Ateez (에이티즈) is a South Korean boy group under KQ Entertainment, debuting on October 24, 2018, with members Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho. Known for their powerful performances, Ateez has released multiple hit albums, including Treasure and The World series, achieving No.1 on the Billboard 200 and several million-seller records. They’ve made history as the first K-pop act with three albums in the UK Top 10 in one year and performed at Coachella and Morocco’s Mawazine Festival. With over seven million albums sold worldwide, Ateez has earned major awards like Worldwide Fans’ Choice at MAMA and a Daesang at the Korea Grand Music Awards, while also serving as global ambassadors for Korean culture and tourism.
Group Profile
- Group Name (English): Ateez
- Group Name (Korean): 에이티즈
- Debut: October 24, 2018
- Genres: Dance, pop, hip-hop, EDM, rock, mix pop, metal, ballad, R&B, Latin pop, Reggae
- Members: Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung, and Jongho
- Leader: Hongjoong
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
- Labels: KQ, Legacy, RCA, Nippon Columbia, Universal Sigma
- Fandom: ATINY
- Lightstick: LIGHTINY
Members
Hongjoong
- Stage Name (English): Hongjoong
- Stage Name (Korean): 홍중
- Name (English): Kim Hong-joong
- Name (Korean): 김홍중
- Revised Romanization: Gim Hongjung
- Birthdate: November 7, 1998
- Age: 26
- Birthplace: Anyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea
- Occupations: Rapper, singer, songwriter, composer
- Debut: 2018
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
Kim Hong-joong, better known as Hongjoong, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is the leader of the K-pop group Ateez, which debuted in 2018 under KQ Entertainment. Known for his talent and creativity, Hongjoong helps write and produce much of Ateez’s music. As of July 2025, he has 165 songs credited under his name with the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA).
Seonghwa
- Stage Name (English): Seonghwa
- Stage Name (Korean): 성화
- Name (English): Park Seong-hwa
- Name (Korean): 박성화
- Birthdate: April 3, 1998
- Age: 27
- Birthplace: Jinju, South Korea
- Occupations: Vocalist, rapper
- Debut: 2018
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
Seonghwa (성화) is a South Korean singer and actor under KQ Entertainment. He is a member of the K-pop group ATEEZ and also performs in the project group SPARKLING under the name Seyoung (세영). Known for his strong vocals, visuals, and charm, Seonghwa is active in both music and acting.
Yunho
- Stage Name (English): Yunho
- Stage Name (Korean): 윤호
- Name (English): Jeong Yun-ho
- Name (Korean): 정윤호
- Birthdate: March 23, 1999
- Age: 26
- Birthplace: Gwangju, South Korea
- Occupations: Singer, actor
- Debut: 2018
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
Yunho (윤호) is a South Korean singer and performer under KQ Entertainment. He is a member of the K-pop group ATEEZ and also appears in the project group SPARKLING as Yujin (유진). Known for his bright personality and powerful stage presence, Yunho is loved by fans for his talent and energy.
Yeosang
- Stage Name (English): Yeosang
- Stage Name (Korean): 여상
- Name (English): Kang Yeo-sang
- Name (Korean): 강여상
- Birthdate: June 15, 1999
- Age: 26
- Birthplace: Pohang, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korea
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
- Position: Performance, vocalist, rapper
- Debut: 2018
- Height: 175 cm
- MBTI: ISFJ
- Social: Instagram
He is a member of ATEEZ, an eight-member South Korean boy group. As one of the group’s visuals, he also shines as a performer, vocalist, and rapper, known for his talent and strong stage presence.
San
- Stage Name (English): San
- Stage Name (Korean): 산
- Name (English): Choi San
- Name (Korean): 최산
- Birthdate: July 10, 1999
- Age: 26
- Birthplace: Jinju-si, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
- Position: Main dancer, lead vocalist
- Debut: 2018
- Height: 177 cm
- MBTI: INFP
- Social: Instagram
Choi San, known professionally as San, is a South Korean singer and dancer and a member of the K-pop group Ateez under KQ Entertainment. He made his acting debut in the web series Imitation alongside bandmates Seonghwa, Yunho, and Jongho, also contributing vocals to the official soundtrack as part of the fictional group Sparkling.
