Ateez Announces February Music Return with New EP

K-pop group Ateez officially announced a major February comeback on Monday. This highly anticipated music return features the group’s thirteenth extended play. Consequently, the new EP titled “Golden Hour: Part 4” arrives on February sixth. Therefore, this music return continues the group’s successful thematic album series. The announcement follows a cryptic and cinematic teaser video release.

The teaser depicted two starkly silhouetted figures dashing together. Their fingers touched and emitted a powerful beam of light subsequently. This visual likely symbolizes a pivotal narrative moment for the series. The upcoming EP is the fourth installment in the “Golden Hour” collection. It follows the commercially successful two-part twelfth EP from last year.

The previous release, “Golden Hour: Part 3,” performed exceptionally well internationally. It notably debuted at number two on the prestigious Billboard 200 chart. Moreover, its main track “Lemon Drop” entered the Billboard Hot 100. That song marked the group’s first entry on that chart at number sixty-nine. The follow-up single “In Your Fantasy” also charted at number sixty-eight.

This consistent chart performance underscores the group’s growing global footprint. It also reflects strong fan support and effective international marketing strategies. The group will resume a substantial twenty-five city tour later this month. This tour shares its name with the previous lead single “In Your Fantasy.” The tour leg begins appropriately in Taipei, Taiwan at month’s end.

Industry analysts note the strategic timing of this new release cycle. The February date capitalizes on post-holiday market engagement effectively. It also allows the new music to promote the ongoing international tour. The “Golden Hour” series has clearly established a compelling artistic identity. This cohesive branding strengthens fan loyalty and streaming performance significantly.

Future outlooks include robust first-week sales and streaming numbers for the EP. The group will likely achieve another high Billboard 200 chart placement. The tour’s resumption will also generate substantial revenue and media coverage. Management must balance promotional activities with the members’ demanding touring schedule. Ultimately, this music return aims to solidify Ateez’s position as a global K-pop leader.

The broader implications highlight the health of the K-pop touring and album market. Successful comebacks reinforce the industry’s scalable global business model. They also demonstrate the power of serialized storytelling in music promotion. Other acts may adopt similar thematic series strategies for fan engagement. This comeback will be a key industry indicator for early 2026 performance metrics.