Cowboys, pirates, Willy Wonka cosplayers, and cyberpunk agents filled the streets of Washington, DC’s Chinatown on August 6 – but this was no comic convention. These characters were ATINY, aka fans of ATEEZ, and they were in town to watch the group perform for a crowd of nearly 20,000 people at Capital One Arena as part of their fourth world tour, TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER. ATEEZ, comprised of leader and “captain” Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho, are having a huge year. So far, they released their tenth mini-album GOLDEN HOUR : Part 1, became the first K-Pop boy group to perform at Coachella, and became the first K-Pop act to perform at Morocco’s Mawazine Festival. The performances at both festivals highlighted ATEEZ’s dramatic, fun, and theatrical style, and their show in DC reflected their talent in a stunning three-hour show.
Inside the arena, fans were greeted by a large, ominous watchtower on stage topped with a giant eyeball reminiscent of the Eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings. Despite the intimidating feature, the venue was already loud with excitement. ATINY was ready to go, singing and dancing along to ATEEZ’s iconic music videos that played before the show. Finally, the house lights went down and the show began with a voiceover VCR that set the tone for the night’s message: “You can finally become your true self once you’ve found your light. Light empowers you to confront challenges, overcome failure, and build confidence. Ignite your light, let it blaze. Don’t be afraid. Show your ‘Will to Power.’”
The attention then turned to BB Trippin, a dance crew and longtime choreographers and collaborators of ATEEZ. They performed an introductory routine from the front of the catwalk to the main stage wearing uniforms that featured lights on their chests. The lights on the LCD backdrop changed into aurora-like colors and finally, ATEEZ emerged from under the tower wearing bedazzled black outfits. Their dramatic entrance was emphasized by well-timed fireworks bursting from the stage.
Leader Hongjoong kicked off the show by calling on fans to “get up,” leading into the explosive “Crazy Form,” the title track from their mini-album THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL, which debuted at the top of the “Billboard 200” chart in December.
As the group walked down the catwalk for the next song, Hongjoong continued to hype up the crowd by encouraging them to jump and dance as the opening instrumentals from “Say My Name” began to play. Mingi asked the audience to make some noise and get loud as the group sang the song’s opening lines, and as if trained, the audience shouted the lyrics and catchphrase, “ATEEZ, PRESENT!”
Fans who have seen ATEEZ live previously were most familiar with the studio arrangements of the songs on their setlists. But this year, songs, including “Say My Name,” were made fresh with concert arrangements featuring additions such as heavier drums and epic electric guitar and violin progressions. The strings were particularly highlighted in the motivational anthem “WIN,” and kept the crowd’s energy going. ATEEZ’s chemistry as a group was highlighted during the bridge when Jongho and Mingi looked each other in the eyes as they sang. Jongho’s powerful tenor complemented Mingi’s raspy rap before going into the EDM dance break.
The members exercised their acting skills throughout the show and connected the concert’s storyline with their complex lore. After “WIN,” Hongjoong fell victim to members of the enemy government, played by BB Trippin members dressed in black hooded cloaks. This was another highlight of the show – BB Trippin previously joined ATEEZ on tour as background dancers, but in TOWARDS THE LIGHT, they clearly had their own roles in the storyline. The tower gracing the stage even had its own role to play as the “eye” became a spy camera that scanned the audience and zoomed into particular suspicious agents.
The stage lights went red, mimicking alarm lights and lasers as Yunho appeared. In his solo, he tried his best to avoid the all-seeing camera before eventually being caught and arrested. The BB Trippin members returned for another dance number mimicking government agents under mind control. San then entered the stage, which was now set up like a secured government facility. He attempted to fight off the agents but was overpowered, beaten, and chained. The rebels, ATEEZ, dressed in black cloaks of their own, then “infiltrated” the facility to free their own as they performed “This World” and “Wake Up.” The latter put Jongho’s consistent high notes and Hongjoong’s rapid-fire rapping on full display. This act of the show also went viral for ATEEZ’s seductive choreography featuring strategic hip-thrusts, the biting of a few scarves, blindfolds, and mimicked bindings wrapped around wrists. Some of the sexier choreography throughout the show has even spurred some calling it “stripTEEZ.”
After a set change, Hongjoong reappeared on a platform within the tower, this time with a shiny electric guitar around his shoulder. He shredded a haunting solo on his guitar, then launched into a screamo-inspired version of his opening rap for “Guerilla (Flag ver.),” which cued up the rest of ATEEZ to jump right in. When it came time for the “break the wall” chant after the song’s bridge, the arena felt like it shook with the power of ATINY’s screams.
