ATEEZ Returns With UP After BAD Breakthrough, Setting Sights on January World Tour

A new album meets a bigger audience at home

ATEEZ will release its 15th mini album, "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6," on November 13 at 2 p.m. KST, bringing five new songs to an audience expanded by the success of "BAD." The comeback follows a previous album that sold more than 1.88 million copies in its first week and earned the group its third No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

At a November 12 press conference at the Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam hotel, the eight members described a change that chart positions alone cannot capture: people in South Korea now recognize their name without first needing an explanation of their achievements overseas.

The new title track, "UP," puts that moment into a larger story. ATEEZ is marking eight years since its 2018 debut, drawing musical references from its earliest releases while preparing for a world tour scheduled to begin in Incheon on January 22, 2027.

Hongjoong, the group's leader, said the anniversary helped shape the choice of music and performance for this return.

"Even though it has been eight years since we debuted, we wanted to convey the message that we are still looking upward, through the strongest sound and performance we can deliver," he said.

Hongjoong said the members had set themselves the goal of making three comebacks during the year, despite a tight schedule. This release completes that plan. It also arrives in the first year after the group's contract renewal, giving the anniversary a practical meaning alongside its place in ATEEZ's musical story.

For listeners who discovered the group through a few seconds of "BAD" choreography, "UP" is intended to open the door to a much larger catalogue and, eventually, a concert ticket.

What BAD changed in everyday life

"BAD," the title track from "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5," won South Korean television music programs and spread widely through short videos. San's closing choreography, including his distinctive chest movements, became a central part of its appeal.

San, whose performance helped drive the dance challenge, described how the group's reception had changed during appearances on entertainment programs and at interviews.

In the past, when we went on television variety shows or to interviews, we often had to explain how successful Ateez was overseas," he said. "Now, people recognize us as soon as they hear the name Ateez. It feels like a dream.

Wooyoung described smaller benefits of that recognition, including warmer greetings and extra food at restaurants. Hongjoong also spoke about receiving something extra for free at shops and being welcomed more warmly.

ATEEZ had already built a substantial international audience before this shift. The members' examples show what wider recognition in Korea means in concrete terms: less time introducing their career, and more people responding to the group by name.

The chart record behind the comeback

"GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5," released in June, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in July. It became ATEEZ's third album to lead the US chart, following "THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL" and "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2."

Hanteo counted more than 1.88 million copies of Part.5 sold during its first week, a record for the group. The release also became ATEEZ's seventh album to sell at least one million copies.

ATEEZ has placed nine consecutive albums in the Billboard 200 top 10, beginning with its eighth mini album in 2022 and continuing through its 14th mini album. The Billboard 200 ranks albums in the United States, while the Billboard Global 200 ranks songs using streaming and sales activity across countries.

"Drip," released ahead of the new album, entered the Global 200 at No. 190 on the chart dated November 7. It also reached No. 4 on Spotify's Countdown Chart Global. Those results give the comeback an early measure of interest before "UP" arrives.

UP brings the debut story into the present

"UP" combines forceful brass sounds with heavy bass. San described its theme as pushing beyond the group's own limits, while Hongjoong said the members wanted to deliver a performance rooted in what ATEEZ does best.

Hongjoong and Mingi contributed lyrics to all five songs on the album. For "UP," Mingi said their writing drew on the group's journey from its debut releases through the "GOLDEN HOUR" series.

Mingi, explaining the connections built into the track, identified a specific musical reference to the group's debut song.

There are many parts that quote or borrow lyrics from our debut album, 'Treasure,' through the 'Golden Hour' series," he said. "We also used the melody line from our debut song, 'Pirate King'.

ATEEZ's pirate identity has long provided a way to tell stories about adventure and moving into unfamiliar territory. Bringing "Pirate King" into "UP" connects the new release to that starting point through music that existing fans can recognize.

Mingi said he hoped the references would encourage listeners to seek out older songs. Seonghwa also said the new track reminded him of the group's debut ambitions, describing a sense that their determination had stayed consistent even as their career grew.

Yeosang takes the central dance break

Yeosang leads the dance break in the final chorus of "UP," taking the center position for a sequence Wooyoung described as a highlight of the song's scale and energy.

In K-pop, a "killing part" means a particularly memorable moment in a song or performance. It can be a short vocal line, a gesture or a dance sequence that viewers remember and share. San's choreography in "BAD" gave Yeosang a successful example to follow, along with some pressure.

Yeosang, discussing the responsibility of taking that role, acknowledged the comparison with San.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel any pressure after San did such a great job with the killing part of 'BAD,'" he said. "I've worked hard so ATEEZ can shine as brightly as possible this time, too. I hope people enjoy watching us.

Yeosang also said every member has a moment worth watching across the performance. Wooyoung separately drew attention to Seonghwa's dancing near the end, giving viewers another member to follow beyond the central sequence.

