Ateez’s San Thanks Fans As ‘bad’ Changes His Daily Life

Ahead of “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6,” San reflects on growing recognition and the responsibility that comes with receiving more love.

ATEEZ’s San says the attention surrounding “BAD” has changed something he can feel in everyday encounters: people recognize the group before he has to explain its success overseas. Speaking ahead of the release of “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6,” the singer expressed gratitude for the support while making clear that the growing attention brings a stronger sense of responsibility.

According to Sports Kyunghyang’s report on the group’s comeback press conference, San described his recent experience as dreamlike, reflecting on the response to the performance clips and dance challenge associated with “BAD.” His comments placed the excitement of being recognized alongside a determination to prepare music worthy of that interest.

ATEEZ poses in coordinated black outfits in a concept photograph for “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6.” / KQ Entertainment

From Explaining Overseas Success to Being Recognized

San’s most revealing comparison concerned the way ATEEZ is introduced on entertainment programs and other content. According to Sports Kyunghyang, he said the group previously needed to explain how well it had done internationally, whereas people now recognize and welcome them more immediately.

That is a personal account of changing recognition, giving a more specific picture than a general statement that a song has become popular. For San, the difference lies in what no longer needs to be explained when the group enters a room or appears in a new setting.

He expressed particular appreciation for the love they have received, describing the recent period as feeling like a dream. The remarks convey his own experience of the attention, without requiring the response to be reduced to a particular view count, ranking or sales figure.

The Performance Moment Behind the Conversation

Sports Kyunghyang linked the renewed attention to clips of San’s chest-focused choreography during “BAD,” the title track from the group’s previous mini album, “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5.” The performance moment circulated through social media and became a focus of the song’s dance challenge, according to the report.

The distinction between discovering a clip and recognizing an artist is useful here. A memorable movement can provide an immediate introduction even to someone who does not know a group’s discography, while San’s remarks suggest that the resulting familiarity has become visible to him beyond the original performance.

Our interpretation is that this makes his account more interesting than a simple celebration of virality. He is describing a change in the starting point of a conversation: instead of first establishing who ATEEZ is, he feels that recognition is already there. That does not measure the whole audience, but it explains why the response has felt significant to him.

ATEEZ appears in black hats and dark styling in an alternate concept photograph for “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6.” / KQ Entertainment

Gratitude Comes With a Higher Standard

San also emphasized that receiving more love means becoming an artist who can live up to it. According to Sports Kyunghyang, he said the group had poured its energy into preparing the new album, connecting appreciation for the response to the work that follows.

That emphasis keeps the focus on ATEEZ’s next release rather than treating “BAD” as a finished achievement to revisit indefinitely. His comments suggest that the most meaningful answer to the attention is the preparation behind the new music, not simply the ability to repeat the same widely shared moment.

His visibility has also extended into other settings, including the fashion editorial covered in our “Northern Duke” feature and the Milan Fashion Week appearances we reported on with Yunho. Those projects provide further contexts in which audiences encounter San, alongside the performance work that prompted his latest remarks.

What Comes Next With ‘GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6’

SBS Entertainment News confirms that ATEEZ’s 15th mini album, “GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6,” is scheduled for November 13 at 2 p.m. KST, with “UP” as its title track. The broadcaster’s preview describes the song as combining strong brass and bass, with an emphasis on pushing beyond limits.

For San, the new release arrives with the excitement of feeling more widely recognized and the pressure of responding well to that support. His account of the “BAD” period gives the comeback a human point of reference: the pleasure of being known, followed by the responsibility to give listeners a reason to keep paying attention.

Editor’s Note: San’s remarks are paraphrased from Sports Kyunghyang’s supplied report. His comments describe his personal experience of recognition rather than a quantified measure of public awareness.