A K-pop comeback calendar is a running schedule of new album, single, and MV releases from idol groups and soloists, compiled from official label announcements so fans can plan around every drop. July 2026 turned out to be one of the busiest months of the year, with returns from (G)I-DLE (now promoting as i-dle), LE SSERAFIM, aespa, JENNIE, and a wave of rookie debuts landing almost every single day. Pulling from label schedules and community-maintained trackers, here is a consolidated rundown of the releases worth marking on the calendar, organized by week so it is easier to scan than a day-by-day list.
How This Calendar Was Put Together
Every date below is drawn from official comeback schedules and cross-checked against label and artist channels, not rumors. K-pop release calendars shift constantly — pre-release singles get moved up, MV drops slip a day, solo tracks get bundled into group activity — so treat the dates as a snapshot rather than a fixed guarantee. For a live, constantly updated version of the full schedule (including rookie and OST releases not covered here), Kpop Profiles keeps a day-by-day tracker that is worth bookmarking.
Week 1 (July 1–7): The Month Opens Strong
The first week set the tone. i-dle kicked off a new promotional era on July 6 with "Gimme Dat Love," their first release under the shortened group name. LE SSERAFIM dropped an MV for "BOOMPALA" featuring Guru Randhawa on July 3, leaning into a cross-market collaboration rather than a full comeback. BABYMONSTER released the "I LIKE IT" music video on July 6, and MEOVV followed two days later with "In My Hands." On the soloist side, TXT's YEONJUN prepped his solo comeback "Ice Cream" for release on July 10, with multiple remix versions rolling out afterward.
| Date | Artist | Release | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 3 | LE SSERAFIM | BOOMPALA (feat. Guru Randhawa) | MV Release |
| Jul 6 | i-dle | Gimme Dat Love | Comeback |
| Jul 6 | BABYMONSTER | I LIKE IT | MV Release |
| Jul 7 | KIHYUN (MONSTA X) | So Good | Solo Comeback |
| Jul 8 | MEOVV | In My Hands | MV Release |
| Jul 8 | QWER | SHOW DOWN | Japanese Debut |
Week 2 (July 8–14): TXT, NCT, and a Sub-unit Debut
Momentum kept building through the second week. YEONJUN's "Ice Cream" arrived July 10 alongside a solo release from NCT's JAEHYUN, "99 Degrees." Super Junior spun off a new sub-unit, SUPER JUNIOR-83z, with their first mini album "Promise," and NCT WISH pushed a Japanese double A-side single. Midweek, DAILY:DIRECTION returned with "DOWN WITH IT," and AHOF closed out its comeback rollout with the title track "RUN TO YOU."
| Date | Artist | Release | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8 | AHOF | RUN TO YOU | Comeback |
| Jul 8 | RESCENE | Pretty Girl | Comeback |
| Jul 10 | YEONJUN (TXT) | Ice Cream | Solo Comeback |
| Jul 10 | JAEHYUN (NCT) | 99 Degrees | Solo Comeback |
| Jul 13 | DAILY:DIRECTION | DOWN WITH IT / TRAPPED | Comeback |
| Jul 13 | SUPER JUNIOR-83z | Promise | Sub-unit Debut |
Week 3 (July 15–21): Solo Statements and a Big Album Drop
SUNMI opened the third week with "Forever July" on July 15, and TVXQ's U-KNOW followed on July 20 with "Time's Tickin'." BTS quietly slipped out an explicit version of "NORMAL" on July 17. The week closed out with a genuine cluster of comebacks on July 21: 8TURN, WONHO, and fromis_9 — whose "Vitamin ME" mini album marked their return as a full unit — all landed the same day.
| Date | Artist | Release | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15 | SUNMI | Forever July | Comeback |
| Jul 17 | BTS | NORMAL (Explicit ver.) | Release |
| Jul 20 | U-KNOW (TVXQ) | Time's Tickin' | Solo Comeback |
| Jul 21 | fromis_9 | Vitamin ME | Comeback |
| Jul 21 | 8TURN | Stagefright | Comeback |
| Jul 21 | WONHO | Don't Wake Me Up! | Comeback |
Week 4 (July 22–31): JENNIE, aespa, and the Month's Biggest Names
The final stretch delivered the month's highest-profile activity. J.Y. Park returned with "WET" on July 23, and KATSEYE previewed "Animal" as a pre-release the same day. On July 24, aespa dropped a Japanese comeback with "KISS N TELL," while BLACKPINK's JENNIE released her solo track "Less Than A Lover." ILLIT followed on July 26 with a Japanese comeback, "I Got Your Back," and ATEEZ closed the loop with a Japanese version of "BAD" on July 29. KARD marked the end of the month with "Back To Life," billed as their final comeback before the group's activities wind down.
| Date | Artist | Release | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23 | J.Y. Park | WET | Comeback |
| Jul 24 | aespa | KISS N TELL | Japanese Comeback |
| Jul 24 | JENNIE (BLACKPINK) | Less Than A Lover | Solo Comeback |
| Jul 26 | ILLIT | I Got Your Back | Japanese Comeback |
| Jul 28 | KARD | Back To Life | Last Comeback |
| Jul 29 | ATEEZ | BAD (Japanese ver.) | Japanese Comeback |
Comebacks to Watch Beyond July
A few acts were still finalizing details as July wrapped up, including ONEWE and ALLDAY PROJECT, both expected before the month's end without a confirmed date. Looking into August, Stray Kids, Red Velvet, KISS OF LIFE, and ZEROBASEONE all have comebacks lined up in the first two weeks, so the pace is not expected to slow down. Chart and sales data for releases like these is generally tracked by outlets such as Forbes' ongoing K-pop release calendar coverage, which is a useful cross-reference if a release date changes.
FAQ
Q: What does "comeback" mean in K-pop?
A: In K-pop, a comeback refers to a new music release with a title track, music video, and promotional cycle — not necessarily a return after a long absence. A group can have a "comeback" even if their last release was only a few months earlier.
Q: Which K-pop groups had the biggest comebacks in July 2026?
A: Based on promotional scale and media coverage, i-dle, LE SSERAFIM, aespa, JENNIE, and fromis_9 stood out as the most heavily promoted releases of the month.
Q: Where can I find the most current comeback schedule?
A: Comeback dates change often, so cross-checking a live tracker such as Kpop Profiles alongside official label social media accounts is the most reliable way to stay updated.
Q: Do Japanese releases count as comebacks?
A: Yes — many K-pop groups run separate Japanese-market promotional cycles with their own singles and MVs, which trackers typically label as "Japanese Comeback" or "Japanese Release" to distinguish them from Korean-market activity.