A wall, a boat and a memorable meal

San breaking through a wall is one of the music video's key images. Hongjoong said the scene expresses the same determination to keep moving that gives "UP" its title. The closing sequence cuts between San moving through the barrier and the members dancing.

Yunho described a less comfortable filming experience involving a boat and a chase. With no seat inside the boat, he had to hold himself in a squat, effectively sitting on an invisible chair while performing the scene.

Yeosang recalled that he and Yunho used some free time early in filming to eat ganjang gejang nearby. The dish is crab marinated in soy sauce. They enjoyed it enough to tell the other members, who then joined them for a meal.

Yunho said they ate it for two days in a row, while Mingi called it the ganjang gejang of a lifetime. The restaurant recognized the group, adding another example to the members' accounts of their growing visibility in Korea.

Five songs move between confidence and uncertainty

"GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6" contains "UP," "ANEMIA," "Drip," "FAITH" and "Hollow Victory." Its supporting songs cover feelings that extend beyond the determination of the title track, including anxiety, resolve and emptiness after success.

"ANEMIA" uses dreamy melodies and heavy beats to convey confusion and anxiety. "Drip" is built around trap rhythms, with Mingi describing it as a vehicle for the group's contemporary style and confidence. Trap is a form of hip hop associated with prominent bass and sharply patterned percussion.

"FAITH" combines cinematic marching sounds with a resolve to withstand adversity. "Hollow Victory" turns toward the emotional space behind visible achievement, contrasting relaxed and sharper vocal delivery.

Jongho chose "Hollow Victory" as a song to pay attention to. He highlighted its unusual melody, the movement from the section before the chorus into the chorus itself, and the way its vocal and rap lines fit together.

Across the five tracks, the album pairs songs about advancing with songs about the feelings that can accompany progress. Hongjoong and Mingi's writing contributions connect those different moods within the same release.

Why GOLDEN HOUR has reached a sixth chapter

The "GOLDEN HOUR" series began in 2024 and has now reached six installments. Hongjoong said it has allowed ATEEZ to try different styles and reach a broader audience, including Korean listeners who came to know the group through "BAD."

Wooyoung joked that it might be time to move to the next series. Hongjoong expressed a different attachment, saying that although the project had continued for a long time, part of him did not want it to end.

Hongjoong said the message the group wants to communicate will determine when it moves on. No ending date for the series was announced.

The members placed this release within that continuing process of exploration. Hongjoong said their focus remains music and performance, while acknowledging that a song called "UP" naturally comes with hopes for higher numbers.

Hongjoong, describing the group's priorities after the viral response to "BAD," returned to the live stage.

Our essence lies in the stage and the music," he said. "We are a group that wants to be loved while creating iconic moments on stage.

The next stop is a world tour

ATEEZ's "ZERO TO ALL" world tour is scheduled to open in Incheon from January 22 to 24, 2027, before visiting Japan, Europe, North America and South America. Hongjoong said he hoped the new album would make people who discovered ATEEZ through "BAD" curious about attending a concert.

Seonghwa pointed to awards shows and other major performances still ahead. With three comebacks during the year, he said the group has plenty of songs to draw on when preparing stages for ATINY, the name of its fandom.

Yunho credited those fans with sustaining the group through eight years of activity. He said the members' teamwork had strengthened as they continued taking on different challenges, and that repaying fans' support remained a driving force.

Wooyoung also addressed younger artists at smaller agencies. ATEEZ's achievements include three Billboard 200 No. 1 albums and becoming the first K-pop boy group to perform at Coachella, accomplishments made outside the industry's largest agencies.

Wooyoung said different groups develop at different speeds. Offering encouragement, he shared the phrase he turns to himself.

Don't rush, and don't give up.

The main dates leading into the new tour are:

• June and July 2026: "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5" was released in June and reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in July.
• November 7, 2026: "Drip" appeared at No. 190 on the Billboard Global 200 chart dated that day.
• November 12, 2026: ATEEZ presented Part.6 at the Seoul press conference. A photo caption instead listed November 2.
• November 13, 2026: Part.6 is scheduled for release at 2 p.m. KST.
• January 22 to 24, 2027: The "ZERO TO ALL" tour is scheduled to begin in Incheon.

Key Points

• ATEEZ returns on November 13 at 2 p.m. KST with the five songs of "GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6."
• "UP" references the group's earlier music, including the melody of debut song "Pirate King."
• Hongjoong and Mingi contributed lyrics to every track, and Yeosang leads the title track's final chorus dance break.
• The members say "BAD" brought wider recognition in Korea after years of international success.
• The previous album sold more than 1.88 million copies in its first week and became ATEEZ's third Billboard 200 No. 1.
• The "ZERO TO ALL" world tour is scheduled to open in Incheon on January 22, 2027.