After taking a break to greet the crowd after nearly thirty straight minutes of performing, it was time for the next song. While the rest of ATEEZ went backstage, Mingi stayed behind for his solo rap stage. He got the crowd jumping and showcased his aggressive, raspy style complemented by well-timed fireworks and lasers. The stage transitioned seamlessly into “Cyberpunk” as the rest of the group was elevated back onto the stage to perform the song’s seductive chair choreography. They then returned to the front of the catwalk to perform “HALAZIA.”
The positioning of the two songs back-to-back was smart for pushing the show’s narrative forward. “Cyberpunk” expresses the desire for a new world and to overcome darkness, while “HALAZIA” is about feeling a feather of hope and acting on the will to be the light and voice that will change the world.
The next captivating “live VCR” saw Seonghwa sitting alone before being joined by Hongjoong and Yunho. They danced and flew together as a trio before being surrounded by the evil agents. Yunho and Hongjoong were taken and their “wings” (displayed on the LCD backdrop, and appearing as part of them from certain audience angles) were torn, represented by the BB Trippin members throwing feathers into the air. Seonghwa escaped but was eventually caught and his wings clipped as well. The dramatic scene sparked plenty of discussion and theories among ATINY. Some speculated that the ways Seonghwa acted out the scene at each tour stop carry different meanings.
In the next part of the show, Yeosang performed a graceful dance solo of his own. Dressed in white and emerging from a bed of feathers, he broke free of a cage. San and Wooyoung joined him to perform the sensual R&B track “IT’s You,” the first unit stage of the night. Wooyoung, often known solely as a gifted dancer, displayed his range with powerful belted notes.
Next, Yunho and Mingi took the audience back in time. They made their entrance in a rotating phone booth where they had a phone conversation about auditioning for an entertainment company the next day and wished each other luck. They went right into performing their heartwarming duet “YOUTH.” Later on in the show, Mingi revealed that the bit was based on real life since he and Yunho had been friends long before they became trainees and debuted together in ATEEZ.
After a short VCR that saw the group traveling through a winding staircase, Jongho took to the stage to perform “Everything,” his heart-wrenching solo song. The official music video saw him as the male lead in his own mini K-drama as he mourned the loss of a former lover. His passionate performance, raw vocals, and impressive high notes moved many audience members to tears.
Once Jongho descended from the staircase on stage, a voiceover set the stage for what was to come: “We all carry THE LIGHT within us. Keep walking towards the light.” Wooyoung was then elevated onto the catwalk for his dance solo, where he acted out capturing light from the enemy and returning it to the world through the watchtower. The eye, which had previously been red, was now illuminated turquoise. The other members emerged onto the catwalk bathed in purple, blue, and white lights as they performed “Silver Light.” The song of hope signaled that ATEEZ’s characters were getting closer to defeating the enemy.
In a short break, the instrumental interlude “Crescent Part 2” played as the view of the world from the watchtower turned into an expansive sea and a horizon of changing colors, referencing ATEEZ’s early pirate lore. It transitioned into “WAVE,” another fan favorite that had the audience singing along to the iconic “hakuna matata” lyrics.
ATEEZ took things back to reality for the ment after “WAVE” to address the audience as themselves instead of as their personas. They checked in to make sure the crowd was enjoying the show and hyped up each other’s solo performances and acting skills. Jongho also performed a short, acapella version of “Everything,” but this time he amended the chorus’ lyrics to be, “ATINY is my everything.”
In one funny moment, Hongjoong performed one of the sexier moves from “IT’s You,” and the members joked that the audience should cover their eyes.
“Actually, my parents went back to Korea earlier today so…phew!” Hongjoong said, laughing. “I don’t want to show this appearance to my parents.”
Mingi began introducing the next song, but Hongjoong stopped him saying that he didn’t think ATINY was ready, as their voices were too low. The group then worked to get the crowd to scream louder and louder before they deemed them ready for the feel-good song, “Dancing Like Butterfly Wings.” The song offered them the opportunity to dance more freely onstage, but at the end, they still came together to huddle and chant, “Eight makes one team,” together.
The next VCR was a lighthearted departure from the serious and sometimes somber ones played earlier on in the show. This new one saw the members each dancing and playing around with neon lights. The final duo to receive the lights were Hongjoong and Seonghwa. The word “MATZ” appeared on the screen before the two reappeared on stage in fur coats and sunglasses at the explosive start of the song of their eponymous song. “MATZ” is Hongjoong and Seonghwa’s self-named unit, derived from mathyung (맏형), which roughly translates to the two oldest members of the group. The rap-heavy performance each saw the two setting the stage on fire with the help of some pyrotechnic effects. At the song’s bridge, MATZ and their dancers left the stage and another VCR played of Hongjoong and Seonghwa acting as news anchors reporting on their own escape after committing arson. They reappeared at the end of the catwalk with another onslaught of pyrotechnics.