Mingi
- Stage Name (English): Mingi
- Stage Name (Korean): 민기
- Name (English): Song Min-gi
- Name (Korean): 송민기
- Birthdate: August 9, 1999
- Age: 26
- Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
- Position: Main rapper, main dancer
- Debut: 2018
- Height: 184 cm
- MBTI: ENTP
- Social: Instagram
Song Min-gi is a member of ATEEZ, an eight-member South Korean boy group, and serves as the group’s main rapper and main dancer, known for his strong performances and energetic stage presence.
Wooyoung
- Stage Name (English): Wooyoung
- Stage Name (Korean): 우영
- Name (English): Jung Woo-young
- Name (Korean): 정우영
- Birthdate: November 26, 1999
- Age: 25
- Birthplace: Ilsan, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
- Debut: 2018
- Position: Dancer, vocalist
- Height: 173 cm
- MBTI: ISTJ
- Social: Instagram
Jung Woo-young is a member of ATEEZ, an eight-member South Korean boy group, and is the group’s main dancer and vocalist, recognized for his strong dancing and singing skills.
Jongho
- Stage Name (English): Jongho
- Stage Name (Korean): 종호
- Name (English): Choi Jong-ho
- Name (Korean): 최종호
- Birthdate: October 12, 2000
- Age: 25
- Birthplace: Ilsan, South Korea
- Nationality: South Korean
- Agency: KQ Entertainment
- Debut: 2018
- Position: Main vocalist
- Height: 176 cm
- MBTI: ISFP
- Social: Instagram
Jongho is the youngest member (maknae) of ATEEZ, an eight-member South Korean boy group, and is the group’s main vocalist, known for his strong and expressive singing.
Hit Songs (Top 10)
BOUNCY (K-Hot Chilli Peppers) – 149 Million Views on YouTube
WONDERLAND – 143 Million Views on YouTube
Crazy Form – 136 Million Views on YouTube
Answer – 99 Million Views on YouTube
INCEPTION – 91 Million Views on YouTube
Deja Vu – 90 Million Views on YouTube
Ice On My Teeth – 87 Million Views on YouTube
WAVE – 86 Million Views on YouTube
Say My Name – 82 Million Views on YouTube
WORK – 82 Million Views on YouTube
Awards
Since their debut, ATEEZ has earned recognition as one of the leading K-pop boy groups, both in South Korea and internationally. They have been nominated for and won numerous awards across major ceremonies, highlighting their music, performances, and global influence.
Major Achievements
- American Music Awards (2025): Nominated for Favorite K-POP Artist.
- Asia Artist Awards: Multiple nominations and wins, including Popularity Awards for both male singer and group categories.
- Asia Model Awards (2020): Popular Star Award – Male (Singer) winner.
- Edaily Culture Awards (2023): Won Best Concert Award for The Fellowship: Break the Wall.
- Forbes Korea Awards (2022): Won The Best Fandom.
- Golden Disc Awards: Multiple nominations and wins, including Next Generation Award and Album Bonsang for The World EP.Fin: Will (2024).
- Hanteo Music Awards: Wins include Artist of the Year (Bonsang) and Top Global Performer.
- iHeartRadio Music Awards (2025): Won K-pop Artist of the Year.
- MAMA Awards: Multiple Worldwide Fans’ Choice Top 10 wins (2019, 2020, 2023) and other nominations including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year.
- Melon Music Awards (2024): Won Global Artist – Male.
- MTV Europe Music Awards (2019): Won Best Korean Act.
- The Fact Music Awards: Multiple wins for Artist of the Year (Bonsang), Best Performer, and Global Hottest Artist.
- Seoul Music Awards: Multiple Main Award (Bonsang) wins and consistent nominations for popularity categories.
- Other notable awards: Soribada Best K-Music Awards, K-Global Heart Dream Awards, Korea Grand Music Awards (Daesang winner), Newsis Hallyu Expo Seoul Mayor Award, and recognition from U+Idol Live, WhosFandom, and Fan N Star.
