An Introduction to the
ATEEZ Universe
THIS IS AN ABANDONED WORK AND WILL NOT BE UP TO DATE. FOR AN UPDATED CARRD, PLEASE REFER TO THIS ONE. THANK YOU.
The purpose of this book is to offer a better understanding of the universe (universes, really) and elements that make up ATEEZ's storyline and storyworld. Everything is stated as objectively as possible unless specified.
As a personal note, I would like to ask of anyone who makes theories about the ATEEZ universe to at least read the Diary booklets, and to not base everything around surface Google searches.
For any further inquiries please refer to @tropicaIboyz (capital i) on Twitter, wormus#9072 on Discord or send a CuriousCat.
This is a work under constant construction.
*Note: if I have you blocked, it's because I mass block. Please send me a CC if you'd like me to unblock you. Thank you.
A to Z of the ATEEZverse
This page is a glossary for elements that appear throughout ATEEZ's contents and hold importance in their story. It is under constant construction. If you would like to suggest any words and/or definitions, please do not hesitate to do so.
Android guardians - Artificial intelligence powered by the central government of the HALATEEZ world, their purpose is to capture HALATEEZ and the Cromer. An empty gallery serves as their bunker on a faraway island. Appearances in: Answer MV, Fireworks MV, Answer Kingdom performance. They are sometimes referred to as "the white-clad giants" (or colloquially as the men in white).
ATEEZ - See Main Pillars page.
Bobo - San's friend. Mentioned a few times throughout the Diary booklets, and has been saved by Wooyoung from falling off a cliff.
Butterfly -
Crescent - Phase of the moon that allows the user of the Cromer to send messages through dreams.
Cromer - See Main Pillars page.
Deja Vu - The uncanny feeling that you have already experienced something, even if you never have. This can happen because you have indeed experienced it, and have memories of the event, but can't manage to recall them.
Desire* -
Desert* -
Diary* -
Dimensions - In the context of ATEEZ's world, the universe is divided into many dimensions. An event has caused ATEEZ's dimensions to split into eight.
Dream(s) - They are a common element throughout ATEEZ's content. They can be used to communicate.
Drone(s) -
Fever* -
Full moon - Phase of the moon that allows the user of the Cromer to move between dimensions.
Freedom* -
Grimes Siblings - A boy and a girl that help ATEEZ in the HALATEEZ world. See the Diary booklets.
HALA HALA - Hearts Awakened, Live Alive.
HALATEEZ - See Main Pillars page.
Illusion -
Inception - From the 2010 movie directed and produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, the concept of 'inception' consists of planting an idea in the deepest part of one's subconscious, so that the individual believes the idea is their own and not someone else's. This is possible in the movie's world where technology to acess and share dreams exists, so to perform inception one has to enter a dream within a dream within a dream.
Jack Sparrow - Character from The Pirates of the Caribbean that is referenced in Mingi's rap in Wonderland.
Left Eye - Manager of the Strictland. He is allegedly the only one that knows the location of the Androids' bunker.
Mirror(s) -
Mobius Strip - A single strip that creates a paradox by being a 2D object that exists in our 3D world. It is commonly used in theories about time travel or paralel timelines, and is mentioned a few times in ATEEZ's lyrics, mostly in the sense of being eternal or infinite.
Moon - Important symbol in ATEEZ's universe.
Peter Pan - Character mentioned by Hongjoong in Woderland and Eternal Sunshine, and whose world is a big influence in the Illusion MV. He is often referenced in the context of eternal youth.
Pirates* -
Plum blossom - Important symbol in ATEEZ's universe. It has appeared several times throughout their content (eg: poster teasers, San's solo performace in Kingdom.) No official or obvious meaning has been released, but it is a common symbol for life and its transitions.
Stars* -
Strictland - Area of the HALTEEZ world. It's described as a dumpster. Toxic yellow smoke fills it, and it's said to cause hallucinations.
Utopia - ATEEZ’s idea of home, what they wish to achieve. It is referenced several times throughout their lyrics, be it directly or through metaphors.
*There are certain words that lack a definition. This is because they are important symbols that appear in their content, but it's still hard to give a concrete meaning to them without it being subjective.
Dear Diary: The Fever Chronicles
The Dear Diary collection consists of different contents released by ATEEZ which explain the experiences of the characters in the story in depth. They are the first thing one should refer to if they want to learn about the ins and outs of the world-building and characters' personalities.
(*Also included: Dear Diary : 2016.07.29 which introduces both the ZERO: Fever Part.1 album and the ZERO: Fever series itself, found on streaming platforms.)
(**If you cannot read the pages upon clicking them, you can open them in a new tab or download them.)
DIARY FILM
DIARY BOOKLET - FEVER PART 1
DIARY BOOKLET - FEVER PART 2
DIARY BOOKLET - FEVER PART 3
External Sources Of Information
This page will compile different sources of information, from confirmed statements to performances with symbols up to interpretation. It will be updated as new content is released.
