ATEEZ made a triumphant return to New York City this month with a surprise visit at hello82 flagship in SoHo and a jam-packed stadium performance in Citi Field.
It was another homerun for K-Pop juggernauts ATEEZ at Citi Field on July 13, when the eight-member group returned just one year later to the stadium. Last year, HONGJOONG, SEONGHWA, YUNHO, YEOSANG, SAN, MINGI, WOOYOUNG and JONGHO welcomed over 28,000 fans–Citi Field has a capacity of 41, 922–and for the second consecutive time, they’ve once again filled the ballpark.
“We are back at Citi Field,” MINGI exclaimed to the roaring crowd.
“We will keep showing you amazing performances, so please look forward to it. Thank you for coming here, I love you ATINY,” JONGHO added.
Since their debut in 2018, ATEEZ has solidified themselves as titans in the industry. With Billboard Chart-topping songs–including two albums earning the number one spot on Billboard 200–these pirate kings have amassed a litany of accolades and a global fanbase known as ATINY. As they celebrate the release of GOLDEN HOUR: Part 3, “In Your Fantasy,” the group showcased their individual prowess with solo performances from each member.
For longtime fans like Joel Deberteuil, 27, ATEEZ has had a profound effect on her life. She traveled all the way from North Carolina to see the group perform and was one of the lucky few to also participate in hello82 NYC’s surprise listening party with the idols on July 12.
“We got to see them come out of the van! I do not expect that. I just wanted to get merch, and I got the next best thing, seeing them up-close and personal,” Deberteuil said, adding that the Citi Field performance would be the fifth time she has seen the group live.
Queens resident Michelle Kwong shared that watching ATEEZ perform in Citi Field will forever be ingrained in her memory.
“Each and every performance took my breath away! The drama, the power, the energy was just insane,” Kwong, 21, said. “As always, ATEEZ was absolutely stunning. It’s hard to find words to capture their presence and their effect. I haven’t stopped thinking about them since I left Citi Field, which perhaps speaks for itself.”
“I think the ‘In Your Fantasy’ solo stages were able to highlight their personal and beautiful creative visions in a way we haven’t seen before, and allowed them to focus more on what they personally wanted to show the fans, which was so exciting. In some ways, it felt like a natural evolution into a new form,” Kwong added.
By far, ATEEZ has left an indelible mark on the K-Pop industry, and as they step into showcasing more individual stages with each member, fans say they will continue to cheer the group on.
The deafening roar of the crowd filled the stadium as ATEEZ prepared the final half of their show. Ironically, ahead of MINGI’s solo stage for his song “Roar,” the microphones blew out, causing a brief delay. But ATEEZ, known for their comical and cool demeanor, took it in stride. The band ran across the stage with a tablet held high to the cameras and continued to entertain the fans by writing notes such as “5 mins Plz” and “Cause ATINY Killed it!”
Once the technical issues were addressed, the overall show lasted three hours, enrapturing audiences with dynamic choreography, stellar vocals, and passionate renditions of their award-winning discography.
“So last year we had a weather issue; this year we had another issue. What issue will come to us? If it’s just like today will always solve the problem. We will find a way no matter the issue,” team leader HONGJOON said with a smile.