Across these accolades, ATEEZ has been recognized for their powerful performances, dedicated fandom (ATINY), global impact, and consistent chart-topping releases, solidifying their status as global K-pop leaders.
Group History (2016~2025)
2016~2018
ATEEZ was formed by KQ Entertainment after discovering Kim Hongjoong, who became the group’s leader and first trainee. Over the next year, members Yunho, Mingi, San, Seonghwa, Yeosang, Jongho, and Wooyoung joined, many with prior training experience. Known as “KQ Fellaz” before debut, they appeared on Mix Nine and a pre-debut web series, KQ Fellaz American Training, where they trained in Los Angeles and released the pre-debut song “From”. In July 2018, their official name, Ateez (“A TEEnager Z”), was revealed alongside their debut reality show, Code Name Is Ateez. The group officially debuted on October 24, 2018, with the EP Treasure EP.1: All to Zero and singles “Pirate King” and “Treasure”, which peaked at number seven on the Gaon Albums Chart, selling over 23,000 copies in their debut year.
2019
In 2019, ATEEZ rose to international fame with the release of Treasure EP.2: Zero to One (“Say My Name”, “Hala Hala”) and Treasure EP.3: One to All, featuring the fan-voted lead single “Wave”, which earned their first music show wins. They launched their first world tour, The Expedition Tour, visiting the U.S., Europe, and Australia, with all shows selling out. In October, their first studio album, Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action (“Wonderland”), topped the Gaon Albums Chart. They also released their first Japanese music video “Utopia” and debut Japanese album Treasure EP. Extra: Shift the Map, while winning Best Korean Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Worldwide Fans’ Choice Award at MAMA.
2020
In 2020, ATEEZ wrapped up their Treasure series with Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer (“Answer”) and their first Japanese EP, Treasure EP.Map to Answer. Their second world tour was mostly postponed due to COVID-19, but they connected with fans through a virtual concert and KCON:TACT 2020. Later, they launched the Fever series with Zero: Fever Part.1 (“Inception”), earning multiple music show wins and selling over 379,000 copies, becoming their first platinum-certified album. They also won on Immortal Songs, released a special Halloween version of “The Black Cat Nero”, and earned Worldwide Fans’ Choice and Discovery of the Year at MAMA 2020, while preparing to join Kingdom: Legendary War.
2021
In 2021, ATEEZ continued their Fever series with Zero: Fever Part.2 (“Fireworks”) and Part.3 (“Deja Vu”), both earning double platinum certification, with Deja Vu topping the Billboard World Albums Chart and debuting at #42 on the Billboard 200. They released their first original Japanese album Into the A to Z, performed on Immortal Songs multiple times, and competed in Kingdom: Legendary War, finishing third. Ateez also released their first Japanese single “Dreamers”, collaborated with Kim Jong-kook and Pentatonix, and closed the year with Zero: Fever Epilogue (“Turbulence”), announced their third world tour, and returned for the Immortal Songs year-end finale.
2022
In 2022, ATEEZ held two major world tours, performing across Seoul, the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Asia, while releasing multiple projects. Their Korean EP The World EP.1: Movement (“Guerrilla”) sold over 1 million copies and reached #3 on the Billboard 200, and the Japanese EPs Beyond: Zero (“Rocky”) and The World EP.Paradigm (“Paradigm”) topped Oricon and Billboard Japan charts. They also released their first Korean single album, Spin Off: From the Witness (“Halazia”), entering the Billboard 200 top 10 and earning their 13th music show win. Ateez performed at major K-pop festivals, released anime OSTs, and won Artist of the Year Bonsang and Best Performer at The Fact Music Awards.
2023
In 2023, ATEEZ continued their Break The Wall world tour across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, including their first stadium concert in São Paulo and a solo show in Jeddah. They released the Japanese single Limitless for Duel Masters WIN and their ninth Korean EP, The World EP.2: Outlaw, which reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on Billboard Top Album Sales. In December, The World EP.Fin: Will topped the Billboard 200, sold over 1.7 million copies in its first week, and earned Ateez their first triple crown on KBS Music Bank, while continuing their record-breaking streak on Immortal Songs.
