Double Date with ATEEZ, Episode 8 (FINALE): Turbulence

(Written September 28, 2025)

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We’ve reached the final episode, and I’m really going to miss this show.  It’s been worth getting up early on Sunday mornings to get to know ATEEZ better and wonder why more companies aren’t like KQ Entertainment. 

When we last left our boys, Mingi was staring Father Time in the face, Jongho was serenading Yeosang, and the whole group was denying they drank too much while San was getting drunk off his ass.  I live for the chaos of this group.  Let’s do this!

We begin with Jongho in a confessional.  He’s asked for the hardest moment in his life, and he says it’s right now.  As this is being filmed, the group is promoting while learning new songs and the choreography.  Preparing is always the hardest part for him because it’s never just preparing.  It’s also doing the interviews, promo appearances, and everything else that goes with being an idol.  He feels overwhelmed sometimes. 

As all the members have been doing, he’s quick to say it’s worth it when they perform for their fans.  This is probably the most serious I’ve seen him on this show.  

We cut to him on his date with Yeosang, driving their Porsche through the mountains.  The group is driving different versions of the new 718 Boxster model, which starts at around $74,000 USD, but with all the extras we’re seeing on the dashboard and the fact that Porsche will want to show off the best version of their car on this show, we’re looking at about $160,000 USD per car.  I’d be way too nervous to drive a car that expensive.  I’d be crawling along at 20 mph in the slow lane, waving for all the other impatient, honking drivers to just pass me and shut up already.    

As Jongho zips along like he’s driving my 2009 Chevy Cobalt with several dents and a left rear speaker that no longer works, he and Yeosang talk about favorite memories.  Jongho talks about his audition for KQ, which he almost passed on.  He had just left Big Hit Entertainment and wanted to take some time off.  A friend convinced him to get back in the game.  I hope he got that friend something nice.

Yeosang talks about their busy schedule and how they also have to prepare their solo material.  “If I had two or three bodies, it wouldn’t be enough,” he says.  He says doing this show gave him a chance to relax for a while.  But I know that can’t be true.  This show is still part of the job.  Yeosang still had to get up early, do the hair and wardrobe thing, and spend several hours on camera not catching fish.  Not to mention the hours he probably had to spend on his skincare routine.  The man’s face is flawless.

We spend a couple of minutes watching Jongho and Yeosang eating, and I remember something from my notes.  According to Reddit users, KQ Entertainment doesn’t limit their groups’ eating expenses.  I guess they’re making that point by showing tables full of food on these dates.  I’m still mentally scarred from my other show recaps where idols talk about having to train while eating just half an apple a day.

We now check in on Seonghwa and San on their glamping date under the stars.  I like that San is a happy drunk.  Look at that face.  Someone please make sure to take his keys away.

San keeps repeating how blessed and happy he is, and a very annoyed Seonghwa keeps telling him to stop.  How is Seonghwa also not drunk at this point?  He’s throwing back Macallans, too.  Maybe he’s just waiting until he’s off camera and tossing his drinks into the bushes. 

“I’m so happy, I’m crying in my heart right now,” San slurs.  Okay, forget getting him home at this point.  Just take off his shoes, put him in a sleeping bag, and let him glamp it off in the tent.  I know drinking is kind of a sport in Korea, but he’s clearly had enough.

Then we get a flashback to a concert where ATEEZ was caught off guard by a gift from their fans.  We don’t get to see it, but it looks like the fans have collected photos that are being flashed on the screen.  The members break down in tears.  I’m not sure I could handle that much love from so many people.  I think I’m understanding San a bit more now.  He says he’s cried so much, his tear glands are broken, and I get it.

We cut to Hongjoong and Wooyoung at the hotel lounge, talking about the future and how they want to be role models for the idols coming up behind them.  Hongjoong also says he’s trying to find out who he truly is, as opposed to the idol he plays onstage.  I imagine that must be hard for everyone in show business, and it says a lot about Hongjoong’s character that he knows there’s a difference.  He doesn’t seem to be buying into the idea that he is the idol everyone worships.  He knows his true self is something else, and he doesn’t want to lose it.

