TAEMIN released a one-minute video titled “This is” through his official YouTube channel at midnight KST on July 23, 2026. The teaser was official from the first upload, but at the time it dropped it did not name or date the release it was pointing to. That gap has since closed: follow-up reporting confirms the project is PHASE 1 “Soft Violence,” arriving August 31, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST.

What the July 23 teaser confirmed on its own

The video opens with projector-countdown imagery and keeps TAEMIN partly concealed beneath a cinema screen. It ends without displaying an album name, song title, release date or preorder link.

That distinction still matters for how to read the video itself: “This is” is the title of the teaser video, not a confirmed album or single title on its own. The upload is 60 seconds long and appears on TAEMIN’s verified official channel, and the complete video is embedded above so there is no need to rely on a cropped repost.

The follow-up: PHASE 1 “Soft Violence,” August 31

Subsequent reporting fills in what the teaser itself withheld. The comeback carries the name PHASE 1 “Soft Violence,” and it is scheduled to release on August 31, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST. TAEMIN had previously signaled a return sometime in 2026, and the “This is” teaser turned out to be the opening beat of that promotion cycle rather than a stand-alone one-off video.

The “PHASE 1” label is worth reading carefully. Numbering a release as a phase, rather than simply naming an album, usually signals that an agency is planning a staged rollout — more than one release tied to a single overarching concept, released in sequence rather than all at once. That reading is a reasonable inference from the naming convention, not a confirmed multi-part schedule; no official notice cited here states how many phases are planned, what separates “Soft Violence” from a later phase, or whether later phases will use the same title framework.

What is confirmed versus what still is not

Confirmed as of this update:

  • teaser title: “This is,” uploaded July 23 at midnight KST
  • comeback name: PHASE 1 “Soft Violence”
  • release date and time: August 31, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST

Still not confirmed in the sources checked here:

  • a full track list or the title track’s name
  • whether the release is a single, EP or full album
  • a preorder schedule, physical formats or music-show promotion dates
  • whether, or when, a “PHASE 2” might follow

Why the staged reveal is normal, not a red flag

Solo K-pop comebacks are frequently teased in layers: a wordless countdown video, then a formal title and date, then concept photos, then a track list, and finally a highlight medley days before release. Treat each stage as adding information rather than replacing what came before — the July 23 teaser is not made inaccurate by the August 31 date; it was simply the first of several planned reveals. The risk for readers is filling early gaps with fan speculation before the agency does. A countdown graphic circulating on social media is not the same thing as an artist or label notice, even if it turns out to guess correctly.

Where to check the next update

TAEMIN’s official YouTube channel remains the direct source for teaser videos, and his official website lists the artist’s managed social accounts, which are the safest places to watch for concept photos, a track list or a preorder notice as August 31 approaches. Soompi and other outlets that cite an official announcement are useful secondary confirmation, but the safest sequence is still artist or agency channel first, press coverage second.

For now, the accurate summary is: TAEMIN’s PHASE 1 “Soft Violence” is confirmed for August 31, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST, but the track list, format and promotion calendar remain unannounced. This article will be updated as those details are published.

Quick questions

Is “This is” the title of the new song or album? No. It is the title of the July 23 teaser video only. The comeback itself is named PHASE 1 “Soft Violence.”

When does the new release come out? August 31, 2026 at 6 p.m. KST, according to follow-up reporting after the teaser.

Does “PHASE 1” mean more releases are coming? It suggests a staged rollout is likely, but no official source cited here states a specific number of phases or a second release date.