Illusion and Wave
What we know so far: Ateez gathered as friends to form a group of anarchist pirates who will come if called and have started on a journey towards a treasure that is different to every individual. They need us to join them on their quest in order for it to succeed. There is also another group, Halateez, who may be either an alternative dark side of Ateez or doppelgängers from a future parallel world. That remains to be seen.
We now move into their third album, Treasure Ep.3: One to All, a summer release, with the double title tracks of Illusion and Wave. This is the first album where Ateez asked their fans to vote for which song would be promoted first. The music videos were also released at the same time which means that the music videos are telling a connected story. The ending scene of Illusion is the beginning scene of Wave which tells us the order to view them.
Let's see what our favorite theorists have to say about this comeback, starting with Bookish Theories:
My Takeaways
Step 1 = Debut, Step 2 = Recognition, Step 3 = Work to turn dreams into reality
Illusion music video imagery is related to Peter Pan
Lyrics connect to wanting to live like the lost boys in Peter Pan but Halateez may be taking them over
Wave is the realistic aspects of their adventure and focuses on the idea that is it important to overcome hardships by confronting them
Hakuna matata = don't worry about the hardships they are facing because they can tackle anything together
15Kim's take on things:
My Takeaways
Ateez has gotten lost on their way to their treasure either by an illusion or dream
They can't find the right direction because of Halateez
Are Halateez showing up in Ateez's dreams?
Wave and Illusion are connected and wave is the boys getting away from the the illusion and encountering the truth
FixOn8's Theory:
My Takeaways
Illusion is playful and deceiving.
The whole Illusion MV is a dream and them entering a tunnel means you are about to solve a problem in your daily life or enter a new phase
Seonghwa wakes up first because he is the oldest and needs to lead his brothers
FixOn8 made a part 2 to her theory video where she looked at the first three albums again for secret messages. Here is a link to that video. My main takeaway from that video that relates to Illusion is when she talked about Yeosang. Here is what she said:
Hints From the Making of Video: Illusion
At the set with the flowers and light sticks: Yunho is asked what the killing point is for the MV and he says, “Well…probably, when we enter to the unknown world. These illusions like we’re entering into the unknown world?! Like entering to a fantastical utopia.” Later San and Yeosang join him. Yeosang says, “ I was locked in a glass box in Say My Name, right? I feel like escaping from there! I’m experiencing a new world from now! I’m like refreshing.”
At the set with the chalkboard, they call it, “the meeting room": Hongjoong says, “The scene Ateez is filming now, we’re about to find a treasure! But how? To where? It’s the scene which we’re going a step forward through the meeting! This map is! You have to watch in detail! There is a secret in it and were is the way which Ateez had to go forward. Shhhh!”
I cannot tell you how long I spent looking at this map!! I also went back and traced where all of the added red writing was as the music video continued.
What I finally landed on was this:
I decided it is reminiscent of the anarchist A, noted it was next to a pirate flag, and I MOVED ON!
Ok, back to the Hints From the Making of Video: Illusion
At the set for the deck of the ship: Seonghwa said, “This scene has the most important secret in it so I can’t tell anything.” (He was holding the spyglass btw when he said that. I don’t know if that matters, but since he wouldn’t say what he was doing, I’m not leaving that detail out). So of course I went back and made sure I knew what everyone was doing. Here is what they said: Yunho: "I’m watching a map and a compass"; Jongho: "I’m observing the Big Dipper" (with his telescope); Mingi: "I slept"; Yeosang: "I’m in charge of the most important role! Finding our treasure. I’m in charge of exploration! As you see me, Seonghwa is holding a telescope which can’t zoom in! Mine is a double telescope (holds up his binoculars) I’m looking for the treasure and watching a long sight with this telescope! In some way I’m the most important role in this music video"; Wooyoung said he and San were taking about what to eat the next day. Then they showed a shot of Seonghwa looking at Woosan with his telescope (they then talked about him wanting to join Woosan so I don’t think this has anything to do with lore and more to do with FOMO).
Hongjoong finished the making of video with this, “I’m this MV of Illusion, Ateez who becomes one through Pirate King and Say My Name is going forward to a new place and explore an unknown world and it puts the progress of being everything to each other. So as you can see, it’s a bit different with the previous music videos there are colorful backgrounds as well.”
Hints From the Making of Video: Wave
Hongjoong says about his individual scene, “I act like I am lying on the road and waking up” then Seonghwa says, “Don’t give meaning to that!” Hongjoong continues, “No! I have a very special prop! Only for me. I wake up after I see a compass. I wake up holding a compass. I go here as I follow the direction!” He even shows the camera the compass!!! I have seen this MV so many times and NEVER noticed a FREAKING COMPASS IN HIS HAND!!!
Now let's watch the music videos and see if we can find all of the cool little clues they dropped.
Final Thoughts
Illusion put our anarchist pirates into a dream where they think they are continuing their search for their treasure. It has "layer 1" references to Peter Pan. With the addition of FixOn8's theories and Yunho and Yeosang's comments from the making of video, I am beginning to think their treasure might be Utopia/a New World which would make sense becuase anarchists reject the current governmental system. They are trapped in this dream/illusion with either their subconscious or Halateez themselves begging to be set free from it ("layer 2 reference"). They awaken to their reality of Wave where Hongjoong has a compass to guide them through their trials and they know that even though it will be hard, they won't need to worry becuase they have eachother to lean on.
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