So, I know you're technically on sabbatical and I'm assuming you didn't watch Woosan's YouTuber era preview episode. But I would love to know your thoughts since you've ruminated on the contract negotiations before and what members may or may not have been able to get from it. Like do you think Woosan walked into the conference room with a gun (/joking)? It's just so interesting that they were seemingly able to convince KQ to pay for this. Due to some Atiny sleuthing, they were able to determine that the YouTube channel had been established in early June, so before San went crazy viral with Bad. But I'm wondering if this is a way to promote him even more? Or to promote them as a unit, since (regardless of how someone views their relationship) they really do have amazing chemistry and Wooyoung is able to pull San out from his shell when they are in front of a camera. I had always wondered if Wooyoung might get a variety show one day since he is just so good at them but it wasn't necessarily on my bingo card for San to be in the mix, too. So many Atinys are wondering how they were able to make this happen and why they wanted to do it together (outside of just being besties). You're one of my favorite meta writers - so much so that I even read your meta about groups I don't follow - so I would love to hear your take on this if you have one.
Also, here is their channel for reference just in case you need it: https://youtube.com/channel/UCOPbyi0GzM0LsEG9JXJVuJA?si=VWXlNVNU2tAcvwyy
Like do you think Woosan walked into the conference room with a gun (/joking)? It's just so interesting that they were seemingly able to convince KQ to pay for this.
Um. Woosan did not have to go with a gun anywhere because Matz are about to be given guns by the Korean military. As in - Seonghwa and Hongjoong have to go to the military very soon, in the year they are 28. The year after that, the 99ers have to go, all five of them, within the same year.
Even though KQ often behaves like they don't actually know what they're doing, what I've always assumed is that they just don't care about the S. Korean market, rather than that they don't actually have the core competencies. Success on the level of Ateez doesn't just happen on the backs of the performers- at every stage, someone somewhere was doing the right thing at KQ, and they still are. Moreover, the hard stop of mandatory military enlistment was always looming, always visible, always clear, and it makes sense that they would do a launch of Matz-less content for Ateez to see what sticks well before Seonghwa and Hongjoong go on forced hiatus. And since the future is unknown, it's not clear whether the fandom will still be there when they regroup as eight, so the urgency to make hay while they can is very powerful.
As a result, I see things working in the opposite direction from you- I see the launch of this new channel and content as KQ trying to figure out a way to persuade these guys, who have now been paid up for Round 1, and, you know, aren't kids anymore by any stretch of the imagination, to make this extra content. It adds to their workday, you know? This is promotional activity that requires them to drag out their acting skills and be funny but also avoid controversy from a very nitpicky public and so on.
I really don't think Wooyoung or San had to beg for anything. i think it was the reverse.
The things that Woosan give to the "why this, why now?" question that the producers ask because the fandom will ask, are very 'official' reasons. Wooyoung is straight up lying, so he covers his mouth as he says, "Well, youtube has a lot of reach.." and San looks totally dead eyed, dead faced, as he says, "I really like making stuff," and also
"The two of us will likely be able to make a lot of really funny things."
But I'm wondering if this is a way to promote him even more? Or to promote them as a unit.
This is not purely to promote San. It's to promote Woosan as a unit, and Ateez as a whole.
MOREVER, even if it's purely to promote San, if San is mega successful, some of the shine is absolutely going to rub off on Wooyoung. This is how it always works in Kpop - you're hooked by the Intro Fairy, but that guy is not likely to become your Bias, and if the group and your engagement with them are both long running, you'll definitely end up with a Wrecker, who might in the final analysis replace your Bias. Getting them in the door is the major hurdle of any successful Kpop group.
But actually, and this is a realization I had while watching this particular content, this is a way to promote Wooyoung, because his cranky comedic persona only really works when he loves and likes the person he's in it with. In so far as he has this side of him - short tempered, given to shouting - and that he has the skills to usually pull it off (bursting into shouting from zero without looking abusive or insane is a skill) means that Wooyoung himself leans on this side of himself or he's asked to do it. But when he doesn't really truly like the person he's in the's in the 'scene' with .
In this one for example, when told that their company in essence provided a 9 episode budget for this project, Wooyoung pretends to freak out and starts pressuring San, that they can't just sit around shooting the breeze like this, before devolving into just straight up screaming San's name twice in a row. This was HILARIOUS to me, but it only works because you can tell in 99% of the rest of this episode that Wooyoung adores San, and vice versa.
So many Atinys are wondering how they were able to make this happen and why they wanted to do it together (outside of just being besties).
I've stated the business reason for KQ to have demanded that they come up with content that has nothing to do with Matz's upcoming military deployment. San gave his reason for participating as I like doing this and also The two of us are good at it. Wooyoung, in the actual content, gives an additional, and typically Wooyoung-level candid reason why it had to be the two of them that launched this Matz-in-Absentia project first:
Of course, all the Members are close -
Delivered in the same tone as "Bless her heart" when speaking of a really terrible dumbass nobody likes in the American South.
There is an intensity of personal friendship that can't be ignored.
Can't be ignored as in, Wooyoung managed to insist that KQ not ignore it and not force him to act against his personal preferences for some members over others any further.
I'm personally very excited about this new content. It's going to be the best of Wooyoung and the best of San, and hide from my view all the extremely evident fissures within Ateez that are tiresome to ignore.
I also like that this new production team clearly understands that Wanteez S1 was the shit, and are directly quoting that presentation style and editing aesthetic.
