Hello, and welcome back to my blog… that I have not managed since September.

I did not even realise it had been that long until I posted my International Women’s Day post. I had to get myself right mentally first before I posted anything though. I did that little by little, step by step. Am I at 100%? No. But I am getting there.

Anyhow, I am now an Atiny. I am rocking with Ateez hard. My journey with them has been well documented on this blog. It started with Fireworks and then Déjà vu locked me in. I think my first post of them on here was Déjà vu.

I was intimidated by the lore and all that, as I hate lore, so I was merely a casual fan before. However, somehow I found myself liking the lore. Perhaps, because they actually provide the lore in story format in the diary versions of their albums from the Zero: Fever series onwards. I appreciate that. And for the first time, I am collecting a group’s albums.

So, as I do when I decide to like a group, I listened to their entire discography. Then I looked up the lyrics of all their songs. I finished doing that last year in 2023, looking up the lyrics I mean. I finished listening to their entire discography in 2022 before I went to their concert in Feb 2023.

Their concert was amazing, I’ve talked about that on here, I had so much fun! It was just Bellissima. I can’t believe it’s been a year since then.

So, yeah I’m in deep. Ateez are like a baby Monsta X in that I love that they are honest, work hard and are kind to others. It is hard to tell who is genuinely nice in kpop because you think you know and then bam a scandal happens. However, a good way to tell is how staff talks about them, managers, stylists etc. It’s kind of like how I measure how nice a person is by how they treat waitresses/waiters.

So yeah, they seem nice, humble and honest and I love that.

Back to the music, I want to talk about their discography since I put in all that effort. Let’s start with the Zero: Fever series as according to Hongjoong on Sunmi’s Showterview the order of the story is Zero: Fever series, Treasure series and then The World series.

Part 1

They start with an absolute banger! (Actually they start with Dear Diary: 2016.07.29 but the first actual song is a banger). This song has grown on me so much. You know when you listen to a song and you like it an average amount and then one day it’s stuck in your head and you can’t live without listening to it a thousand times? Yes, that is Thanxx for me.

In the song they are sending a message to boomers. They’re saying don’t worry, we’re ok. They will go their own way and they will make their own path. This is for the boomers who give them unsolicited advice. The thanxx is sarcastic.

The music video is fun, minimal angst and then their flying ship shows up. It’s a vibe. I love them being cheeky.

Next is Fever, it is on theme, for the album. They have that burning passion getting them through the hard times. The song is ok, but it wasn’t one of my favs. I like it an average amount.

To the Beat, this one is made to make us move. To follow the beat. This is one of the songs where it does exactly what it says on the tin. I also love the self-made music video they did for this.

My first favourite on this album, Inception! I love this song so much! I loved it even before I looked up the lyrics, on first listen. It’s probably why I didn’t discover my love for Thanxx immediately because I was stuck on Inception, as it is also a title track.

They have been separated and are looking for the one they were separated from, the subject of the song, they are looking for them in their dream. The undertone of this song is romantic. At least, I felt it was.

The song feels dream like in the lyrics and in the music video. It’s trippy and whilst Thanxx had no angst, Inception has all the angst. You can really feel their emotion when they’re singing, especially the chorus! San really goes off in this one.

In the end Hongjoong ends up making a breakthrough, or so we think, and he ends up in a cave like room with no one else there.

Inception has one of my favourite Wooyoung looks. His hair, his styling, and his centre part in the dance. He popped off.

Good lil Boy, keep going. They are encouraging said boy to carry on, but also they could be talking to themselves. They could be encouraging themselves to keep going despite how cruel and discouraging the world is.

One day at a time,  this song is in English and is another that does what it says on the tin. It is a nice, encouraging, and healing song telling you to take it one day at a time when going through struggles. It is one of my favourites out of their slower songs.

Part 2

In part two they are angrier. They have been through some shit, so they start with a bang! Fireworks! (I’m the One)

Fireworks, the MV that started it all (for me). I saw the Studio Choom thumbnail (don’t judge me!) and I was curious. I resisted but people were hype about the song so I watched anyway because I love dance. Hence why I’m subscribed to Studio Choom. Ooh, what a song. It’s not just the visuals of the members but the song itself that I love. It never fails to make me hype.

Side bar: it tickles me that San’s grand reveal is how they learned the English word for abs. Because Itinys were going crazy in the comments.

Hot take but one of Yeosang’s best looks. The hair, the make-up, the outfits he had on! All of that combined had him looking good! Amazing! It was also the dawning of his muscle fairy age… he was popping. I truly believe this is when he finally was able to step into his Doberman image and show a new side of himself as he had been wanting to.

The lyrics are similar to The Leaders in theme, but they’re talking about how they have that fire within them to the point they are like fireworks.

They’re in a ruined city and are preparing for battle. It’s dusty and has a yellow tinge to it and in the background you can see the broken buildings. They’re in Z land?

