One Day at a Time: 1 Stage to Rule Them All

Welcome to our One Day at a Time series in which we count down to ATEEZ's fifth anniversary! As part of our special giveaway event, you can comment on each post for an additional entry into the giveaway being held on Instagram. If you want your comment to count as an entry, make sure to include your Instagram username in your comment.

When we first sat down to discuss ATEEZ's best stage for this post, there was nothing to discuss. We unanimously agreed: 2021's Gayo Daejeon. It was, perhaps, the shortest discussion we've ever had.

This stage starts with 'Deja Vu', goes to an incredible dance break, and then transitions into 'The Real'. The modern hanbok styling and excellent clown material in the graphics just push an already incredible stage into god-tier perfection.

In an attempt to break down the stage, we've identified our favorite parts for every member, but when every moment is the best, it proved near impossible.

hongjoong

There are two Hongjoong fancams that most Hongjoong stans agree are THE Hongjoong fancams, and this one with his fan dance is one of them (the other one is 'Wave', and everybody already knows which 'Wave' fancam I'm talking about).

His facial expressions are so great, and so perfect. Like who knew someone could do so much with their eyebrows behind a fan? But even when he throws that fan aside, he kills the rest of this dance break, totally in character the whole time. Just incredible.

seonghwa

This may be my favorite Seonghwa styling basically ever, but that's not the point. The point is that the whole dance break was custom made for the demon line to show off. But in order to highlight a different part, let me talk about his acting toward the end of Deja Vu.

Or rather, let Seonghwa's acting speak for itself.

yunho

Have I already mentioned the best dance break to ever dance break? Right. Well, Yunho also does exceptionally well there, and one of my all time favorite Yunho moments is any time he delivers that one line in 'The Real' (you know which line). But also, Deja Vu Yunho has my heart.

His center part, and the way he covers his eyes during the hip dance is all just... Very Good.

yeosang

I will stop mentioning the dance break because every member is so good in the dance break, you should just consider the dance break one large asterisks to this whole write up. I have always felt like Deja Vu Yeosang was a Revelation, so I am obviously choosing a moment from Deja Vu.

His deep voice and sharp movements are so, so satisfying in the beginning part of this song, and the fake out ab reveal is also fun.

san

Actual crimes were committed by the camera man when he zoomed out while San was center in the dance break. But don't worry--you can see it in his fancam.

Another stand-out moment comes at the end where he mouths the words to Mingi's rap, and then later when he's like lying on the floor hyping up the dance break members? What if all the moments are stand out moments?

mingi

I maintain that this is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Coincidentally, this gray wolf hair is one of my favorite hairs for Mingi, and also Fever Pt.3 and Epilogue were literally perfect albums. Anyways.

For Mingi, I'm choosing his The Real rap because after he finishes he does this really incredible shoulder roll thing before he starts dancing, and then he just looks like he's having so much fun. He totally just turns his back to the camera and just starts dancing with the back up dancers, and then he has part of the dance break at the end. So really, his rap until the very end of the stage.

woooyoung

This is my last dance break related choice. But. I have to bring it up here. This style of dancing (and honestly all of Deja Vu too) are just so suited to Wooyoung's style. He looks so fluid and natural, and he has this bit of flair right before the dance break really gets going where he smells his wrist, and it is actually perfect.

And then he just continues to have these amazing facial expressions for the rest of his center time in the dance break, and then, incredibly, he goes on to look amazing for the rest of the video because that's just what Wooyoung does.

jongho

Ah, Jongho. We both agree that our favorite Jongho moment is the part where he wears the headband, which is in fact every Jongho moment. But I, personally, am a sucker for Jongho's high notes and I ascend every single time he does them.

What I love most about this video is that you can see him prepare himself to do the high note, and how he takes both of his in ears out. Honestly, incredible. Life altering. A hero.

Anyways.

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How great do you think ATEEZ are? Which ATEEZ stage do you think is the one to rule them all? Let us know!