3rd Blogaversary Series Day 7
We are back to original content from Ateez in the form of original solos written and produced by Hongjoong or Mingi, and original soundtrack (OST) songs. Since I typically think of Ateez as group first and then members, we are going to start with OSTs today.
Ateez OSTs
To me, it feels like the true measure of success for any group is them being asked to participate in an OST for a show or movie. It means that there are people in the entertainment world who think so highly of their talent that they want to put their voices on their project that they have spent their own time and money on and are hoping for success with it.
In September of 2022 Ateez released their first OST for the show Mimicus. What I like the most about this OST is that Hongjoong takes the lower rap and Mingi the higher one. It is so cool to hear them stretch their rapping tones here.
Song: Let's Get Together Performed by: Ateez Featured in: Mimicus
Then in December of that same year Netflix came calling. NETFLIX! They asked Ateez to not just sing an OST, but the opening credits song for their anime based on a popular manga, Lookism. I repeat, OPENING CREDITS!! The only bad thing about that, is the song is opening credits length and not full song length. This song is a bop and needs to be longer than 1:48.
Song: Like That Performed by: Ateez Featured in: Lookism
I'm sure if you were around with this dropped you would have heard that Limitless was actually an OST (another opening credits song) for a Japanese Anime called Duel Masters Win released in February of 2023.
I looked all over for the YouTube version of this song acting as the opening credits, but couldn't find it. It was tweeted by @1024updates though, so here is there tweet. I'll post the Japanese release here because I am nothing if not thorough.
Song: Limitless Performed by: Ateez Featured in: Duel Masters Win
Imitation
Carey’s Editor Note: The opinions expressed in this section are solely those of the blogger and do not necessarily reflect the views of this editor or TinyTown as a whole.
If you have been reading my other Blogaversary posts, you have seen a couple of covers from the drama, Imitation. The covers were great, but the true magic is in their OSTs. I have been pretty vocal about how I entered K-pop through Ateez and how I learned about Ateez through Imitation. In fact, I was a Fin before I ever became an Atiny. So Shax, this one is for you!
There are 4 main groups that are featured in Imitation. An experienced female soloist (La Ri-ma), a rookie girl group (Tea Party, in which the female lead is in), a "rising" boy group (Sparking, in which Seonghwa, Yuhno, and San's characters are in), and a top boy group with 6 years of experience (Shax, in which the male lead is in and Jongho is the maknae). Shax's fandom, the Fins, are very large, organized, and powerful. Sparkling's fandom name, that I just had to look up, is TokTok. I don't know why. Every so often a fanwar will erupt between Fins and TokToks so Babytiny, make the wise decision and become Fins. Please allow the following videos to help me make my case.
Song: Malo Performed by: Shax Featured in: Imitation
Here is the performance video:
Song: Malo Performed by: Shax Featured in: Imitation
We got a dance practice too!
Song: Amen Performed by: Shax Featured in: Imitation
Here is the performance video:
Song: Amen Performed by: Shax Featured in: Imitation
We got a behind the scenes for this one where Jongho is leading them through rehearsal. He is the maknae on top in his fictional group too!
Another cute behind the scenes find is that Yunho, Seonghwa, and San called Jongho Sunbaenim while on set since Shax is a more experienced group. I think that is precious.
Even though I am not a TokTok, I still like their members so I am adding their song as well.
Song: Diamond Performed by: Sparkling Featured in: Imitation
They actually got to perform it on a real music show, Sketchbook!
Song: Diamond Performed by: Sparkling Featured in: Imitation
There is a dance practice as well. You can tell they really dialed it back for their characters because the members danced harder in the dance practice than they did on the show.
Shax and Sparking did a collaboration along with Tea Party and La Ri-ma. Fins and TokToks can agree this song is beautiful and its message is powerful.
