Brown Eyed Girls are returning from a four-year hiatus with their first release since 2015, their agency Mystic Entertainment said Tuesday.

The label confirmed earlier reports that the four-piece act is currently preparing an album that will be revealed in the first half of the year. The members had briefly mentioned a possible comeback on TV.

The band had never said it broke up, but speculation had brewed, as a four-year break is considered long in the K-pop scene and each member had been immersed in individual activities.

Consisting of JeA, Miryo, Narsha, and Gain, the group debuted as a rhythm-and-blues and ballad group in 2006, but it has expanded its spectrum to encompass other genres.

It became a household name in the Korean music industry with “Abracadabra” in 2006, one of the biggest hits of the year.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)