After 3 Billboard No. 1s, Ateez looks to climb higher with new album

SEOUL, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- K-pop boy group Ateez said Thursday its upcoming album reflects the group's determination to reach new heights, even after eight years in the industry and three No. 1 albums on the U.S. Billboard 200.

The eight-member group will release its 15th EP, "Golden Hour: Part. 6," at 2 p.m. Friday.

Fronted by "Up," the five-track album also includes the tracks "Anemia," "Drip," "Faith" and "Hollow Victory."

Hongjoong, the group's leader, said the members chose "Up" as the lead track because they wanted to show that Ateez is still moving forward after eight years.

K-pop boy group Ateez poses for a photo during a press conference in Seoul on Nov. 12, 2026, to mark the release of its 15th EP, "Golden Hour: Part. 6," in this photo provided by KQ Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"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 during a press conference held at a Seoul hotel to mark the release.

San described the lead track featuring powerful brass sounds and explosive bass as a song about pushing past the group's own limits.

"It contains the belief of going beyond even our own limits, without stopping or boundaries," he said. "It expresses our ambition to move toward the highest place -- and beyond."

Mingi, who wrote the lyrics for all five songs together with Hongjoong, said he focused on conveying the group's eight-year journey in the 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'."

The eight-piece group earned its third cumulative Billboard 200 No. 1 in July with "Golden Hour: Part. 5." The album's lead track, "Bad," also topped South Korean TV music programs and spread widely on short-form video platforms, driven in part by San's closing choreography.

San said the group's growing recognition had changed how it was received at home and abroad.

"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."

He added: "As much as people love us, we must become people worthy of that love. We poured our whole soul into this album and want to show people the best of ourselves."

Hongjoong said the group was not seeking to replicate the viral success of "Bad," but rather to continue proving itself through its music and performances.

"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."

Yunho credited the group's fandom, Atiny, as a source of motivation. "Over the past eight years, we have continuously challenged ourselves with different things, and our teamwork has grown stronger," he said. "Our desire to repay our fans for the love they have given us is what drives us forward."

Ateez will kick off its new world tour, "Zero to All," in Incheon, just west of Seoul, in January. Hongjoong said he hoped the new release would encourage more people to attend the group's concerts.

"I would be happy if people who had not known us before, or those who discovered us through 'Bad,' became curious about our concerts through the upcoming album," he said.

San of boy group Ateez is seen in this photo provided by KQ Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)