2024
In 2024, ATEEZ kicked off their “Towards the Light: Will to Power” world tour, performing in Seoul, Japan, North America, and stadiums for the first time, while headlining the Mawazine festival and making history as the first K-pop boy group at Coachella. They released Japanese singles Not Okay, Hush-Hush, Royal, and Birthday, along with their tenth and eleventh EPs, Golden Hour: Part.1 (“Work”) and Part.2 (“Ice on My Teeth”), topping the Billboard 200, UK, and Japan charts. Golden Hour: Part.1 sold over 1.5 million copies, marking their fourth million-seller album, while Ateez continued performing at festivals, university events, and fanmeetings worldwide.
2025
In 2025, ATEEZ continued their “Towards the Light: Will to Power” world tour, becoming the first K-pop group to sell out Paris La Défense Arena and finishing with encore shows in Seoul. Seonghwa debuted at Paris Fashion Week, and the group won iHeartRadio’s K-Pop Artist of the Year. They announced their fifth world tour, “In Your Fantasy”, across South Korea, North America, and Japan. In June, they released Golden Hour: Part.3 with the single “Lemon Drop”, debuting at No.2 on the Billboard 200 and entering the Billboard Hot 100 at No.69. They also released a global concert film and renewed their contracts with KQ Entertainment for seven more years.
Endorsements
ATEEZ has worked with many brands over the years. In 2021, they promoted LG webOS TVs and joined Pepsi’s Taste of Korea campaign with Rain, Brave Girls, and Monsta X. In 2022, they collaborated with Poshmark and became models for the Korean cosmetics brand Mernel. In 2024, they represented Nacific, Cafe BomBom, Rohto UV in Japan, and partnered with ABC-Mart for Adidas’ “CLIMACOOL” campaign. In 2025, they became the face of Korean skincare brand BRMUD and released a special capsule collection with American fashion brand Avirex for its 50th anniversary.
Charity & Philanthropy
ATEEZ is known for their charitable work. In 2020, members Mingi and Yeosang recorded audiobooks for disadvantaged children through Star Bookstore, which led to a ₩2 million donation. The group also became ambassadors for Polished Man, raising over $30,000 to support young survivors of violence. In 2021, they joined the Identity 2021 livestream fundraiser, donating more than $20,000 to arts and community programs. After the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd crush, Ateez donated ₩100 million to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association, and in 2025, they gave another ₩100 million to help wildfire victims in Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam with emergency supplies and shelters.
FAQs
What is ATEEZ’s fandom name?
ATEEZ’s fans are called ATINY, which means “ATEEZ + Destiny,” symbolizing that fans and ATEEZ are destined to be together.
What music series has ATEEZ released?
ATEEZ has released the Treasure series, Fever series, and The World series, along with Japanese EPs and singles.
Are ATEEZ members involved in songwriting or producing?
Yes, Hongjoong and other members actively participate in songwriting, composing, and producing much of ATEEZ’s music.
Has ATEEZ toured internationally?
Yes, ATEEZ has held multiple world tours including The Fellowship: Beginning of the End, Break the Wall, and Towards the Light: Will to Power, performing in Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East.
What is ATEEZ’s first studio album?
Their first full-length studio album is Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action, released in 2019 with the lead single “Wonderland.”
Which ATEEZ members act in dramas?
Members Seonghwa, Yunho, Jongho, and San appeared in the KBS2 drama “Imitation” in 2021.
Have ATEEZ appeared on reality shows?
Yes, they participated in Kingdom: Legendary War in 2021, finishing in third place, and earlier, some members appeared on Mix Nine pre-debut.
What are ATEEZ’s achievements on Billboard charts?
ATEEZ has reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Top Albums Sales Chart, and Top 10 on the UK Official Albums Chart with releases like The World EP.1: Movement and The World EP.Fin: Will.
Which Japanese releases have ATEEZ made?
They have released Japanese EPs and singles including Beyond: Zero, Spin Off: From the Witness, Limitless, Not Okay, and Birthday.
Who is the leader of ATEEZ?
Hongjoong is the leader of ATEEZ, as well as the main composer and producer of many of their tracks.
