Lemon Drop (song)

"Lemon Drop"
Remixes cover
Single by Ateez
from the EP Golden Hour: Part.3
Released	June 13, 2025
Genre	R&B hip-hop
Length	2:59
Label	KQ RCA Legacy
Composer(s)	Eden Blssd Maddox Peperoni Oliv Ollounder
Lyricist(s)	Eden Blssd Maddox Peperoni Oliv Ollounder Hongjoong Mingi
Ateez singles chronology
"Ice on My Teeth" (2024) "Lemon Drop" (2025) "In Your Fantasy" (2025)
Music video
"Lemon Drop" on YouTube

"Lemon Drop" is a song by South Korean boy band Ateez. It was released on June 13, 2025 as the lead single from their twelfth EP Golden Hour: Part.3 , which was released on the same day. It is their first song to enter the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 69.

Background

At a news conference in Mapo District, Seoul on June 12, 2025, Yunho stated "We already had a summer song, 'Wave'. But with 'Lemon Drop,' we wanted to show a bit more mature side of us, different from what we have tried". Hongjoong has said that the song would "color the hot summer days with Ateez style". ^[1] In an interview with Forbes , Hongjoong said that "Ateez always enjoys switching things up and trying new styles, and 'Lemon Drop' felt like the right way to bring our own Ateez-style freshness into the season" and "We also hope it brings a bit of mood-lifting energy to anyone who listens to it." ^[2] Ateez has compared the musical style and atmosphere of "Lemon Drop" to the cocktail of the same name; ^{[2] [3]} Wooyoung deemed it "sweet but with a little kick" and also told Clash , "I remember having so much fun during recording, especially the part where I say 'Cheers to this night, raise your glass.' That line really captures the fun energy of the song." ^[3]

Ateez released remixes of the song on June 16, 2025. ^[2]

Composition

The song blends R&B and hip-hop. ^{[1] [2] [4]} Lyrically, the song is about the thrill of instantly falling in love, as Ateez members detail their attraction to the subject. ^[4]

Critical reception

Marty of The Honey Pop called "Lemon Drop" the "song of the summer", further remarking that "Ateez invited us to this private summer party, and we're accepting the invitation. But seriously, the amount of sexy that the guys poured into ‘Lemon Drop’ while keeping a fresh vibe is insane. The song teleports us to those hot summer nights where we feel free from the hardships of our daily lives, where we forget our worries and simply exist to enjoy the moment. Yes, all we need to do is press play, and suddenly everything feels better." ^[5]

Music video

The music video premiered alongside the single. It opens with spinning fans, washing machines with in operation with clothes tumbling in side, and lemon slices floating in water on the screen of an old-school TV. The visual then focuses on the expressions of Ateez members, before showing "dripping wet clothes, scattered water droplets, and a steamy bathroom floor". The members are seen washing cars, dancing, cruising around and going to the pool. ^[4]

Track listing

• CD – single

1. "Lemon Drop" – 2:59

• CD – Toppings drift version

1. "Lemon Drop" (Toppings drift version) – 3:05

• CD – speed up version

1. "Lemon Drop" (speed up version) – 2:36

• CD – speed down version

1. "Lemon Drop" (speed down version) – 3:27

• Digital download and streaming – remixes

1. "Lemon Drop" (Toppings drift version) – 3:05
2. "Lemon Drop" (speed up version) – 2:36
3. "Lemon Drop" (speed down version) – 3:27

Charts

Chart performance for "Lemon Drop"

Chart (2025)	Peak position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [6]	22
Singapore Regional (RIAS) [7]	15
South Korea BGM (Circle) [8]	7
South Korea Download (Circle) [9]	7
UK Singles Sales (OCC) [10]	66
US Billboard Hot 100 [11]	69
US World Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [12]	1

Release history

"Lemon Drop" release history

Region	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
United States	June 13, 2025	CD single	Original	KQ	[13]
			Toppings drift version		[14]
			Speed up version		[15]
			Speed down version		[16]
Various	June 16, 2025	Digital download streaming	Remixes		[17]

References

1. Shin, Ha-Nee (June 13, 2025). "Boy band Ateez to drop 'Lemon Drop,' a summer song that may catch you off guard". Korea JoongAng Daily . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
2. Benjamin, Jeff (June 25, 2025). "ATEEZ Dive Into Deeper Themes Of Summery 'Golden Hour : Part.3' Album". Forbes . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
3. Wandermurem, Isadora (June 25, 2025). ""The Most Honest And Expressive Part" ATEEZ On 'Golden Hour : Part.3'". Clash . Retrieved 28 June 2025.
4. Dutta, Debashree (June 17, 2025). "Ateez Serves Up Sizzling Summer Vibes with 'Lemon Drop'". Rolling Stone India . Retrieved 27 June 2025.
5. "Attention! We're In The ATEEZ 'Lemon Drop' Era! Beware, It's Quite Hot In Here". The Honey Pop. June 18, 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
6. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 20, 2025. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
7. "The Official Singapore Charts Week 25 (13 - 19 Jun 2025)". RIAS. Archived from the original on June 24, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
8. "BGM Chart – 2025 Week 24". Circle Chart . Retrieved July 4, 2025.
9. "Download Chart – 2025 Week 24". Circle Chart . Retrieved June 28, 2025.
10. "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company . Retrieved July 3, 2025.
11. "Ateez Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
12. "Ateez Chart History: World Digital Song Sales". Billboard . Retrieved June 27, 2025.
13. "Lemon Drop Single CD - HONGJOONG". Hello82. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
14. "Lemon Drop (TOPPINGS Drift Ver.) Single CD - SEONGHWA". Hello82. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
15. "Lemon Drop (Speed Up Ver.) Single CD - YUNHO". Hello82. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
16. "Lemon Drop (Speed Down Ver.) Single CD - YEOSANG". Hello82. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
17. "Lemon Drop (Remix) – Single by ATEEZ". Spotify. June 16, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.