Following Fireworks is another banger! The Leaders!

Are you even listening to the song if you don’t: “몸엔 black suit and tie!”

That was so hot of Wooyoung.

Side bar: Sometimes, I worry that kpop artists that I talk about will read my blog posts but then I remember I have a small blog and I’m on the English part of the web. I won’t show up in their searches. *phew*

Anyhow, The Leaders!

They are the new leaders or they are stepping up to the plate. They are calling out haters. They are saying they, the haters, are immature like middle schoolers.

Again, I see it as a message to boomers but also probably to those who have doubted them or been rude to them as Ateez has been open about people being rude. They come from a small company so it doesn’t surprise me that they’ve had to deal with that.

The song highlights how they will be leading in their own way.

Honestly, it’s a banger. Every time I see them in concert I want to hear Wooyoung whisper into the mic so I can go off. Never take it off the set list!

The next song is, Time for love, we need to love each other more and to not be stingy with our love. Thus, let us love each other is the message of the song.

I like the song an average amount. What I mean by that is I wouldn’t skip the song if it came on, it’s nice, but I wouldn’t seek it out on a random Tuesday.

They filmed the MV the same time they filmed a Salary Lupin episode! I know it’s a simple MV and it’s on the set of Salary Lupin but damn! Mnet really had them working. They had Salary Lupin (I just finished watching that), Kingdom (I still refuse to watch that even though I now like three groups from that line up) and their comeback… *disapproving noises* my beef with Mnet continues to grow.

Then there is my favourite of this album. I know I made it seem like The Leaders is my favourite but no, it’s Take me home. Everyone who has gotten to see this song live, I envy you.

They are alone in a dark city like place and they feel lonely. Their companion, the subject of the song, is looking at them with a cold gaze. They reminisce of the dream like place they were once in, Inception, and how the companion’s gaze was warm and they were holding hands. They want to go back there. Thus, they’re asking to be taken back home.

It should be noted that they don’t really use gender identifiers when talking about the subject of the song. Apparently, Mingi mentioned this being deliberate but I haven’t found the source of that quote yet so take that with a grain of salt.

The saxophone ending though! You can’t go wrong with a bit of a saxophone.

The vocals. *sigh* it’s a tune.

Celebrate, a song made by Hongjoong, woop woop! It is a fan song, but also it is a song for them too. It’s a song telling you to celebrate yourself as there is only one you in this world. They say to not worry about the standards the world sets and that you’re good. It’s a beautiful song with a beautiful message, and I love the colours of the mv. It’s saturated to a degree that I crave.

Side bar: Did you know that this is where ‘shorty in the blue’ comes from? Someone was asking about Hongjoong on Twitter and that is how he was referred to.

The album ends with I’m The One – HEAT-TOPPING Version. I am so sorry. I do not like it. I’m rarely a fan of remixes and unfortunately this is not one of those instances. I just love the original so much more!

Part 3

Before The World Ep. 1 came out this was my favourite album of theirs. I have talked about this album on here. However, I didn’t understand the lore then so I want to talk about my thoughts in that vein.

Eternal Sunshine asks, what memory would you want to save? They, Ateez, want the memory that is happening. Mingi references Illusion and Wave (these come after in the story but they wrote the songs before Eternal Sunshine – the only con to the lore being made out of order). They shine and will shine forever. They want to hold on to a place where the sun never sets.

It reminds me of Illusion in that it is them in a happy place. An oasis. So, this is their first happy place seeing as this happens first in the timeline.

The MV has dream like qualities, snowing on a sunny day, the trippiness of the train, the colours and the random flying. It is also the first time that San and Wooyoung have a paired moment in an MV I think. I do think it’s interesting how they incorporate their friendship into the MVs and dances from here on out.

Side bar: You would think Déjà vu had my favourite Yeosang look but no, it was Eternal Sunshine. I just liked the fits and hair styling better. I know blasphemy given the crop tops of Déjà vu but I actually like the crop tops of Fireworks better. Where Déjà vu wins is the body chains.

I love this song musically. It gets me hype and it’s such a feel good song. They sang this at the event they came to in November 2023. It was so fun.

Next is Feeling Like I do – “In the moments when I feel you, I feel complete”.  They are reassured when the other person, the companion, is around. They want the person to stay so they can stay having the complete, whole, feeling. When they are together they don’t feel anxious.

Déjà vu  is my girl! She made me a fan! This album made me a fan actually. You can see the slow conversion in the post I made at the time.

“It’s like the shivers of my body, remember you” Girl! That’s spicy… And you know I love spice. What a bar!

In the song they are saying that they go insane for the subject as soon as their eyes meet, their desire and thirst for them reaches an all-time high. They’re not sure if the person is real or an illusion or a dream. This harkens to Inception.

They’re on the roof but also underground in the gutters… where my mind is. I’m kidding!

The dance move with Wooyoung and San harkens to Wooyoung’s move in Hala Hala but sexier.