Afterward, ATEEZ returned as a septet dressed in Western cowboy outfits. Realizing they were only seven, they asked where Jongho was before the camera cut to Jongho “underground” at the end of the catwalk. He pulled out a flute and began to play the opening notes of “WORK,” a reference to the opening of the song’s unserious music video. In a ment following the song, San had the audience do “ATINY’s version” of “WORK.” Without missing a beat, the audience shouted out, “Gotta work! Gotta make that money, make purse!”
Introducing the next song, Yunho then led the audience in responding with “arriba,” when the members asked if they were having fun. Once he was satisfied with each side of the arena’s shouts, they jumped right into “ARRIBA” and “DJANGO.” Fans received a teaser of this stage and its tavern setting during the group’s Coachella set earlier this spring. In one amusing part during “ARRIBA,” Jongho stole a rose from the bartender’s decor and threw it into the general admission crowd to whoops and cheers. The character of “Mingi Wonka” also made an appearance, and after the stage, Mingi stayed in character until ATEEZ called for ATINY to summon the real Mingi.
The group joked that a few of them must still be drunk after hanging around at the bar, so Seonghwa proposed a trick he had to sober up before the next stage.
“Do you all know K-hot chili peppers?” he asked the crowd. At their cheers, the group launched right into the spicy track “BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILI PEPPERS.” The audience’s synced-up lightsticks glowed green and red just like actual peppers and they danced along to the song’s back-breaking choreography.
Giant Kraken tentacles then appeared onstage as ATEEZ went back to their pirate roots with an epic performance of “WONDERLAND (Symphony No. 9 “From the Wonderland”).” During the bridge, BB Trippin formed a saber arch to make way for Seonghwa wielding a glowing sword. He performed a beautiful slice through the air, effectively slaying the Kraken. Another highlight of the song was Jongho’s iconic three-octave scale at the song’s climax.
After a brief intermission, another VCR played wrapping up the concert’s plot. It summarized how each ATEEZ member had found their own light along with their strength as a team, and their voiceovers reminded the audience that their own light is within them, too. In a stunning display, the LCD backdrops showed a bright white light illuminating the watchtower and then seeming to spread into the crowd. A large metallic hand also appeared on the catwalk, which gave viewers in the front the illusion that it was holding the light in its palm.
ATEEZ returned for the encore with “Eternal Sunshine.” The song then transitioned into a mashup of “Fireworks (I’m the One)” and “The Real (Heung Version).” The group each made their rounds to each side of the catwalk and stage, danced along with fans, and posed for photos. They also played around with the stage’s smoke guns to get everyone moving.
Following the mashup, ATEEZ announced that they had returned the light, and the LCD message boards in front of each floor lit up in white, effectively brightening up the entire venue. Sadly, that meant that it was also time for the group to say their goodbyes. The members each shared their gratitude and promised that they would return to DC.
“I know that it’s not easy to love someone and it’s not easy to support someone and go to concerts to see who you like,” Hongjoong shared during his speech. “But I just want to say thank you so much for coming tonight and making good memories with us. I promise we will continue to make good memories, good music, and performances for you.”
Hongjoong held up his pinky and had the members and the audience do the same. “Let’s make a promise together,” he said. “No matter what happens, always keep moving towards the light. We will always be by your side.”
He then introduced “Turbulence” and dedicated it to all of the DC and American ATINY. In an emotional moment, the venue was almost completely silent as attendees listened intently to ATEEZ sing from their hearts. The group then closed out the show with “Dreamy Day” and “UTOPIA,” two songs that encouraged listeners to be together and follow their hearts. ATEEZ (sans Wooyoung, who unfortunately suffered an injury towards the end of the show) then took one final bow and brought out BB Trippin to do the same.
The show was an incredible journey that wrapped up much of ATEEZ’s extensive history, both real and fictional, into a single three-hour concert. Longtime fans left Capital One Arena emotional and satisfied while new fans were introduced to powerhouse performances. With ATEEZ’s stardom continuing to rise, DC fans will be eagerly awaiting what new surprises they have in store when they visit next.
Thank you for a well written summary of their amazing concert! Their performance is the best among the best in the World today, and this was proven when they just held their first stadium Concert in Citifield, New York.