82WORLD : LA wrapped up its two-day inaugural festival on October 18 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park with ATEEZ x TINY Island, a takeover by the beloved boy group ATEEZ. Since debuting in 2018, the eight-member boy group, consisting of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho, has continued to grow in popularity. This momentum continued with this year’s viral hit, “BAD” from the mini album, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5. Since the 2022 release of The World EP.Fin: Will, ATEEZ has broken several records, topping the Billboard 200 chart three times and becoming the first K-Pop boy group to perform at Coachella.
With the scorching sun beating down, ATINYs (ATEEZ’s fandom name) flooded the park in the early afternoon. After camping outside the grounds days earlier, many ATINYs were able to secure a good spot for their evening performance. The day officially began with a couple of activities on the play82 stage as ATINYs did RPD (Random Play Dance), dancing to various ATEEZ hits. Ethan Ko, who also DJ’d for Day 1, spun ATEEZ tracks during his set, building anticipation for the group performing later in the day. Other ATINYs relaxed in the shade with blankets spread out or on benches, trading concert freebies and exclusive photocards from the ATINY ZONE.
The first activity involving ATEEZ members occurred on the play82 stage, where Seonghwa, Yunho, and Yeosang came out in the grueling heat to film the “‘BAD’ Mega Dance Challenge” with ATINYs. The challenge took four takes, and ATINYs showed off their creative dance moves with the members. The trio interacted with everyone, including ATINYs outside of the dance zone, and personally passed out cold water bottles to fans.
Up next on the main hello82 stage was “San & Wooyoung A-rcade” with Andy and Jas, a YouTube influencer couple known for their reaction videos. Together, the two ATEEZ members played a variety of games, like completing tongue twisters and Treasure Pong. San and Wooyoung brought plenty of humor to their segment. They often went off-script, opting for missions over answering questions during Treasure Pong and even initiating an impromptu push-up challenge. Their antics drew laughter from the crowd, adding to the festival’s playful atmosphere.
Continuing the ATEEZ x TINY Island theme, Hongjoong and Jongho hosted their “first and last” “TINY Radio” episode and delivered some life advice to ATINYs. The segment was endearing, as the two created a relaxing, calm environment in an otherwise loud, high-energy festival. At some point, the members sang little snippets with their smooth vocals to uplift fans, including Adele’s “Hello” and Pharrell’s “Happy.” One ATINY in the crowd also got their question answered in real time. As the sun set, the cooler air soothed several ATINYs, providing relief for those who had been at the main stage nearly all day.
Hongjoong and Jongho’s soothing radio segment quickly made way for the explosive energy of the “Mingi Listening Party.” With ATEEZ songs blaring through the speakers, the audience jumped and bounced to the music, ready for the rapper’s appearance. Mingi performed a few tracks from his solo project, FIX OFF Desire Project: ORIGIN with DJ Ethan Ko and QUAIMO. The crowd jumped for the full thirty minutes, making the set feel more like an opening act for an arena-sized concert. Mingi exuded palpable coolness, and his command of the stage was impressive. ATINYs were also treated to “Where Are You,” a song from the original soundtrack of the Korean drama Dive into You. The high-energy, entertaining segment perfectly built anticipation for the night’s main performance.
No stranger to making an entrance, ATEEZ stormed the stage under a flood of red lights, delivering an energetic opening performance of “Say My Name” that set the evening’s tone. The audience’s incessant screams kept the energy high as the group, backed by a live band, glided through “NASA” and “Lemon Drop” before wrapping up the set with a brilliant introduction of “Shaboom” by the Captain himself, Hongjoong.
After interacting with the crowd, ATEEZ slowed the pace down with “Turbulence” and “Wave,” highlighting Jongho, Yunho, and San’s impressive vocals. Overcome with emotion, ATINYs swayed their LIGHTINYs (ATINY lightstick name) to the live band arrangements, while the members exchanged waves and made hand hearts for their fans throughout the performances.
ATEEZ then shifted gears with “BAD,” raising the energy as ATINYs went wild, singing loudly along and replicating the song’s now-viral killer part throughout the pit. The members maintained that energy with back-to-back performances of “Work” and “Crazy Form,” giving them ample time to interact with ATINYs throughout both songs.
Segueing into “Adrenaline” with the same energy as their opening tracks, the members used this moment to showcase their charismatic charm. Wooyoung slicking his hair back made for one of the more swoonable moments, while Hongjoong’s command to “Turn the shit up!” had the crowd roaring. “Guerrilla” wouldn’t be complete without the crowd chanting “Break The Wall!” at the song’s climax as Jongho continued to impress with his clear high notes.
Hongjoong and Jongho teased their next EP, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.6, set for release on November 13, and the members took a group photo with the festival crowd. After the group photo, ATEEZ effortlessly transitioned into a pyrotechnic-filled performance of “Bouncy” before going down to the barricades and sides of the stage to interact with fans during “The Real.” At the climax, the group paused dramatically before Wooyoung struck his infamous cutesy “Yahoo” pose, drawing screams from the crowd. Wrapping the night up with a sweet note, ATINY joined forces with the group as they sang in unison to “Dreamy Day.” Fans waved their hands side to side, as the emotionally charged moment brought euphoric tears to the audience. ATEEZ and ATINY were one, and their love and admiration were clear.
“I think we will remember today for a long, long time,” Seonghwa remarked during their ending ments.
“For me, I found myself thinking back on all the times it took for us to get on this stage,” San reminisced sentimentally. “In six days, it will be our eighth anniversary. Once again, I was reminded how truly grateful I am to ATINY to support us from all the way here.”
ATEEZ wrapped up their ments with a deep, respectful bow before performing their last song for the night, “From.” The members continued providing fan service to ATINYs while also demonstrating their playful chemistry with each other. Even after the song ended, ATEEZ took their time on the stage, ensuring that they interacted with as many fans as possible.
With that, the first 82WORLD : LA came to a close. As attendees exited the festival grounds, many could be heard recounting their experiences and favorite moments from the weekend.
Despite many positive moments, the festival also faced criticism for how it handled ADA accommodations and the reported treatment of attendees with disabilities. In response, hello82 issued an apology and outlined their next steps to gather feedback from those affected and consult accessibility specialists to review and help improve its practices for future events.
As the festival concluded, the stage screens displayed a “see you next year” message, hinting at a 2027 return. In a post-event press release, hello82 expressed its desire to establish 82WORLD as a global K-Pop fan festival, in line with its mission to connect artists and fans worldwide.
While its inaugural event showed promise, 82WORLD‘s continued success will depend on hello82’s ability to build on its strength, address attendee feedback, and prioritize an accessible, inclusive environment for all. By doing so, 82WORLD could establish itself as a highly sought-after K-Pop festival in the future.