ATEEZ’s Hongjoong Opens Up About The Group’s Smaller Korean Following

ATEEZ‘s recent interview with The Korea Times explored a lot of fun things about the group’s activities, with a particular focus on their world tours and huge global audience. The group’s leader Hongjoong also got candid about the difference in following ATEEZ has enjoyed internationally, as opposed to the one in South Korea.

The interview touched on the number of global fans that filled the venues of ATEEZ’s last two world tours — 430,000 to be exact — and what could’ve contributed to this enormous success. Hongjoong credited it to their powerful performances, putting emphasis on how their “eye-catching gestures and expressions on stage” must’ve catered to the global audience.

Wooyoung shared he thought ATEEZ’s “vibrant energy and distinctive musical universe” may have contributed on to their hype. Yunho chose the members’ chemistry and friendship with their fans as one of the reasons why their following has increased so much through the years.

After mentioning the record-breaking 1 million sales of the group’s The WORLD EP 1: MOVEMENT mini album, the interview mentioned how some insist ATEEZ has a “relatively low public profile in its home country.“

Hongjoong, the leader of the group, was the one to give a concise response on the topic. He shared that the members occasionally are asked about their thoughts regarding their position in Korea. After adding that the reason for this must be their positive feedback from international fans, Hongjoong clarified that he doesn’t want their fans to feel “differently depending on their nationalities.”

He went on to explain that though ATEEZ will keep making any efforts possible to increase its profile in South Korea, the members will do this without moving away from their global route.

We will continue to do what we can do to raise our profile in Korea, but we will not deviate from our route just to win the hearts of Korean fans.

— ATEEZ’s Hongjoong

Many fans have assumed the lesser following in Korea comes from ATEEZ’s unique and non-mainstream music. Netizens have alleged that the group’s sound is not liked by the general public as much, something which burdens most boy groups in the K-Pop industry. Hongjoong was sure to mention this as well, vowing to not change the style of their albums and music for the sake of more recognition.

We will neither change our initial plans nor put out albums with different styles to earn more recognition from the general public.

— ATEEZ’s Hongjoong

Following the release of the interview, ATINYs took to social media to praise Hongjoong for his honest and concise response to a question that has burdened the group and fans for a long time.