Song: Constellation (Your Sign) Featured in: Imitation
Performed by: Shax, Sparkling, Tea Party, and La Ri-ma
Since the original writer and the producer of the song are Shax members, they got to perform it in subsequent concerts. SO FINS WIN!! FINS FOREVER!! 🦈
Song: Constellation (Your Sign) Performed by: Shax Featured in: Imitation
Jongho's OSTs
Knowing Jongho's love of OSTs, it was so exciting when he started getting asked to sing them! As of March 2025, Jongho has released four OSTs but I am certain that number will increase. He is so good at them!! It's also a good excuse to watch the shows his OSTs are featured in.
Song: Fairytale of Youth Performed by: Jongho Featured in: Young Actors' Retreat
Jongho got to perform Gravity on a Music show so we got a live version of it! Also, this is a great show. If you are an Atiny who is a millennial or older, I think you would especially like it because of all of the historical and cultural references from the 80s, 90s, and 00s.
Song: Gravity Performed by: Jongho Featured in: Reborn Rich
Song: Wind Performed by: Jongho Featured in: Our Blooming Youth
This last OST needs some context. The show used it as the song that represents longing which means 9 times out of 10 they played it during a sad part in the show. Although I love the song and I LOVED hearing Jongho singing it, I dreaded every time they played it because I knew something sad was going to happen to the characters. It was very conflicting. Jongho recorded a Special Clip of him singing it for us.
Song: A Day Performed by: Jongho Featured in: Lovely Runner
Seonghwa, Yunho, and Jongho also performed a cover of it on The Season's Lee Youngji's Rainbow. I know since this is a cover, it should have been posted on the Seonghwa-Wooyoung Covers day, but it felt weird posting that before Jongho's original.
Song: A Day Performed by: Seonghwa, Yunho, & Jongho Original artist: Jongho
AND on March 1st The Good Man dropped its first trailer with a very familiar sounding voice singing the OST in the background! I have entered my scheduled post to add this because I couldn't leave out a possible new OST!
Here is a link to the post so you can watch the trailer, but a smartiny also took about 30 seconds of it and isolated the OST to post on YouTube for us!! So far we don't know the title of the song, and Jongho being the singer has not yet been confirmed, but come on, it's him.
Song: ??? Performed by: Jongho Featured in: The Good Man
Hongjoong Originals
Now that we have made it through the OSTs, let's switch gears and focus on the original music produced by Hongjoong. It is always a good day when Hongjoong is producing. In fact, some of my all time favorite Ateez songs have been produced by Hongjoong. Can I get an amen for Horizon and Selfish Waltz? Hongjoong has created three original solos and shared them with us throughout the years.
Song: Draw & Draw Performed by: Hongjoong Produced by: Hongjoong
Hongjoong also performed this at his Beyond ASF busking session.
Song: Draw & Draw Performed by: Hongjoong Created by: Hongjoong
Hongjoong wrote this song as part of his photo exhibition, Walker A, held to celebrate his birthday. The announcement explained, "In this photo exhibition, Hongjoong invites Atiny, his cherished fans, to become "WALKER A" who aimlessly walk away from their daily lives and discover the hidden sides of the big and small world that they have never seen before.
Let's explore this world together and be a part of this unique photo exhibition."
Song: A Walker Performed by: Hongjoong Created by: Hongjoong
I have no idea why Hongjoong released this song. It wasn't around his birthday, there was not a special event, one day we just got a Hongjoong creation. While writing this post, I found this from @AteezItaly, "Hongjoong talked about 'Why do you love' and its meaning. "What I want to say is don't get distracted and look at someone else! I'll come looking for you to the ends of the earth!" It's a song that was made very spontaneously, he wanted Atiny to listen to it without any weight/pressure, on a day without any particular meaning, that's why Hongjoong in the Music Video is completely natural, without makeup and hair done. ...He asked Atiny to listen to him comfortably when they miss him, even when their love for Hongjoong is cooling down a bit."
Song: Why Do You Love Performed by: Hongjoong Created by: Hongjoong
Mingi Originals
We all know Mingi is a genius rapper but when he started expressing his desire to produce, there was collective joy and anticipation in TinyTown. Then we saw him working with producers in LA and the anticipation increased. We were all, not so patiently, waiting for Mingi to drop a song he produced himself. His first song was untitled and I actually love that. It feels like early work from an artist, Untitled.
