Music Rewind 2023: ATEEZ Continue To Conquer THE WORLD

We think it’s fair to say that 2023 has been ATEEZ’s biggest year yet! The 4th Gen Performance Kings have basically not come up for air all year with how much they’ve worked. From ‘BOUNCY’ going viral to their never-ending tours, ATEEZ have kept ATINY busy! In the latest of our Music Rewind series, we’re recapping ATEEZ’s highlights from their fifth year together.

‘HALAZIA’ Won’t Stop For Anyone

We’re cheating with the first item on the list, as technically, ‘HALAZIA’ came out in 2022. But barely! And its success in 2023? Well, that was a surprise to even ATEEZ.

Our ATEEZ began the year promoting the single album SPIN OFF: FROM THE WITNESS with the title track ‘HALAZIA’ and, despite not even being a full comeback, the song just skyrocketed. It quickly became one of our fave ATEEZ eras ever, and ‘HALAZIA’ even won first place on Music Bank, which was just the start of a big year of wins for ATEEZ.

FELLOWSHIP: BREAK THE WALL, An Actual World Tour

In news that will surprise absolutely no one, ATEEZ spent pretty much all of 2023 on tour. THE FELLOWSHIP: BREAK THE WALL tour saw them sail the high seas around the globe! Because when ATEEZ say, “World tour,” they mean world tour.

BREAK THE WALL had so many milestone moments, including ATEEZ’s first time touring Latin America. They were also the first 4th gen group to headline London’s iconic O2, which Wooyoung said was one of his proudest achievements. THP attended that show, and when we tell you that screaming “BREAK THE WALL” during ‘Guerrilla’ is a euphoric experience, we mean it.

ATEEZ Are ‘Limitless’

In March, ATEEZ had their first comeback of 2023, with Japanese single ‘Limitless,’ which basically felt like a declaration of ATEEZ’s collective mindset right now. Their Japanese releases are always super solid, and ATINY losing their minds over this music video was one of the funniest days on Twitter this year, TBH.

Hongjoong And Yunho On IDOL RADIO, Yeosang On The Show

It’s a running joke between ATEEZ and ATINY that the general public sometimes assumes ATEEZ are these super-intimidating, harsh beasts. When you see how intensely they perform, we get it, but it’s very easy to prove that theory wrong! Watch any content of ATEEZ hanging out or interacting with others, and you’ll quickly see a very different side to them.

And probably the easiest way for the general public to get these glimpses? Tune into IDOL RADIO or THE SHOW! Hongjoong and Yunho have been DJs on IDOL RADIO for a while now, though they just sadly announced they’ll be finishing soon! Our hearts were broken as we loved the show. The pair of them are such gracious and enthusiastic hosts, and their interactions with other idols are so wholesome. Our favorite episodes are the ones where ATEEZ appear as guests on the show, but we’re self-aware enough to admit that we’re biased.

If TV music shows are more your thing, Yeosang has been Head MC on SBS’ THE SHOW for ages now! As one of the more reserved members of ATEEZ, we love seeing him in this new light.

‘BOUNCY’ And THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW

What would the world of K-Pop have been in 2023 without ‘BOUNCY?’ We’re so glad we never have to find out.

Over the summer, ATEEZ released THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW, and basically turned the industry upside down for a hot minute. Whilst the whole mini-album is a rich tapestry of ATEEZ’s lore, it was the title track ‘BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS’ that really took the world by storm. Not only is the song fantastic in its own right, but the choreography took it up so many levels on the Scoville scale (get it?). The routine is beloved by fans and idols alike and was easily one of the most popular challenges in 2023. Even if you’re not ATINY, you love “Cheongyanggochu vibe.”

The album hit number two on the Billboard 200, a step up from its predecessor, which hit three. They jumped from bronze to silver, but will they ever hit gold? (Spoiler alert: yes). ‘BOUNCY’ also earned them five music show wins, which is their second-best record (so far).

Hongjoong, The Balmain Prince

As if taking over the music industry wasn’t enough, ATEEZ decided to take over the fashion world, too. All of the members have great style, but leader Hongjoong has taken his to another level. Balmain’s Creative Director, Olivier Rousteing, has essentially adopted Hongjoong into the brand, and with attendances at Paris Fashion Week, he’s now known as The Balmain Prince. We love this style evolution for him, and we hope we get to see more of the members explore this world in 2024!

5 Years Of Finding Treasure

As a group that debuted from such a small company and fought their way to the top, we feel genuinely honored to witness ATEEZ celebrate their fifth anniversary. And rightly so, their fifth year has come with plenty of achievements. Apart from the record-breaking tour and Billboard success, the group also got their first daesang nomination. Here’s to manifesting more where that came from!

‘Crazy Form’ And THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL

ATEEZ have given us so many incredible tracks over the years that it’s hard to believe that THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL is only their second full album. But, as we’d expect, ATEEZ had a grand finale to their 2023, with THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL and title track ‘Crazy Form,’ which premiered on the MAMA Awards stage.

‘Crazy Form’ builds on what was created with ‘BOUNCY,’ and it’s a track that only ATEEZ could pull off. THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL is a stunning body of work, with unit songs that are true gems. So, it only made sense that after OUTLAW reached number two on the Billboard 200, WILL hit the number one spot! As we wrap up 2023, we’re still in the midst of ‘Crazy Form’ promo, but so far, it has earned ATEEZ three music show wins!

2024 And TOWARDS THE LIGHT: WILL TO POWER

It’s official: ATEEZ are allergic to not being on tour. Despite debuting five years ago and many of those years being impacted by the pandemic, they’re already about to embark on their fourth world tour. ATEEZ have been crowned the performance kings for a reason! We can’t wait to see what this new tour brings us, from the set to the outfits to the choreography for THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL songs!

And speaking of THE WORLD series, now that it’s over, what does that mean for ATEEZ’s next comeback? They have some of the most intricate (read: confusing) lore in K-Pop, so we’ll be honest and say we have no idea where it’s headed next. But what we do know is that we can’t wait!

So, what’s your favorite song that ATEEZ released in 2023? What are you looking forward to in 2024? Let us know by tweeting us at @TheHoneyPOP, or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.

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