Battle of the B-Sides: ATEEZ: Utopia

 I wanted my last "normal" (ish) post of the year to be a Battle of the B-Sides, before I start hitting the December wrap-up and the year recap hard, to be appropriate for going into the new year. There were a couple of things I was thinking about for it. For my last Greatest Hits of 2025, I did a big hitter in the form of IVE from The Form and that had me thinking about this last post. Do I do one of my top three groups? Do I do an old group? Do I match it in energy? Do I soften it a bit? Higher energy? Do I do a more obscure group or do I do one of the big hitters? Do I grab something from The Form as well, or do I do something that I pick? The answer to all of these questions: my drafts. I've got twenty-four of these things in my drafts, ten of which are Battle of the B-Sides posts waiting for me to actually do them. So, those went into the wheel. What came out was a fourth gen boy group, because I have a couple of those drafts that are simply designations to narrow things down, and that is a good choice because it provides a nice little bit of symmetry, both to IVE and to the first post I did for 2025, which was "To My Boyfriend" by Fin.K.L. It's a good contrast while also being something of a complimentary post. All that was left was to pick the group and the song. 

Utopia comes out of their 2019 mini album, TREASURE EP.3: One To All (which funnily enough is the album whose title track got them their first win!) as the first track. Like many of ATEEZ's tracks, we have Hongjoong and Mingi writing their raps and possibly something else. Eden, producer of most if not all of xikers's and ATEEZ's songs as well as my favorite BTOB song and one of their most loved songs (which tracks because he and Hyunsik are friends), IZ*ONE, Woodz, Heize, and Lim Seul Ong, is predictably on the writer list. Buddy is, again, a major ATEEZ and xikers player, but I'm personally intrigued by Dreamcatcher in his credits list. and Eden's own songs. Leez is another major ATEEZ and xikers player, with quite a bit of Dreamcatcher as well, but also KARD, Tempest, Lovelyz, Golden Child, 8TURN, ifeye, UNB, N.Flying BTOB, A.C.E, Kim Wooseok, Favorite, and TRENDZ. I'm naming so many of Leez's because I started being curious about exactly how many of Dreamcatcher's songs he had his fingers in and kept getting distracted by all the other names I recognized (some of those songs, like UNB's? I absolutely love them).

This is such a pretty song. Also, you know that meme? Here's the first part. The other half is the beginning of Ring Ding Dong by SHINee, and no, I also hear "Baby" sometimes when this song ends. If a music show, like an end of year awards show, ever wanted to do something really, really funny...

It's also almost a four minute song, so I'm all about that. I saw a comment in the last couple of days on Threads from someone who didn't think that Mingi's voice fits well with the rest of the group. And I will say that yes, his voice has a very specific tone and texture that makes him stand out from the rest of the group (I made a joke during their concert to my friend that he's almost always at 100%, which is both charming and easily identifiable). However, with how high so many of their songs tend to be because the members have incredible ranges (see also: Dune), having a member who is so consistently gritty helps keep the songs grounded. Especially when you've got members who are sirens and can sing notes higher than Yunho is tall like here with Utopia, you need a stabilizing element. Enter: Mingi. And this originally recorded version doesn't even have his lovely, low, settled voice yet.

Which is why, as much as I love this original version because it's beyond incredible and inspired, we're going to be focusing on a different released version because his voice does some fun things when we hear another released version of this song about five months later.

This song is a little bit interesting, because it's obviously a b-side for a Korean mini album, but it's got a Japanese music video, because this is ATEEZ. The good news about this is that if anyone wants to know who sings what part, this is a pretty definitive way to see who is singing what part. 

And Jongho only gets two of the "Whoa" parts there at the end (which is where we get the meme trend). The rest of them are Seonghwa. That lovely, siren is almost all Seonghwa and it's fantastic how the choreography lets him tip his head back and just do his thing. You want to talk about duality? Seonghwa is Exhibit A. ATEEZ's demon line and he can sing like that? And he's hitting that pitch so perfectly that the note is practically floating in the air. I cannot praise him enough here.

And the lyrics? This is why this is their OG comfort song. It doesn't matter if perfection isn't real. If it's in your dreams, you can still chase and find it. 

Going back to Mingi for a second, our big rapper boy has a spot where he's actually singing, and if you're not paying attention, you might not realize that it's him with that part, but with his voice a little lower and grittier, the song just has so much more oomph. No longer is it just a pretty song; instead it has power to support those soaring highs now because the base is deeper. This is why Mingi is important, even when he's remarkably consistent most of the time, but this song also proves that he's got range just like the vocalists do.

Three years later, for The Show's 300th episode, ATEEZ performed it. And I feel like I'm legally obligated, though fully enthusiastically, required to talk about Jongho here. I'll try to minimize the amount of full-blown fangirling I do for him, but it's going to be difficult because his vibrato makes me want to cry from how prominent it is, and from that quick transition down from his high notes down to the notes for the bridge, that honestly is the only evidence I need for how much of a master of the craft this man is, and he just keeps getting better. There is no restraining that vibrato. 

Also, Mingi's eyebrow and his little grin? There's a reason why he's almost in the bias wrecker line for me. He's a menace. 

Hold up. How many songs does Yunho open? Not that I'm complaining because I love that man, but now I'm actually curious about that. That can be something for later. 

I think it's a little bit unfair how drop dead gorgeous Yeosang and Wooyoung have become. That's not fair how much of a glow-up they've had, and it's not like they started off unattractive. Bouncy-era was such a good time for them though. They're so pretty. They've got incredible vocal talent and dance skill, but also the glow-up has been incredible for them as well.

There's something else that I need to give attention to: Choi San and Choi Jongho's center frame duet together. So much talent in one spot.

One last thing, before we move on. It'll be quick. Umm, who barked? I'd blame Mingi but his mic wasn't near his mouth.

Seonghwa's visuals here are phenomenal. Yes, this was a song that I took out the earplugs I bought specifically because of ATEEZ and this concert, so I've heard that with my own two unfiltered ears. It is legitimately clearer than the night sky out in the country and his voice is versatile enough that he, like Hongjoong, can be put in just about any position and excel. But he's also so pretty. I'm glad he's the thumbnail so that you can see how unbelievably pretty he is right off the bat. That hairstyle looks so good on him too. Kudos to the stylist.

Also, kudos to Hongjoong's stylist because that hat on him looks adorable. Perfect for an encore.

Also, San? Between his voice and his visuals, I could almost be in love. I haven't mentioned his vibrato yet, mostly because I was waiting for this video which really shows it off, but his vibrato is so pretty. And when he and Jongho go back to back? It's fascinating because the difference in voice styles lends such a delicious richness to the song that if we ever got them paired up in a duet, I'd be so happy. It's so clean.

The general harmonizing in this performance also opens the song up so well by providing colorful layers to it. 

Theoretically, that should put you right into Utopia, but if it doesn't, you're looking for 15:26. I mean, just generally, I love their Killing Voice (again, do you hear their vibratos?), but you can hear their harmonizing so cleanly and so clearly here. It's at least a four part harmony, which brings me so much joy I can't quite express it. 

Also, there's another bark in there. That one could be Mingi.

But, yeah. Enjoy the unbridled beauty of ATEEZ's "Utopia" on Killing Voice. And I will see you all next year! (Which is tomorrow!)

Thanks everyone for reading! I hope you enjoyed the performances. If you have a song you'd like to recommend for me to do as either a GH or BBS post, drop it in a comment or a message or you can always use The Form. 

You're lovely!