Wendy: Gleam Hour Countdown

Red Velvet member Wendy officially announced her fourth solo project, titled Gleam Hour, through a promotional schedule published at midnight KST on November 9. This release marks her first new project in roughly fourteen months, following Cerulean Verge, which arrived in September 2025. Her solo comeback planning was initially reported by industry sources in October before the schedule was unveiled.

The upcoming record represents a key transition in the singer's career as her first solo effort under her new agency, ASND, following her departure from SM Entertainment. Distribution across global and domestic music platforms is handled by Kakao Entertainment. The rollout continues her solo career alongside her ongoing activities with Red Velvet.

The tracklist for Gleam Hour features six songs, led by the main title track Before Sunrise. The remaining lineup consists of Special Dust, Timeline, WORST, Shadows, and Golden Hour. The sequence provides a distinct narrative progression across the entire recording.

Wendy took on an expanded creative role across the project, writing the lyrics for all six songs. In addition to her lyricism, she is credited as a co-composer for three specific tracks, including the lead single Before Sunrise, as well as Special Dust and Golden Hour. This personal involvement reflects a hands-on approach compared to relying solely on outside writers.

The central theme of Gleam Hour focuses on personal reflection and identity. The overall concept is built around the idea that past moments retain their own inner light and continue to shape who a person becomes in the present. This artistic vision imparts a contemplative atmosphere to the collection.

Behind the scenes, the production features contributions from a wide team of writers, composers, and arrangers. Creative collaborators include writers such as Aejin Kwon, Bae Hae, and the songwriting group 3! from lalala studio. Additional composition and arrangement work was provided by musicians including Benjamin Sahba, BICKSANCHO, and Clovd.

Physical editions for the project were opened for pre-order following the official comeback schedule announcement. Buyers can select from options including a Regular edition and a Limited edition. Retailers also offered a specialized Diary Version, which experienced strong interest during the initial pre-order period.

To give listeners an early preview, an official pre-release listening session is scheduled for November 22. This event allows attendees to hear the title track Before Sunrise and the remaining five tracks prior to the wide digital launch. It serves as the primary preview event for the album rollout.

Gleam Hour follows the commercial performance of Wendy's previous release, Cerulean Verge. That September 2025 project achieved strong international success, topping the iTunes Top Albums chart in 16 regions worldwide. That record established solid momentum for her ongoing solo catalog.

As her debut release under ASND, observers are interested in how her solo direction evolves under new management. Listener feedback during the advance preview session and overall platform performance will highlight how her personal songwriting resonates with audiences.