This is no longer a miracle, but a ‘example’.

ATEEZ, the ‘model of small and medium-sized idols’, has thrown their hat into the ring for this month‘s K-pop battle. Their 11th new mini-album, ‘Golden Hour: Part 2’, is set to be released globally on the 15th. On this day, which they have chosen as the D-day for their comeback, BTS member Jin’s first solo album will also be released.

ATEEZ‘s sortie is an opportunity to reaffirm their status as the ‘new kings of albums’, also known as the ‘Sons of Billboard’, and is attracting the attention of not only K-pop but also the global pop scene. This album is an extension of their 10th mini-album ‘Golden Hour: Part 1’, which garnered the most attention in North America in the first half of the year, and attention is focused on whether they can once again achieve record-breaking sales, as proven by their Billboard rankings.

‘Golden Hour: Part 1’ rose to the top of Billboard’s main album chart, the ‘Billboard 200’, as soon as it was released in June.

There is also interest in whether they can break the ‘4 Combo’ million-seller record, which made it possible for them to have four consecutive ‘Billboard 200’ top 3 albums, with ‘Number 5’. Both inside and outside the industry, it is predicted that with the thick global fandom built through albums and world tours as a foundation, and with their popularity increasing, they will continue to break their own records without a hitch.

As a group with a unique worldview, ATEEZ is expected to further solidify the ‘ATEEZ Universe’ through this album. To support this, members Hongjoong and Minki have reportedly put in considerable effort to personally infuse the ‘ATEEZ-ness’ into the new song, such as by directly participating in writing the lyrics.

It is also notable that the countdown to the release of the new album is being filled with ‘fashion pictorial-quality’ photos every day. In particular, the photos for this album were released with the concept of ‘flowers in full bloom’, successfully creating a buzz by presenting the ‘new ATEEZ look’, which is the epitome of glamour.


Reporter Heo Min-nyeong mignon@donga.com