K-pop icon BoA is making a long-awaited return to the Japanese music scene with a new single, “Young & Free,” set to drop at noon on Friday, according to her agency SM Entertainment.

The release commemorates the anniversary of her Japanese debut on May 30, 2001. BoA, who first debuted in Korea in 2000 at the age of 13, quickly rose to stardom across Asia and became a trailblazer for K-pop artists entering the Japanese market.

“Young & Free” is BoA’s first Japanese single in three years, following her 2022 album “The Greatest,” which celebrated the 20th anniversary of her Japanese debut. The new track features a breezy, medium-tempo sound perfect for summer, and highlights BoA’s signature vocals. She also wrote the lyrics and co-composed the song, making it a deeply personal project.

In addition to the single, BoA is gearing up for her first tour in Japan in six years. The tour kicks off on September 20 at Morinomiya Piloti Hall in Osaka and wraps up on November 1 at Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium.

Beyond her own music, BoA has recently been active behind the scenes as a producer for SM Entertainment’s newest boy group, NCT WISH.

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