EXO’s Lay to release new album this month, including a Korean version

Lis Sinatra

EXO‘s Lay will be releasing a new album sometime this month, which will be released alongside a Korean-language version.

The Chinese idol’s label, n.cH Entertainment, made the announcement earlier today (April 5), per Korea JoongAng Daily. According to the company’s statement, Lay is set to drop the album sometime in mid-April, although a specific date has yet to be specified.

It also announced that a Korean version of the album will be released concurrently, and that he will be promoting the album on Korean music broadcast shows. Other details such as title, format and tracklist have yet to be shared by him or his label, but are expected in the coming days.

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While Lay has been an established soloist in China since he debuted with the ‘Lose Control’ mini-album in 2016, he has mainly released music in Mandarin through four mini-albums, four full-length albums and a handful of standalone singles in the time since.

His upcoming as-yet-untitled release will mark Lay’s first-ever solo project to receive a Korean-language version and promotional activities in South Korea. He last appeared on EXO’s seventh mini-album ‘Don’t Fight The Feeling’ in 2021, including in the music video for its title track of the same name.

It marked his first appearance on an EXO record since a Chinese version of 2018’s ‘Tempo’ was released, however he was unable to meet with the rest of the band for its production and filming due to pandemic restrictions.

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EXO’s Lay Zhang. Credit: SM Entertainment

However, Lay was not involved in EXO’s most recent release as a group, which was 2023’s ‘Exist’, headlined by title track ‘Cream Soda’. The album featured only seven out of nine members during promotional activities, as Kai had already enlisted for mandatory military service by the time of the record’s release. However, Kai’s vocals were still included on the album.

Lay’s comeback will also mark his first music under n.CH Entertainment, which he signed with after leaving longtime agency SM Entertainment in 2022 following contract expiration. Despite his departure from the label, he was never officially announced to be no longer part of the band.