ATEEZ Signs All-Member Renewal with KQ — What This Means for Fans and the Company

All eight members of ATEEZ have signed a new 7-year contract with KQ Entertainment. This was confirmed on July 10. The group includes Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho. The agency said they had long and careful discussions before agreeing to continue.

In the high-pressure world of K-pop, the seventh year is famously known as a make-or-break moment. Standard initial contracts expire, leading groups to either disband, lose members, or renegotiate terms. The company also promised to fully support the group. They said they trust the members and want to help them grow more. This move confirms that ATEEZ will stay with the same agency until at least 2032.

This news was not unexpected. In a press event last month, ATEEZ leader Hongjoong said they were already thinking about their future. He said the group had been talking a lot about how to keep showing a better version of ATEEZ. Now, fans finally know the answer.

The timing of this renewal matters a lot. KQ Entertainment is preparing for a stock market listing next year. Having ATEEZ secured gives them a strong base. ATEEZ is their most important group. Their success has helped the company’s sales and profits grow fast.

In 2022, KQ made about 46.4 billion won. In 2023, that number jumped to 65 billion. By last year, they hit 115.8 billion won. That’s a huge jump in just two years. Profit also grew a lot. It rose from 4.4 billion won in 2022 to 12.5 billion won last year. That’s more than double.

ATEEZ’s Contract Renewal: What It Means for KQ and Fans

A big reason for this growth is ATEEZ’s live tours. Their performance revenue shot up by 240%. This kind of income now makes up nearly half of KQ’s total sales. That’s rare. It shows how much ATEEZ matters to their company.

Right now, ATEEZ is on tour again. The new world tour is called IN YOUR FANTASY. It started on July 5 and 6 at the Inspire Arena in Incheon. From there, they’ll visit 12 North American cities. The list includes places like New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico City. They’ll also perform in Japan — in cities like Saitama, Nagoya, and Kobe.

It’s been six years since ATEEZ debuted. They first appeared in 2018 with the TREASURE EP.1: All to Zero. At first, they were seen as underdogs. But their energy on stage and strong music slowly changed things.

They entered Billboard’s main album chart for the first time in 2021. That was with ZERO: FEVER Part 3. In 2023, they went even further. Their album THE WORLD EP FIN: WILL reached No.1 on the Billboard 200. That wasn’t a one-time thing. ATEEZ’s next mini album, GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2, also hit No.1.

Their growth hasn’t slowed down in 2024. Their song Lemon Drop, from their latest mini album, reached No. 69 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. This was their first time breaking into that ranking. Their landmark Coachella performance wasn’t just a ‘first’; it was a cultural reset.

Playing to a massive, diverse festival crowd cemented their reputation as a formidable live act beyond the K-pop niche, significantly boosting their credibility with US industry gatekeepers and broadening their potential audience base in a critical market. It showed that their global reach had truly expanded.

ATEEZ also became the first K-pop boy group to perform at Coachella. That happened last year. Their performance there got strong reactions from fans and music critics alike. It proved that they’re not just growing in Korea, but also getting noticed in the U.S. market.

Fans, known as ATINYs, had been waiting for the contract renewal news. Many were nervous. In K-pop, it’s not rare for groups to split or members to leave around the 7-year mark. That’s because most first contracts last seven years. When that time comes, not all groups stay together.

But ATEEZ made a clear choice. They want to keep going as eight. That’s a big deal — not only for fans, but also for the K-pop industry. It shows that long-term teamwork is still possible.

Conclusion

Their new album GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3 ‘In Your Fantasy Edition’ will be out on July 11. It’s likely to perform well, both in Korea and globally. With the tour, the new album, and this renewal, ATEEZ seems to be entering a new phase.

There’s also another layer here — business. The contract renewals strengthen KQ’s position ahead of its IPO. Investors like stable, growing assets. ATEEZ is exactly that. They have consistent results, a loyal fan base, and international appeal. That puts KQ in a better position to attract investment.

This renewal is more than just paperwork. It reflects trust, not just between ATEEZ and KQ, but also between the group and their fans. In a time when many groups don’t survive past seven years, ATEEZ has done something rare. They’ve chosen to keep going, together.

📌 Bookmark