[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] As the summer season kicks off and the competition for the title of “Summer Queen” in the K-pop scene heats up, artists known as the “original Summer Queens”—including Hyolyn, Sunmi, and BB Girls—have joined the fray. It will be interesting to see if these artists, who have previously topped the summer charts, can prove their enduring competitiveness in a summer song race where the next generation of girl groups is making a strong showing.

On the 22nd, former SISTAR member Hyolyn made her comeback with her fourth mini-album, “OriginaLyn.” During her time as a member of SISTAR, Hyolyn produced numerous hit summer songs, including “Loving U,” “Touch My Body,” and “SHAKE IT.”
Releasing her first full-length album in about four years, Hyolyn personally participated in the production of every track, focusing on fully capturing her signature “Hyolyn-esque” style. The title track, “ChecK,” is an energetic song centered on the theme of overflowing confidence. It draws inspiration from the hit songs of pop stars who enjoyed their heyday in the 1990s and 2000s, such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
In a roundtable interview held ahead of her comeback, Hyolyn expressed her affection for the title “Summer Queen,” calling it “a gift of a title I earned thanks to my time with SISTAR.” She added, “It would be a lie to say this comeback isn’t aimed at dominating the summer charts,” revealing her determination to create a new hit.
Prior to this, Sunmi, formerly of the Wonder Girls, and B.B. Girls made their comebacks by releasing new songs on the 15th and 16th, respectively.

Sunmi released a single featuring “Forever July.” “Forever July” is a UK garage-based track that likens a sudden romance to the monsoon season, and Sunmi personally participated in both the lyrics and composition.
Previously, Sunmi had taken the summer charts by storm with intense tracks like “Gashina” and “Nallari.” This time, she sought to set herself apart by releasing a summer song that tones down the intensity and highlights a more emotional atmosphere.
Her agency, Abyss Company, emphasized, “This song sings of the emotions of love that recur like the seasons, just as summer arrives every year,” adding, “She has broken away from the familiar summer song formula to explore the hidden side of the season through her own unique sensibility.”

BB Girls, a newly formed group consisting of members from Brave Girls—who created the “Rollin’” retro-hit phenomenon—have made a comeback with a single featuring “Body Wave” as the title track.
BB Girls previously enjoyed the thrill of topping the summer charts with “Skirt Wind” during their time as Brave Girls. Their new song, “Body Wave,” is a classic summer anthem built on refreshing tropical synths and a mumbahton rhythm, with member Minyoung directly participating in both the lyrics and production.
As of 9:00 a.m. on the 23rd, on Melon’s Hot 100 chart (for songs released within the last 30 days), Hyolyn’s “Check” ranked 7th, Sunmi’s “Forever July” ranked 47th, and BB Girls’ “Body Wave” ranked 89th. Although they have not yet made it onto Melon’s main Top 100 chart, all three songs have secured spots on the latest releases chart and have entered the race for higher rankings.
Meanwhile, Red Velvet is set to make a comeback on the 3rd of next month with their new mini-album “Velvet Summer.” The album features the summer song “Surfin’ Boy” as its title track.
Red Velvet is also a group that has earned the title of “Summer Queen” by scoring hits during the summer season with songs such as “Red Flavor,” “Power Up,” and “Umpah Umpah.”
Their agency, SM Entertainment, described the new title track as “a dance song that blends laid-back bossa nova guitar, relaxed reggae rhythms, and a sensuous house groove,” adding that it “captures Red Velvet’s mature charm.”

Summer is the preferred comeback season for female solo artists and girl groups, who primarily release refreshing dance music. With numerous outdoor performances and events—such as music festivals featuring water cannons—it is considered the ideal time to debut new songs that capture the spirit of the season. Currently, aespa’s “LEMONADE” and Hearts2Hearts’ “Lemon Tang” are dominating the charts on major music platforms such as Melon and YouTube Music.
The CEO of a K-pop PR agency stated, “Recently, there has been an increase in songs that gain attention a bit later through short-form videos and memes, leading to a resurgence in popularity.” They added, “Especially for artists with more years of experience, even if their fanbase’s initial momentum is somewhat weak, they often demonstrate their true potential over time, so we’ll need to keep an eye on the ‘Summer Queen’ competition until the summer season ends.”