Bang Ye-dam to drop single in June

Bang Ye-dam of Treasure will release his solo single in June. [YG ENTERTAINMENT]

Performer Bang Ye-dam will release his first solo song a month before the debut of his new band Treasure, his agency YG Entertainment announced Thursday.

"Bang Ye-dam was preparing his solo song before Treasure was put together," the agency said.

"He decided that it would be a surprise gift to fans to release the track before Treasure debuts in July."

Other details about the new track - such as the release date or genre - were not disclosed.

Bang was featured on the second season of channel SBS's talent program "K-Pop Star" in 2012 at the age of 11, and became famous for soulful vocals and energetic dance moves that belied his young age.

He took second place in that competition and has since been training with YG Entertainment to make his official launch into the music world.

Boy band Treasure will make its debut in July. [YG ENTERTAINMENT]

After Bang's solo track drops in June, Treasure will follow with its first release in July.

The group will release three to four more new songs through the end of the year, "similar to how Big Bang released new singles every month in 2006, during the early days of their debut," according to the agency.

Treasure will be YG Entertainment's first band to debut since Blackpink launched in 2016, and the first boy band since iKON debuted in 2015.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]