Speaking of which we have Hala Hongjoong locked up! What’s going on here?!

It ends with Yeosang transported by himself and Cromer is broken! Then there is someone offering their hand to him. Why did he leave? Why did he travel? Did he open the gate to Z land?

Then we have my third favourite song and my first favourite if I don’t count the title tracks, Rocky! They always need a song where they are pumping themselves up and encouraging themselves to keep going. They’re saying that they’ll never give up and they will keep working hard. They are resilient like boxers. They’ll carry on even in the face of trials.

All about you – the second time they are specific about gender, the first time being in Good lil Boy. In this song they are referring to a girl and it is all about her. They don’t want anyone else in their space, only that one person. It is a space just for the two of them. No one knows how much they love each other.

Not too late – they feel alone and are asking if there is anyone out there that can hear their voice. They feel alone in the darkness, however they believe they will find the light. They’re saying it’s too late but at the same time it is not too late. Hongjoong’s verse though, you can chase your dreams and still feel that loneliness.

Epilogue

It starts with a fan favourite Turbulence. It is also Wooyoung’s favourite, he sings it from his soul. In the song they talk about how they don’t know what they should be. They are surrounded by darkness and feel like they are falling.

“As if the world only asks me to give up, only endless darkness”

“I’m already overwhelmed, to be myself barely”

“I hope to be myself”

They are on a flight, in the night and the turbulence is crazy, they don’t know if they’re going to make it out of the darkness but they hope they do and they hope for the morning when they can find themselves. Morning always follows the night and in the MV we see that they go from night to dawn.

Also, they talk about having clipped wings when in Dancing Like Butterfly Wings they have full-fledged wings. Thus, they gain their wings in Turbulence and are flying with them in Dancing Like Butterfly Wings. Wooyoung is the one who actually flies in the MV.

Be with You is a ballad where they say they will be with you. The song is about them comforting someone who is going through a hard time. They are encouraging them to lean on them and telling them they aren’t alone.

The letter is about someone who is always there for them in the good times and the bad times, they’re showing appreciation for that person and letting them know they too will be there for them, as a promise. They are telling this person in the form of a letter.

Still Here (Korean Version) – They are still there for the subject. They will not leave, so an assurance. They’re encouraging them to believe in their destiny. They see the light in the distance so they’re focusing on it. This was originally in Japanese along with the next song.

Better (Korean Version) – an encouraging song. It was made during Answer era.

Then we finish things off with The Real! A song born out of adversity. I’m glad I wasn’t an Atiny during Kingdom era. It was bad enough being a Stay to be honest. And I didn’t even watch the show. I just despise Mnet’s shows and their evil ways.

However, this gem came out of the show and it was the only bright spot (that and the friendships the groups made). The groups who participated really made lemonade out of lemons.

“We live our lives in flame, but we keep Humble and Kindness than anyone, I keep my beliefs.”

They show respect to others and expect the same in return. They are calling out those who are two faced, *ahem* Mnet *ahem*, being polite whilst not respecting them ‘frowning but you’re bowing’. The Real coolness is to be truly respectful, humble and kind to everyone.

I don’t fully get all the references made in the MV however they explained it well enough for me to get the gist. I love that they went with the school club concept. Yeosang is separate from them, the peace keeper and so is Mingi in that he is the new comer.

Yeosang’s role and the way he acts makes sense for his role later on in the story.

After there is Wave (Overture), Wonderland (Symphony No.9 “From The Wonderland”), Answer (Ode to Joy) (feat. La POEM) and Outro: Over the Horizon. Those, excluding the Outro, are from Kingdom. I remember the first time I heard the songs I was like, “wow the album took a classical turn” and I was confused but I liked it. Then when I watched their performances from Kingdom later on I was like ooh! And I was glad they included them in the album. I love how they made even their Kingdom performances fit their lore, they said you’re not wasting our time. We will make it fit!

So that’s all of the Zero: Fever series. From what I can gleam, they start out passionate as they are following their dreams. They declare their world view and their goals. However, disaster strikes and they get separated. The person they’re talking to in the songs could be a romantic partner, a platonic one or each other given the lore. I do like that their songs fit the lore but can also fit you whatever narrative you desire. If it feels romantic and reminds you of a romantic relationship you had then that works. If it feels platonic, then that also works. It’s flexible.

Anyway, they reminisce of the time when they were together and things were peachy. They start fighting the power as seen in Fireworks and The Leaders. It appears as if they were all jumping between universes together in Fireworks.

Then horror of horrors, Yeosang is separated from them. A tragedy! Where and how did this happen?! Not Yeosang! And that is where it ends.

I have yet to read all the diary versions because I do not have all the diary versions. Once I do I will read them in order. So this is just me speculating from what I have read, the lyrics and the MVs.

Phew! This was long. If you read the whole thing, thanks! *Wooyoung wink*