Kim Junsu, known to many by the stage name XIA, is reclaiming his place in the pop music landscape. On Tuesday, his agency, Palmtree Island, confirmed that the veteran performer will release his fifth studio album, titled GRAVITY, this June. The announcement marks a significant milestone: it has been ten years since his last full-length LP, Xignature, debuted in 2016.
The album title serves as a metaphor for the invisible forces that bind people together. According to his representatives, the songs explore the idea of individuals who have wandered separate paths but find themselves pulled back to a central point by an “irresistible attraction.”
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A Return to the Stage
To celebrate the new release, Palmtree Island has also announced the 2026 XIA 6th Asia Tour Concert ‘GRAVITY’. The tour is a highly anticipated event for his fanbase, known as COCONUT, who have waited years for a full-scale concert series following his focus on theatrical roles.
The tour kicks off in Seoul this June, shortly after the album’s release, before traveling to major cities in Japan and concluding its first leg in Hong Kong.
Tour Schedule:
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Seoul: June 12 – June 24, 2026
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Tokyo: July 3 – July 4, 2026
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Osaka: July 9 – July 10, 2026
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Hong Kong: July 17, 2026
A Balancing Act Between Stage and Studio
For much of the past decade, Kim has dedicated his energy to the world of musical theater, a field he now considers his primary profession. This month alone, he concluded a run in the musical Beetlejuice and immediately began preparations for a new season of Death Note.
Despite his success on stage, the move back to a full studio album has been a cautious one. In a recent interview, Kim admitted to feeling the pressure of modern music trends. “I have become cautious, caught between what is trending and what i can do best,” he said. He even suggested that this project might be his final full-length record, noting that any future music would likely take a long time to materialize.
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The production is currently in its final stages. Fans have already had a small taste of the new material; the track “How Is Your Farewell,” which Kim performed during his recent “Festa” concert series, is confirmed for the tracklist.
A teaser image released alongside the announcement shows light converging within a dark space, a visual representation of the album’s thematic focus on convergence and return. As Kim moves from the theatrical stage back to the microphone, GRAVITY appears to be an attempt to reconcile his history as a K-pop pioneer with his current identity as a mature artist.
