SHINee’s Minho is returning with his second solo EP, Make It Hot, on September 7. SM Entertainment confirmed that the new project will feature six songs, including a title track, giving fans a new chapter in Minho’s solo catalog less than a year after his last release.
The announcement lands during a particularly active period for SHINee, following the group’s 18th-anniversary promotions in June. Preorders for the Minho Make It Hot EP are already open, but key details, including the tracklist and visual concept, have yet to be revealed.
Minho’s Make It Hot release date is September 7
SM Entertainment announced on August 18 that Minho’s second solo EP, Make It Hot, is scheduled to arrive on September 7 at 6 p.m. The release will contain six tracks, one of which will serve as the title track.
For fans searching for Minho’s new album details, the release date, time, and track count are the central confirmed points so far. The agency has not announced the name of the title track, so it remains unclear whether “Make It Hot” is also the name of the lead single.
The project is being positioned as Minho’s second EP, following his 2022 solo debut EP Chase. It also marks his first solo release in approximately nine months, after the December 2025 single Tempo.
That release sequence matters because Minho’s solo discography has continued to expand across different formats. Make It Hot follows not only a standalone single, but also his first full-length solo album, Call Back, which was released in 2024.
Minho Make It Hot preorders are now open
Preorders for Make It Hot began on August 18 through online and offline music retailers. The announcement gives Shawols an early purchase option ahead of the September 7 release, though the available source material does not identify specific stores or regional retailers.
That means U.S. fans should be careful to check official retailer listings as they appear. No U.S.-specific preorder availability, physical album versions, inclusions, or shipping details have been confirmed in the announcement.
There is also no announced tracklist, producer lineup, featured artist list, genre description, teaser calendar, music video schedule, or concept-photo rollout. With only six songs confirmed, the next official updates will likely shape expectations around the project’s sound and visual direction.
For now, the cleanest takeaway is simple: Minho has a new six-track EP on the way, and preorders opened on the same day SM Entertainment revealed the September release plan.
How Make It Hot fits Minho’s solo timeline
Minho debuted with SHINee in 2008, then officially began his solo EP era with Chase in December 2022. At the time, the release made him the fifth and final SHINee member to officially debut as a soloist, placing a long-awaited individual spotlight on one of the group’s most recognizable performers.
Chase offered a six-song introduction to Minho as a solo artist. Its title track leaned into R&B influences, while the EP also included collaborations with rapper GEMINI on Runaway and singer Lim Kim on Waterfall. Those details show that Minho’s first EP was built as a distinct project rather than simply an extension of his group work.
After Chase, Minho moved into a larger format with the 2024 full-length album Call Back. He then released Tempo in December 2025, making the upcoming EP his first solo project since that single.
The distinction between EP and full album is especially useful for fans tracking his releases. Make It Hot is his second EP, not his second solo project overall. It arrives after a debut EP, a full album, and a later single, showing a steady solo run alongside his ongoing SHINee activities.
- December 2022: Minho releases debut solo EP Chase.
- 2024: He releases first full-length solo album Call Back.
- December 2025: He releases solo single Tempo.
- September 7, 2026: His second solo EP Make It Hot is scheduled to arrive.
SHINee’s 18th-anniversary era adds momentum
Make It Hot is arriving soon after a major group chapter for SHINee. In June, the group released its sixth EP, Atmos, and held the Seoul concert SHINee World VII: [The Invert].
The five-date Seoul concert marked the 18th anniversary of SHINee’s debut, connecting Minho’s upcoming individual release to a wider year of activity for the group. Rather than appearing in a quiet gap, the EP follows a period in which SHINee had already returned to the stage and added new music to its group discography.
For longtime fans, that context gives the September release added weight. Minho’s solo work is arriving while SHINee’s anniversary era is still recent, offering another chance to see how his individual musical identity develops after years of balancing group releases and personal projects.
What fans should watch before September 7
The next official update to watch is the tracklist. Since SM Entertainment has only confirmed six songs and a title track, fans are still waiting to learn the song names, songwriting and production credits, and whether Minho will have any collaborators on the EP.
Visual material is another major open question. No concept photos, album cover, music video plans, or promotional schedule were included in the initial announcement. Those details could clarify the mood of the Make It Hot era well before release day.
Fans should also keep an eye on official retailer notices for album versions and availability outside Korea. Until those details are released, the confirmed schedule remains focused on the September 7, 6 p.m. launch and the preorders that began August 18 through online and offline music retailers.