You can find all of our “Bias Duality” articles in one place by clicking here! This week’s “Bias Duality” article is dedicated to an artist who embodies an angelic charm with devilish allure: ATEEZ’s HongJoong. With 42.9% of the total votes cast by Kpopmap readers on the poll in our previous “Bias Duality” article, HongJoong was chosen by a vast majority of fans to appear on this series!
To participate in choosing the artist who will be featured in our next “Bias Duality” article, you can vote for your favourite idol/actor below! If you would like to see a different idol/actor (one who is not mentioned in the poll) featured in the series, please leave their name in the comments section, and we will add them to the vote lineup next time!
Now onto our bias!
Leading To Win: ATEEZ’s HongJoong
If there’s one thing that comes to mind when speaking of HongJoong, it is the image of a Captain. ATEEZ’s leader, rapper, composer, singer, producer and artist, HongJoong is a wonder boy, a prodigy, and a champion of educated altruism. He does all this while honing his personal musicality and constructing one of the biggest 4th generation K-Pop groups in the world. Describing the essence of an individual as talented, versatile, conscientious and wholesome as Kim HongJoong will always be a chimera. Yet, we shall attempt to shine the light on the flawless duality he holds, in more spheres than one.
Perhaps the key to understanding HongJoong’s artistic ideology lies in his name. “HongJoong” means to be the centre of the whole wide world. From a very young age, HongJoong was determined to pursue music and gravitated towards it quite naturally. By the time he entered high school, he was already making music and at only 23 years old, he stands proud at the centre of the Korean music scene, representing a whole new generation that will come to define the future of K-Pop. To reach this point, HongJoong might have had to let go of the typical pleasures of youth but he continued to persevere without reservations because he found happiness in self-expression through art, fully aware of his responsibility as an artist with influence.
HongJoong isn’t just a musician and that was never all he wanted to be. His goal has always been revolutionary on a global scale. HongJoong is an empowering wind of change who dares to spark a dialogue about the contemporary world through his music, encourages discourse about social issues, and inspires millions to chase their dreams. He recognizes the significance of such action and has even stated that this is something only the current generation can do. If that’s not an idol, a role model in the truest sense of the word, we don’t know what is. Not only does HongJoong live up to his name but he also acknowledges the responsibility of his position and fulfills it with pride. From the strong messages of social justice and equality in his work to defying gender norms, being an active advocate of the Polished Man campaign, openly supporting his queer audience, and educating himself on issues of cultural sensitivity, HongJoong leaves no stone unturned in his duties as a public figure.
When it comes to HongJoong’s personality, his duality manifests itself most clearly around his members. As the leader, he is calm, attentive, reliable, wise and motivating. He yields easily, is affectionate, and shows constant gratitude and appreciation towards his members. At the same time, he is also strict, knows how to instill discipline, ensures solid communication among members, and creates an environment that is conducive to growth, both personal and musical. HongJoong is the Dad friend who is always aware of his members’ condition and would do anything for them but you’ll also find him acting like the adorable maknae, exploding with aegyo and happy to receive love and affection from his members, producer hyungs, and ATINY. SeongHwa once mentioned that because HongJoong is always taking care of ATEEZ, he often forgets to do the same for himself. That is where SeongHwa steps in and HongJoong genuinely admires that. He is vulnerable yet strong, flexible yet resolute and it is this duality that makes him such an interesting person.
Carving A Sonic Identity: Duality In Creation
Soon after his debut with ATEEZ, HongJoong actively participated in songwriting, composition, and production, making sure to be involved with every bit of ATEEZ’s creative process. The idol has co-written over 40 songs for ATEEZ and has composition/arrangement credits to his name too. His keen understanding of ATEEZ’s worldview and purpose translates wonderfully into their music, which is one of the major reasons why ATEEZ has been able to distinguish themselves for their unique colour. There’s a very specific flavour to ATEEZ’s music that is not only inimitable but also unbeatable. The cinematic universe of the group extends beyond just the music videos and permeates into the lyrics, bringing together a world of its own. Creating such a coherent narrative through distinct songs of myriad genres is a feat in and of itself and one that HongJoong has mastered to perfection. The duality that forms the foundation of ATEEZ’s lore and HongJoong’s character in the same is thus amply reflected in his own composition and vice versa. Four songs that perfectly illustrate this duality and versatility are ‘From’, ‘Celebrate’, ‘Good Lil Boy’, and ‘Draw & Draw’. Of these, ‘From’ came into being when ATEEZ was still KQ Fellaz. The members were instructed by the leader to write a letter to their loved ones and the lyrics for the song ‘From’ would be taken from those very letters. HongJoong chose to write to his members and opened up about how much they mean to him. The song was then written, composed, and arranged by him and it soon became emblematic of ATEEZ’s journey. In terms of genre, ‘From’ is an EDM/pop-rap track that hints at the future sound of the group but also holds its own. Once again, written, composed, and arranged by HongJoong, ‘Celebrate’ is more than just a song dedicated to ATINY. It is an ode to love, to humanity, and to the oneness of the world. It celebrates uniqueness and individuality just as much as it does the power of unity and compassion for each other. The lyrics are masterfully written with conviction and mindfulness and the choir-esque delivery makes it even more impactful. HongJoong opts for a gospel-inspired sound for this song, highlighting the vocal range of each member. He knows exactly how to make their strengths shine while retaining a signature musical aesthetic and that’s where HongJoong’s brilliance comes out to play. With ‘Good Lil Boy’, HongJoong takes a bold step into a whole new direction but he is still aligned to ATEEZ’s sonic map. He incorporates more hard-hitting drums and bass, pushing his message of resistance against the system with confidence. He switches between gentle acoustics and powerful hip-hop, creating an unbelievably addictive mix. Without a doubt, this song solidifies the group’s position as the representative voice of the youth. Finally, ‘Draw & Draw’, HongJoong’s exclusive entirely self-made track for Baverse, is a lo-fi, neo-R&B track inspired by the film “Midnight In Paris”. It is a far cry from ATEEZ’s usual style but gives us a glimpse into HongJoong’s personal musicality. It is calm, soothing, and meditative, meant to evoke a similar feeling as when you draw. It is a love song dedicated to art dedicated to love. Now, that’s what we call creative genius.
