Ateez : The Pirates of K-Pop
Ateez is an eight member k-pop group under KQ Entertainment. They debuted on October 24, 2018. And their first mini album was called Treasure Ep.1: All to Zero.
You might be thinking what do I mean by “the pirates of k-pop?” Well Ateez’s whole group concept is that they are pirates! Even when they debuted they came out with two tracks called Pirate King and Treasure. The leader of Ateez is Hongjoong but he is not referred to as the leader, he is actually called the Captain by his members and fans of Ateez.
If you are a fan of Ateez, then you are called an ATINY. This is actually a combination of the words Ateez and Destiny. I am absolutely a huge fan of them!
I was trying to think of when I first discovered them and from what I can remember is I first found them back in 2019. Unfortunately I can not remember what song made me want to learn more about them though.
I have actually seen them live twice now! Both times I saw them live I went with my sister and I had an amazing time. They always put all their energy and passion into every single second of every performance and make you leave loving them even more, in my opinion!
Before I saw Ateez live my bias (meaning your favorite member of the group) was Hongjoong but after seeing them for the first time, I gained another bias and that is Jongho!
The members of Ateez are Hongjoong, who is again the Captain of Ateez and ATINY. Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and finally Jongho, who is the maknae (meaning he is the youngest in the group).
Also their group intro, meaning the thing that they say when introducing themselves for things such as awards or other artists is, “Eight Makes One Team.” I absolutely love this because it is to me basically saying that they are one, they need all of their members and they all are important to the team.
I would love to introduce you to some of my favorite Ateez songs and some songs and music videos that I think every new or older fan of should know!
I will first start with their song Pirate King because I think that any fan should learn definitely know this song and see where they started! This is in my opinion a very strong and powerful song that did a great job showing each member and their abilities a group!
Another song that I feel every ATINY should know is called Halazia. I love this song and the music video as well! I would highly recommend watching the music video! It is incredible! I think this song so impactful and tells an amazing story!
To me this song is telling the story of going against the norm. It is about rebelling from an oppressive society. It is telling the story of wanting to be free. Lyrics include “color this infinitely cold world… be the light, oh Halazia”
Other lyrics that stood out to me are, “What have we been so silent for? Who are we in the darkness for? If one wish could be realized, would you grant me the light?… I want to feel” They then continue with an almost chant saying, “No more, keep control… no more, keep your soul” twice and then say “Clear the darkness, oh Halazia.”
I think this song will always be one of my favorites. I love the message behind the song and the music video. I love the choreo and the outfits as well! I think they did an amazing job with this comeback!
Another song that I want to recommend is called BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS), released on June 16, 2023. This is a very upbeat, fun and danceable song in my opinion. It is very catchy and the music video is a lot of fun too!
I would highly recommend watching it. I absolutely love the choreo in this song as well. And this is an amazing song to see live!
Guerrilla is a song that came out on July 29, 2022. This is a very impactful and strong song. It tells the story of breaking out of an oppressive society as well. In the video Ateez are essentially leading the revolution by using music and dance to do so.
The lyrics say, “Can’t bear it, no more lies… it’s the time… make a move… Dance, break that wall.. this is how we shout… Loudly, keep it loud… until everyone opens their eyes… this is how fight, now we’re gonna ride… wake up the world.”
This song is also amazing to see live because toward the end of the song everyone in the crowd yells “Break the Wall” at the top of their lungs together. It is insanely loud and incredible to experience. This is also probably the loudest concert I have ever been to!
By the end of the music video, we can see that a student from Prestige Academy (the school in the music video) appears to be breaking free or escaping. This shows that they are not alone in wanting to make a change in this world and break free. It makes me think that the revolution has truly begun!
Crazy Form came out on December 1, 2023. This is a very fun song and the music video is so fun to watch! I think it shows a new and different side of Ateez but you can definitely tell that it’s still an Ateez song.
I also think it not only does a great job of showing off each member individually but also the groups dancing, vocals, and rapping ability as well!
Ateez are a really special group and you absolutely won’t regret listening to them or getting to know them. I am so glad that I found them!
They are from a smaller company but have achieved a lot in the time they have been together. I think they always tell amazing stories with their songs and videos and look forward to their future!
What is your favorite Ateez song? And who is your Ateez bias?