MUSIC VIDEOS
FEVER ROAD (playlist + transcripts)
M COUNTDOWN (answer + fireworks + dejavu)
THE FELLOWSHIP (VCR + crescent)
KINGDOM PERFORMANCES
LYRICS (title tracks + bsides important to the story)
UN*CON (wonderland + answer)
KCON (opening)
THE FACT MUSIC AWARDS (fireworks + eternal sunshine + deja vu)
Things discussed in the fever pt. 2 showcase
Personal comments &
Common interpretations
This page will compile common interpretations of certain symbols, characters, performances, etcetera, as well as my own thoughts. These are not confimed things so please take them with a grain of salt, and have fun coming up with your own things!
This page is under construction.
ZERO: Fever Part 2 Showcase Discussion
In this comebacks showcase, ATEEZ had a segment where they brought out pictures and answered questions about their world. Everything is a literal statement unless it is in parenthesis.
What is the universe that this album tries to tell?
This album explicitly expresses the story of our universe. We keep telling you that this [Fever series] is a prequel of Treasure. In this you'll get to see who ATEEZ and the black fedora guys are.
What is the universe of the MV?
(The place with the train is their underground bunker. There are many scenes with it in the MV.)
ATEEZ is getting ready to go to the outside world.
(The place where Hongjoong meets HALATEEZ Hongjoong in the Diary film has a very important meaning.)
How are the frame in the teaser and the one in Say My Name related? (Attached below.)
Fever series is Treasure series' prequel. The tree in Say My Name is the frame in the world of HALATEEZ.
Who are the men in black fedoras?
The men in fedoras, in some way, they are very strong. In some way, they are anarchists.
[No question, just the picture of the puzzle about the Cromer from fever road attached below.]
The Cromer has a very significant meaning and ability. It allows you to transport between dimensions and to teleport. If we track the cycle in which the Cromer interlocks with the moon phases you can analyze that there will be another item that interlocks with the sun.
(This statement isn't a confirmation, just a hypothesis. They aren't saying it's a thing, but they are implying it could exist.)
What is the logo in Hongjoong's teaser which was released like a guerilla? (Attached below.)
The clues are in the lyrics of Say My Name and The Leaders. Hongjoong is the leader of ATEEZ and the captain of HALATEEZ.
(The symbol on Hongjoong's arm band symbolizes the captain, meaning he is the captain when he has it on.)
The Main Pillars of The ATEEZverse
As complex and interweaving as their worldview may seem, everything can be simplified to the barest of elements. By stripping away all the complementary aspects, it's obvious to even the most untrained, uninformed eye that the ATEEZ world lies upon two main pillars: the different versions of ATEEZ, and the Cromer.
This page will expand upon our main characters, the properties of the Cromer, and a sprinkle of world-building.
ATEEZ
They are a group of friends who came together through their love for music, as well as their need to escape hard and unfortunate circumstances in their own lives. Everyone has a unique experience- as shown in the Diary booklet from ZERO: Fever Part 1- and it can be noted that some aspects in their stories are a reflection of ATEEZ's real life experiences.
Through unspecified circumstances (though it can be interpreted as a buildup of pent-up tension among them, misunderstandings mixing with reality not living up to the life without worries they expected), they all part ways.
Hongjoong, who has already had to leave his family behind once, does not want to be separated from his new-found family, and tries to gather his friends again.
THE CROMER
The Cromer is the hourglass that appears throughout ATEEZ's contents. Its function changes according to the phases of the moon: when the crescent moon rises, it can deliver messages through dreams; when the full moon rises, it can move dimensions. HALATEEZ also used it to teleport and run away from the government.
This appears to be an important symbol in their world, as in the Answer performance in Kingdom there are tapestries with hourglass symbols on them, seemingly part of a government building. There are also many other hourglass inspired symbols throughout ATEEZ's content, some having certain variations. Some examples are:
HALATEEZ
Also known as 'The Black Pirates', they are an anarchist rebel group. The government of their world labels them as a terrorist group, while most citizens see them as their saviors. They are seen throughout ATEEZ's music videos wearing all-black gear, leather masks and fedoras with chains dangling off them being the main point of attraction.
According to the Grimes Siblings, their group appeared suddenly and started singing and performing in public areas and with that, stimulating others' emotions. Like this, they began gaining supporters. However, they were captured by the new Android Guardians sent by the government.
WORLD-BUILDING
The ATEEZ world (shown through the Diary Film) is seemingly set in the same as ours, as can be interpreted through context. Nothing outside of the characters' own lives is ever particularly elaborated on.
The HALATEEZ world (described in the diary booklets) is set in a futuristic utopian society. The events shown happen after their fourth industrial revolution, and the new technology and ways of living have expanded the human lifespan up to 200 years. The central government started using artificial intelligence to rule.
The purpose of this AI is to be able to remove all unpredictable variants and create a perfect society. However, for this to properly work it's necessary to regulate human emotions somehow, since these are the most unpredictable aspect. So, to solve this, the government has started a new market based on energy extraction. The AI analyzes each individual's energy and stabilizes it. They have also banned all kinds of art, as they promote the expression of the self and emotions.
According to the Grimes Siblings, the central government grew under their strong policy because their ways brought in a growth in riches and goods (implying this was a gradual process; all information about the government's structure can help give us an idea of the size of their world). Due to this, society has become frigid and based on logic and practicality.