Red Velvet plans August comeback — first full-group album since Wendy and Yeri left SM

Red Velvet is aiming for an August album release, the group's first full-member comeback in approximately two years and two months.

The last full-group project was Cosmic, the 10th-anniversary mini album from June 2024. This time around, the lineup includes Wendy and Yeri, both of whom ended their exclusive contracts with SM Entertainment last year and signed with new agencies—making the reunion a genuine question mark until now.

All five members have been busy in the gap. Irene dropped her first full-length album Biggest Fan in April. Joy released her first mini album From Joy, With Love last August. Wendy followed in September with her third mini, Cerulean Verge. Three solo releases in under a year is a lot of ground to cover before a group comeback.

Yeri went the acting route: she appeared in the film Exorcism: Ghost Play and the drama Cheongdam International High School 2, then wrapped the drama Azure Spring last month. Joy has been a regular on SBS Animal Farm and MBC I Live Alone, while Wendy holds down the DJ chair on SBS Power FM's Wendy's Young Street.

The five have already been in the same room. Members showed up to support Irene at her solo music broadcast schedules, and all five gathered at Wendy's solo concert back in March.