Towards The Light: Will To Power

Energy was sizzling in the air as I walked through the seat portal and into the sea of fans, anxiously awaiting the arrival of ATEEZ. I was anxious myself, as I had been studying up on their names (when I decide to stan a group, I get flashcards; it’s my system) and songs the past few days, my friends quizzing me on the train and recommending songs for me to listen to. I found my seat, made quick friends with my neighbor (nothing bonds two strangers like a K-pop concert), and took my pre-concert photos. I couldn’t believe I was here. I didn’t know quite what to expect, as I hadn’t seen many of their performances online. I just loved their music and was ready for a K-pop concert to end my summer in epic fashion. 

 

Spoiler: The show knocked my socks off.

 

ATEEZ, an eight-member group, debuted in 2018 from the small company KQ Entertainment. They’ve lifted their small company up and have torn through the sea of hundreds of groups to bask in the international spotlight. Just this year, they made history by being the first male K-pop group to perform at Coachella.

 

I remember first noticing ATEEZ when I was watching the survival show Kingdom: Legendary War, where six boy groups competed for victory. Their performance of “WONDERLAND (Symphony No.9 ‘From The Wonderland’)” made a lasting impression on me, and ever since, I have slowly added more of their songs to my playlist. I was excited to go to their concert but having only been to small acts and BTS before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

 

As I settled into my spot for the evening, their music videos started playing on the larger-than-life screens. Fans were screaming along to “Bouncy,” and the decibels were off the charts before the artists even came on stage. (A piece of advice to my K-pop concert friends, PLEASE wear earplugs! My ears ached for days afterwards.) The lights dimmed, colorful streaks filled the screens, and before I knew it, ATEEZ were there in the flesh, backlit like superheroes to save the day. Suffice to say, the crowd (myself included) lost it. ATEEZ had arrived. All my anxieties about not knowing enough for the show melted away as I experienced the most cinematic concert of my life.

 

All throughout the concert, there were story beats and acting scenes, developing their songs into a journey towards the light (hence the name of the concert). They rarely broke character as they went from song to song, adding in fight sequences and solo dances. For the first half of the concert, my hand was permanently positioned over my mouth, as every few seconds something surprised me or caused my jaw to drop. The depths of defeat and the sweet highs of victory were expressed throughout, and I was fully onboard for the ride.

 

Now this might be a controversial take, but I would say going to the concert not knowing all the songs made it an even more unforgettable experience for me than it would have been. Many of the dances and songs I had not seen, and I found myself shocked and impressed for the whole duration of the show. Whenever I revisit the songs now, I think of that amazing night and the memorable performances.

 

One such song was “Cyberpunk.” From the second I heard the chorus and the descending circus melody, I was hooked. I also fell in love with “Wake Up” and now understand why it is a crowd favorite. The use of strings and props on stage were perfectly executed. Throughout the whole concert I was amazed by the stage design and how they utilized that space. They were constantly using chairs, ribbons, and an all-watching eye orb to add to the performances. The lighting and fire effects were also mystifying, transporting us all for a night to ATEEZs world.

My favorite of the night was the duo performance of “MATZ,” by the two eldest of the group, Seonghwa and Hongjoong. I was dazzled. It started out unassuming with a soft voice singing “wash it away,” and then out of nowhere, fireworks went off and Hongjoong was standing on the stage, head tilted up like a king with sunglasses and a big fur coat, rapping like he owned the whole world. As far as I and many Atinys (their fandom name) in the stadium were concerned, for those few seconds, he did. It was such an epic opening and soon enough, Seonghwa appeared in a similar fur coat and they were off to the races. The world play of the hip-hop track was magnetic, and I could tell this song was made to dominate on a stage. The name Matz was made by the duo to refer to themselves (short for madhyungs or eldests). As they rapped about being on fire, smoke guns were sprayed at them by back up dancers dressed as firemen literally trying to “put out” the rappers.

 

There was an interlude in the song where the two showed up as newscasters in a mock-newsroom on the screens and reported on two men who disappeared from the stage due to arson. They playfully broke out of character and went crazy in the news set. All of the sudden, the Matz duo shot up from a stage lift in the arena and continued with their hard-hitting rap. Needless to say, I am a Matz fan and now listen to the song pretty much every day.

 

Other songs I loved were “IT’s You,” “Everything” (I can now confirm that Jongho has the literal voice of an angel), and “Halazia.” Honestly I liked every song, but unfortunately I can’t write about them all here.

 

As far as performances I was excited to see, “BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)” was the most energetic I think I’ve ever seen an audience. The guys did a good job hyping us for the song, teasing beforehand that we weren’t ready. It was true; I was not prepared for how surreal and epic the song was in person. After I thought the song was done they repeated the chorus again and again, stretching the victorious moment a little longer. The crowd was so united and in sync—it was amazing and well worth the wait.

 

The other performance I will never forget was “WONDERLAND (Symphony No.9 “From The Wonderland”).” They used the same arrangement that became famous on the show Kingdom: Legendary War. There were colossal kraken tentacles moving around the stage and so many other references to that performance. The symphony version adds such a theatrical element, and the callback to their pirate beginnings was well-appreciated. Also, at one point Seongwha came out with a glowing sword, and I may have screamed. I’m a sucker for swords. 

 

One last thing I have to discuss about the concert was the fashion. They looked dashing in their first outfits of the night: sparkling black suits with star embellishments. My favorite group look they wore was their purple velvet suits. The regal color suited them and it called back to Mingi’s outfit in the “Work” music video.

 

Overall, I left the concert more stunned and impressed than I had ever thought possible. The concert was a great length and the energy never died. They also surprised me by giving most of their remarks to the fans in English. I don’t care either way as groups usually have a translator but I was very impressed by how good their English was and the effort they put in.

 

Early in the night, Hongjoong (the leader and captain of ATEEZ), had shouted to the audience, “Forget everything, and let’s just enjoy tonight.” By the end of the concert, you can be sure that I knew all the members names and had really enjoyed my time away from life’s worries and chores. I got everything I was promised and more from the concert. You better believe I will be attending their next tour as a loyal Atiny!