Song: Untitled Performed by: Mingi Created by: Mingi
Mingi launched his official Fix Off Desire Project 1 in February of 2024. This song has an alt-rock vibe and Mingi SINGS! Between Untitled, Tunnel, and Youth it seems that so far when Mingi gets creative control, he goes introspective alternative/emo and as someone who went through an alternative/emo high school phase I totally approve. I can't wait for him to release more songs in his Desire Project at some point (maybe soon???).
Song: Tunnel Performed by: Mingi Created by: Mingi
I can't believe I am editing this scheduled post again, but Mingi just announced that his Desire Project 2 is releasing on March 15th!!
They have already shared the link so even though this blog post will be published the day before its official release, I am going to embed the video and hope it works when the song officially premieres. OMG I CAN'T WAIT!!
Song: Autobahn Performed by: Mingi (Feat. Yunmin) Created by: Mingi
ATEEZ Present
At some point, Hongjoong expressed an interest in creating original songs with the different members and so far three of these songs have been released. In each song, the members and Hongjoong along with various Edenary members write the lyrics and then Hongjoong and Edenary member compose and arrange it. These songs are released in a series entitled ATEEZ Present since they are presents for Atiny.
For Yunho's song, he was also a part of composing. When asked, Hongjoong said that he enjoys working on the members’ songs since he can also work on different genres. It is also fun for me because I feel like we get a glimpse into the softer side of Ateez with these songs.
Hongjoong said that the lyrics to Be Alright were written by Yunho about a situation he was having a hard time in, but he wanted Yunho to also receive comfort from his own song, so he suggested changing the lyrics of the second verse to be more hopeful.
Song: Be Alright Performed by: Yunho Created by: Yunho & Hongjoong
San shared the story behind the creation of Snowflake on a voice broadcast. During an overseas tour, San woke up early to practice and was surprised to see Hongjoong there. They talked for a bit, Hongjoong played the song, and San said, "Wow, I really like this." Hongjoong suggested that he try writing the lyrics, to which San said, "No! Hyung, you write it~ Hyung, you're good at it, so you do it~ I can't do it." Hongjoong insistently refused and encouraged him to try, but San started pouting and using his silly cat voice to avoid it. He kept saying, "Hyung is so good at writing lyrics, I'll sing it well," but Hongjoong responded, "Your aegyo won't work on me, kitten. Write the lyrics." Eventually San gave in, and the song "Snowflake" was born.
Song: Snowflake Performed by: San Created by: San & Hongjoong
About Sagittarius, Wooyoung said, "As I told you on a Fromm, I have many feelings these days, I did mention it already, but as I worked on a solo project, I really couldn't do anything if I was alone. I'm really thankful to the people around me who helped. It is my project, but it's also their project as well.(People who helped). If I fail to do well, not only my project will be ruined, but also their project is going to be ruined. So I took a responsibility and worked really hard. While working on it I caught cold unexpectedly. So we filmed the MV before coming to Europe. We did the song recording 1-2 days before the MV filming. While filming we recorded it with the guide song, not mine. So because we prepared it really hard, I'm really happy that you loved it. It had to be uploaded/be ready for my birthday. So because you have waited for so long time, I hope and will be relieved that I could repay it."
Song: Sagittarius Performed by: Wooyoung Created by: Wooyoung & Hongjoong
Well folks, we have reached the end. I hope you enjoyed this weeklong series of the other side of Ateez as much as I have enjoyed putting it together. I truly love connecting with Atiny through my blog and especially chatting with them about different theories, but at the end of the day, the music is what makes me love Ateez so much and this week was a celebration of that just as much as it was an anniversary of my blog. Since they just finished the European leg of their Towards the Light tour, I have a feeling they will start dropping comeback hints soon so I'll see you all again when their next album is released. Love y'all!
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