MONSTA X member Jooheon will be the first to make a comeback under Starship in 2026. Starship Entertainment announced on the 17th, "Jooheon, a member of MONSTA X currently on the U.S. Jingle Ball tour, is in the final stages of preparation aiming for a comeback in early January next year." They added, "We are putting great effort into showcasing Jooheon's unique and diverse charms, so please look forward to it."

This comeback marks his first solo activity in about 2 years and 8 months since his first mini-album 'LIGHTS,' released in May 2023. Jooheon received praise for filling the entire previous album with self-composed songs, completing a genre of his own called 'Jooheon.' Through this new release, he plans to prove an even more expanded musical spectrum and the deepened expertise befitting his 10th year since debut.

Since his debut, Jooheon has been MONSTA X's main rapper, producer, and songwriter, building the team's distinctive color. He has been loved by listeners both domestically and internationally as an 'all-rounder artist,' freely showcasing powerful rapping and top-level vocals, as well as writing, composing, and arranging.

In particular, Jooheon demonstrated his global presence through mixtapes even before his official solo debut. His 2018 release 'DWTD (Do What They Do)' made notable achievements by charting on iTunes and the U.S. Billboard World Albums chart. The 2020 release 'PSYCHE' ranked second on the iTunes Top K-pop Albums chart in 30 countries worldwide and on the Worldwide Albums chart, proving his strength as a solo artist.

Jooheon plans to fully demonstrate the musical expertise he has accumulated through this new album. Having shown his abilities as an 'all-rounder artist' and limitless growth with every album, attention is focused on what kind of music he will use to captivate fans at home and abroad once again in the new year of 2026.

In addition to his main music activities, Jooheon is heating up the comeback excitement with his variety show appearances. He was selected as the MC for the solo web variety show 'Good Errand Center - Simcheong-i,' which launched last October. Jooheon is displaying a friendly and cheerful charm, showing off his variety skills. His diverse appeal, moving between the stage and variety shows, is expected to amplify the synergy of this solo activity.

MONSTA X, to which Jooheon belongs, recently demonstrated their strength as 10-year artists by winning two awards, including the 'AAA History of K-pop,' at the '10th Anniversary Asia Artist Awards 2025.' Currently, MONSTA X is participating in the '2025 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour,' touring major U.S. cities and drawing explosive reactions from local audiences. They will conclude the tour with a performance in Miami on the 20th.

Afterward, MONSTA X will hold their new world tour 'THE X : NEXUS' at Seoul KSPO DOME from January 30 to February 1, 2026. Through this, they plan to embark on a full-scale global journey starting from the new year. Expectations are rising for MONSTA X's future activities along with Jooheon's comeback.