BABYMONSTER's 'CHOOM' — Why Yang Hyun-Suk Got Involved

BABYMONSTER is stepping into their most ambitious comeback yet. The six-member girl group under YG Entertainment will release their third mini album, 춤 (CHOOM), on May 4, 2026 — and the preparation behind it is unlike anything the label has attempted before.

In a sweeping announcement shared through YG's official blog, chairman Yang Hyun-suk pulled back the curtain on plans for both BABYMONSTER and labelmates TREASURE, giving fans a rare inside look at what's coming from two of the company's most prominent acts over the next several months.

A Choreography Process Unlike Anything YG Has Done Before

The detail that caught everyone's attention wasn't the release date or the tracklist — it was the choreography story. For the title track 춤 (CHOOM), YG took an approach the label has never used before. While choreography for past releases was typically commissioned from two or three teams, this time Yang brought in ten separate choreography teams to compete for the final performance concept. The goal was to ensure the song lived up to its name — "CHOOM" means "dance" in Korean — and the weight that implied for a group built on powerful stage presence.

But the genuinely surprising part came next. Yang Hyun-suk, the man who has overseen creative development at YG for decades — overseeing hits from BIGBANG, 2NE1, and BLACKPINK — personally stepped into the studio and contributed to the chorus section of the title track choreography. Direct involvement at that level is rare for the chairman, and it signals how seriously YG is treating this release.

The moving poster campaign that preceded the announcement added further visual intrigue. All six members — Asa, Laura, Chiquita, Ruka, Pharita, and Ahyeon — were revealed in a mugshot concept, each projecting a cynical expression and effortlessly cool body language. Short snippets of the CHOOM audio accompanied each poster, and even those brief clips were enough to fuel serious anticipation.

What Is on the Album

The third mini album contains four tracks that show off the group's musical range. It opens with MOON, a dark, swaggy hip-hop track built around a first-time collaboration with an overseas production team. Yang described the producers as having a refined and unique approach to sound design — one that brings something genuinely new to YG's sonic palette. The energy then shifts dramatically with I LIKE IT, a high-tempo dance track built for maximum crowd energy during live performances, while LOCKED IN completes the collection. Together, the four tracks span hip-hop, dance, and R&B, showcasing the members' breadth as performers.

The title track anchors everything. With ten choreography teams in the running and Yang's direct contribution to the chorus, the performance side has received as much creative investment as the music itself — a rare alignment of ambition that reflects how central BABYMONSTER's stage presence has become to their identity.

The music video rollout stretches well beyond the release date. The title track MV drops alongside the album on May 4. In June, a digital single called SUGAR HONEY arrives with its own video. July and August are reserved for I LIKE IT and MOON MVs respectively — meaning BABYMONSTER's visual campaign continues through the entire summer of 2026.

A World Tour Spanning Five Continents

The album is only the opening move. Following the May 4 release, BABYMONSTER will launch their second world tour, opening in Seoul in June before moving through six cities in Japan. The full tour then extends across Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America — five continents in total, and the group's most expansive live itinerary to date.

For a group that debuted in 2023, the scale of this tour is a clear indicator of how much ground BABYMONSTER has covered in a short time. They have built a dedicated fanbase across Asian markets and Western ones alike, and the five-continent route reflects YG's confidence in the global audience waiting for them. The combination of a summer-long MV rollout and a worldwide tour creates a sustained promotional window designed to keep the group in global conversations through the end of the year.

TREASURE Returns June 1

The announcement extended well beyond BABYMONSTER. Yang also confirmed that TREASURE, YG's nine-member boy group, will release a new mini album on June 1, 2026. The project includes four hip-hop-based tracks and marks what Yang described as the beginning of a new chapter for the group.

He was candid about the hurdles the group has faced. TREASURE debuted during the pandemic and encountered many difficulties breaking into the global market, Yang acknowledged — a reference to the timing of their 2020 debut, which cost them the live performances and international travel that typically define a K-pop group's early momentum. Without that foundational promotional infrastructure, TREASURE had to build their audience in a fundamentally different way than most groups do.

But Yang's verdict on where things stand now was direct and confident: this album is personally my most liked result. Coming from someone who has produced some of K-pop's most commercially successful music over the past three decades, that statement carries genuine weight. For TREASURE's fanbase, known as TREASURE MAKER, it reads close to a promise. The group has steadily grown its base in Japan and parts of Southeast Asia since debuting, and a strong mid-year release backed by Yang's personal enthusiasm could be the moment that broadens their reach into new markets.

What the YG Announcement Signals

The title of the YG blog post — BABYMONSTER, TREASURE, AND UPCOMING ROOKIES — left one deliberate open question. The mention of upcoming rookies signaled that the label is preparing at least one new act to debut before the year ends. No details were provided, but speculation across fan communities began immediately.

Reading the full picture, YG's 2026 calendar is taking shape with clear intent: BABYMONSTER leading the first half with their largest album and most expansive tour yet, TREASURE arriving in June to bridge into summer, and potential new faces later in the year. It is a layered release strategy designed to maintain momentum across multiple fanbases simultaneously.

For BABYMONSTER, the details embedded in the CHOOM rollout — ten choreography teams, Yang's personal contribution to the chorus, four planned MVs running through August, a five-continent world tour — collectively point to a group being positioned for a step-change in their global standing. Whether the record matches the ambition of the preparation is something fans will find out on May 4.