There are K-Pop fans across the globe who share the same passion. But on online platforms, it is hard to know about each other’ stories and K-Pop life. Even if we are in the same fandom, it is hard to get to know each other. So at Kpopmap, we started the Kpopmap Fan Interview Project to get to know more about K-Pop fans from different countries: more about their K-Pop life and tastes and to give them the opportunity to share with our readers about their favorite group(s) and bias. Sara from Italy is the next fan to answer our questions. She is a fan of ATEEZ and more particularly of SeongHwa! Check out how she entered the fandom, the songs and content she advises to new fans, and much more! Can you introduce yourself? Where are you from? Hello, my name is Sara and I’m a 22 year old student from Italy. How and when did you enter the fandom? I entered the fandom back in 2018, shortly after ATEEZ came to Milan on their “Expedition Tour”. A couple of funny compilation videos popped up on my YouTube homepage along with their debut Music Videos. After I started watching one, I just couldn’t stop myself from getting hooked. What are the reasons why you love your favorite group? Just like their name says, they have everything one would want in a group, from A to Z! Their music is amazing, always on point, so well thought out and executed. And the fact that every single song ties perfectly with their spectacular storyline just makes it that much better. ATEEZ’s music never gets boring! You could spend hours picking the lyrics apart to connect them to their music videos and figuring their lore out. That fascinates me so much. And, how could I not mention their incredible performances? When they stand on stage, they make sure your eyes stay fixed on them (pun intended ahah). They just own the scene, there’s no other way to explain it. And, of course, they’re such kind and humble people. What makes me love ATEEZ is ATEEZ themselves. Who caught your attention at first and why? For me, it most likely was HongJoong or San. HongJoong is just so charismatic, I’ve never seen someone like him. Either off or on stage, he always leaves an impression. San, on the other hand, has been defined as the member which pulls in new fans. He’s just so well-rounded in his performance and his visuals are surely one of the most captivating. Who is your bias, and why? After years of struggling, I came to the conclusion that SeongHwa is my ultimate bias. He’s the sweetest and most caring person, both to his members and ATINYs. He’s always posting pictures on social media to keep us updated, he writes the longest and most heartfelt letters, he’s always so honest with us and he really makes you feel safe and valued. He always says that we’re stars, that we shine bright just as we are and that, in our lives, he wants to be the pitch black universe that makes us shine brighter. Can you recommend a title track and a B-side track for new fans? I would probably recommend ‘Wonderland’ from their “TREASURE Ep.Fin: ALL TO ACTION”, as a title track that shows ATEEZ’s power, vocal, rap and dance skills. For the B-side, I would recommend ‘Rocky’, from their “FEVER pt.3” album. It was written and composed by HongJoong, it has a rock feeling to it that makes ATINY go crazy during the live performances and I think it really shows ATEEZ’s genre versatility. Can you recommend a fancam, V Live, cover video, cover dance, or individual content video of your bias to our readers? I would recommend watching SeongHwa’s ‘Deja Vu’ facecam, as you can really focus not only on his performance and dance skills, but also on his insane stage presence and his acting. It’s something you can notice about all the ATEEZ members really, but when they perform they completely transform in the character the song tells them to be. It’s seriously so impressive. And, since ATEEZ actually has individual content for all its members, I would definitely recommend watching “MARS ASMR” to get a taste of SeongHwa’s endearing personality. Can you also do the same type of recommendation for the group? I would recommend watching their “KINGDOM: LEGENDARY WAR” stages and the ‘Behind The Scenes’ of those performances. Despite it being draining, the show was an opportunity for ATEEZ to showcase their ideas and performance skills to the fullest. Also, watching the ‘Behind The Scenes’ will give you an idea of just how hard ATEEZ works and it also shows their group dynamics very well. Can you share with us one of your favorite lyrics? One of my favorite lyrics is from their song ‘Turbulence’, it’s SeongHwa’s verse that says “It’s okay to be here just as we are, just like now, tonight”. ‘Turbulence’ talks about being young and feeling lost. It’s a song that was of great comfort to ATEEZ themselves and that they recommend as the song ATINYs can listen to when they feel lonely or discouraged. Are there any words from the members you would like to share? “Your first priority should be yourself and not ATEEZ. Loving yourself is important and I hope you can lean on ATEEZ whenever you’re in a dark place. I just hope ATEEZ never makes you feel hurt” - San. What is your favorite group/bias’ influence on your daily life? ATEEZ makes me happy. If I’m having a bad day, I just have to listen to their songs or watch some of their videos to instantly feel better. They also inspire me to become a better version of myself every day, to be kinder to the people around me and to never give up on my dreams. They always demonstrate to me that nothing is impossible with determination and hard work, so I think they’re why I’m able to push forward without feeling discouraged. What is your favorite side of fangirling/fanboying? My favorite side of being a fangirl is that I learned how to give love without asking for anything in return. It made me understand that happiness can come from the smallest things. Do you feel there are any misunderstandings, things that are not well known, or any prejudices about your favorite group from other fans (non-fans)? More than misunderstood, I think ATEEZ are kind of overlooked within the K-Pop community, especially on stan Twitter. Their music is said to be “noise music” and to sound all the same, when in reality if only other fans took their time to actually listen to their albums, they would find out that ATEEZ are incredibly versatile, going from dance/electronic songs like ‘To The Beat’ and ‘Horizon’, to ballads like ‘Star 1117’ and ‘Be With You’. I think everyone can find music of their taste within ATEEZ’s discography. Sara’s message to SeongHwa: SeongHwa, thank you for making my days brighter. I hope you’re taking care of yourself, eating well and sleeping enough. I am so proud to call you my idol and I know you take pride in working hard for ATEEZ and for ATINY, but always put your health first. Let’s be healthy and let’s walk together for a long time. I love you to the stars and back. Thank you for answering our questions, Sara. If you are interested in joining Kpopmap Fan Interview Project, please get in touch with us at [email protected] Everyone is welcome to participate.
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