscene phrase “f--- my life.”

The six-track album marks the eighth anniversary of the 13-member band’s debut and will feature dual lead tracks, a first for the team. The EP rolls out on April 24.

Label mum on enlistment date of BTS’ J-Hope

J-Hope of BTS will start serving his mandatory military service on April 18 at a training camp in Gangwon Province, according to a local media report on Thursday.

Big Hit Music declined to specify the date and site, however, asking for understanding. It had said earlier this month that he will serve active duty in the Army after the artist told fans that he was given his date.

He will be the second member of the septet to enlist, after Jin began serving in December last year. All the bandmates were granted a delay of military enlistment until age 30, but both J-Hope and Jin applied to revoke the request.

The bandmates of BTS have been pursuing individual careers since the oldest member enlisted. J-Hope dropped solo single “On the Street” in March and entered the UK’s Official Singles Chart Top 100 at No. 37 and Billboard’s Hot 100 at No. 60.

OneUs to bring out new EP next month

OneUS will release a new album next month, said agency RBW Entertainment on Thursday.

It comes about eight months since the boy band's eighth EP, “Malus.” The band won the top spot on a series of music charts at home with the main track “Same Scent” and four trophies from TV music chart shows. The single also made best K-pop of 2022 lists from Teen Vogue and Dazed.

In the meantime, the five-piece act hosted its first international tour, "Reach For Us," traveling to 10 cities in North America and four in Latin America. The tour wound down in mid-February in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

OneUs debuted in January 2019 with six members. Ravn quit the band in October last year after he was suspected of cheating on and verbally abusing his ex-girlfriend.

By Hwang You-mee
(glamazon@heraldcorp.com)