Revolutionizing A Voice - HongJoong’s Vocal Duality
From spending months in training alone to becoming one of the most recognizable voices in the music industry, HongJoong has come a long way and every step of it was taken with ardour, sincerity, and passion. His rap voice is distinctly unique but he never sticks to the same flow. From playing with words off the beat to switching up his style mid-verse, HongJoong imbues his rap with innovation, novelty, and excitement. It is virtually impossible to predict his take on a song before we hear the whole thing even if it’s a cover! He has a penchant for keeping us on our toes and we love to see it. At the same time, HongJoong’s singing voice has a certain gritty clarity that is not only impressive but also wonderfully suits genres like rock and even nu-metal! The man’s range is beyond our comprehension and we see new extensions of it with every release.
Perhaps some of the best examples of this vocal duality are HongJoong’s iconic covers of Linkin Park’s ‘Numb’, Michael Jackson’s ‘Black Or White’, and Fools Garden’s ‘Lemon Tree’ from his YouTube series “BY. HONGJOONG”. What makes these covers so outstanding is the way he reinvents the original songs, reforming the genres and pitch and most importantly, adding his own verses. He picks legendary artists and challenging songs but can effortlessly make them his own. In the case of ‘Numb’, HongJoong gives it an ATEEZ twist, incorporating elements that are characteristic of the group’s sound: EDM, techno, and trap. As he gets into the song, he upholds the nerve of the original, doing justice to the metal roots but soon comes in with his verse, guns ablaze. He transforms the soundscape into his own territory, blending seamlessly into the original with lyrics that are charged with relevance. HongJoong goes from an alt-rock vocal to a K-Hip Hop rap and he does it with panache. HongJoong’s cover of ‘Black Or White’ is exemplary of the way he uses his platform to make a difference. Once again, there are trap and electropop influences and his rap verse, as always, is elite. It reflects his social responsibility and brings awareness to causes that need our attention such as racism, discrimination, and so on and so forth. The cover is arranged in such a way that pays tribute to the original but also allows for scope to contemporize. HongJoong handles this duality with the nuance of an expert. Fools Garden’s ‘Lemon Tree’ has the glee and whimsy of a children’s song but HongJoong reconstructs it in favour of a darker, more cynical tone. However, such a change is not without logic. HongJoong focuses on the allegorical meaning of the lyrics and reshapes the genre in his own style. However, right when you’ve grown used to this new sound, he catches you off-guard with his rap, where he switches from eccentric urgency to quiet rhymes. The marching band sound comes in and he reclaims the original style, bringing us full circle. No one but HongJoong could have executed this duality with such mastery.
A World Of His Own - HongJoong’s Stage Duality
One of HongJoong’s most beloved and most powerful talents is his ability to dominate a space. When HongJoong comes on stage, you best believe there’s about to be fire. His dance skills are unparalleled but HongJoong particularly excels at facial expressions because even though he has a natural gift for artistic presentation, he polished his knack for performance until it shone brighter than the sun. The power he holds on stage is next to none but he’s also incredibly skilled at sharing the stage in a way that creates a bold and memorable picture for the viewer. One look at his fancams and you’ll realize that he is driven by detail and every move is calculated to shine the spotlight on ATEEZ as a group and also himself, as an individual. HongJoong has mastered the fine balance between the two and that is exactly what makes his stage presence so magnanimous yet never overpowering.
With ATEEZ’s wealth of concepts, HongJoong can go from a cute prince to an alluring King in no time. Blink and you’ll miss it! The way he can shift between moods as per the song he is performing is an art in and of itself. Two must-watch fancams that epitomize this stage duality are ‘Hala Hala’ and ‘The Real’. Marking a breakthrough moment for ATEEZ, ‘Hala Hala’ is undoubtedly one of the group’s biggest hits. The choreography for ‘Hala Hala’ is not just demanding, it leaves one breathless. However, for HongJoong, it is just another day as a rockstar. The passion and intensity he pours into his performance is unlike anything we’ve seen before. You just can’t take your eyes off of him! One moment, his smug aura will leave you swooning and in the next, his fiery gaze will make you want to worship him. ‘Hala Hala’ was a cultural reset and it shows. Speaking of cultural resets, HongJoong’s performance of ‘The Real’ at SBS Gayo Daejeon (20211225) will go down in history as the most enjoyable stage performance of all time. HongJoong is visibly relishing the stage, losing himself in the music and the effect it has on the audience is simply bewitching. From deadly smirks to open-mouthed smiles, confident looks of assertion to intimidating glances, HongJoong does it all with ease and we’re obsessed. After all, watching HongJoong on stage is quite literally, witnessing history being made.
Heavy is the crown that HongJoong wears but he stands tall without a sweat, confident about his position as one of the greatest artists of this generation, both in terms of K-Pop and otherwise. HongJoong makes art that matters and nothing holds the power to change the world more potently than that. We cannot wait to see what HongJoong has in store for us next. What is your favourite part about HongJoong’s duality? Tell us in the comments section down below! If you’re looking for more content about ATEEZ on Kpopmap, here are some articles you might enjoy!
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