Now we get a montage of all the dates from the previous episodes.  The nature walks, pottery, paragliding, kite flying, roller coaster riding, fishing, losing hats in the Han River, enjoying good food, and getting drunk.  You know, despite this show being a lot of work for these guys, maybe this was relaxing and fun for them on some level. 

We get our opening credits and then join Mingi and Yunho at their restaurant, where they talk about how they want to be remembered.  I think the show is trying to wrap up all the Hidden Ask questions.  They talk for a while, but one thing really jumps out at me.  Mingi talks about how he takes care of his family, but he’s at the age where he should have his own family.  At least that’s how I’m understanding him.  Yunho says he’s not ready for that kind of life yet, so I think I have it right.  

The reason Mingi’s words stand out to me is because idols usually aren’t allowed to talk about getting married and having kids.  They’re supposed give the impression they are living eternally for their fans.  KQ doesn’t seem to force their artists to pretend like that.

One of my favorite Monsta X clips is Hyungwon bonding with a small child at a day care center.  He’s clearly great with kids.  He later says in a confessional the experience made him want to be a dad someday, and then he very quickly corrects himself, realizing he shouldn’t have said that.  Here, Mingi and Yungo talk casually about having families someday, like normal people do.  Again, I wish all entertainment companies ran like KQ.  I’m sure ATEEZ has their conflicts with the company, but I’ve never seen a group with so much freedom.

Our boys then lighten the mood by wondering if the other members are having such serious conversations on their dates.  They decide most of them are, except for Jongho.  Mingi says, “Jongho would say ‘we need to drink.’”  Okay, first of all, they clearly know their maknae very well.  Secondly, I am once again getting a little worried about Jongho. 

Sure enough, the editing team immediately cuts to Jongho and Yeosang at the restaurant just in time to hear our maknae say, “We had a great day, so we have to drink.  We have to toast.” 

The whole group watching the footage in the studio gets a huge kick out of this, while I Google Alcoholics Anonymous and find they have 200 groups in 11 districts in South Korea.  Just putting that out there.

We get one last Hidden Ask question, telling the guys to share any unsaid feelings.  Yunho accuses the crew of giving them makgeolli to get them drunk for these questions.  We get a sweet moment where these two basically tell each other that they will always support each other in life.  Back in the studio, an embarrassed Yunho says, “Did I really say that?”

Don’t worry, Yunho.  San understands.  

San: I love you, Yunho!    Yunho: Get off me.

Mingi and Yunho end their date with a toast to “Twin Towers friendship.”  I raise my root beer in agreement.  Cheers. 

Back to Jongho and Yeosang on their date, and they get the same question about unspoken feelings.  Yeosang knows right away that Jongho is the one who submitted this question and tells him to answer first.  I’m expecting a smartass reply, but Jongho simply says, “Thank you, and thank you, and thank you.”

I never thought I’d say this, but Jongho should drink more often.

Jongho says Yeosang is 100% his friend.  “Is there anyone below 100%?” Yeosang asks.  Back in the studio, everyone leans forward while Jongho pretends to think about his answer and then says, “I’ll decide later.”

Jongho then asks Yeosang, “If we do this again, will you choose me next time?”  Back in the studio, San actually gasps as he waits for the answer.

“He’s asking for another date!” Hongjoong laughs.

“Of course I’ll choose you!” Yeosang tells Jongho.  That crash you hear is San’s heart breaking into a thousand pieces.  But then Jongho flips, saying he’d choose another member.  OOF.  Yeosang turns around and tells the crew that shooting is over.

Jongho does say something really sweet.  “Even if we didn’t catch the fish, we caught our friendship.”  Awww, that’s sweet.  But based on that smirk as he says it, I’m not buying it for a minute.

This conversation goes on for a while.  This final episode mainly consists of deep conversations between the members that I’m sure the fans love, but it’s hard for me to take these heart-to-hearts seriously when they’re happening on camera.  I don’t think these guys are being insincere.  It’s just that they know they’re on camera, and I want to get back to the fun stuff the show was supposed to be about.  This show has gone from double dates to couples counseling.  Weren’t we supposed to be voting on the best date by now?

I think the members are a little uncomfortable as well.  Yeosang tells Jongho he’d like to have more conversations like this off camera.  I’d be fine with that.  I know an idol’s life is supposed to be on display constantly, but there has to be a line.  

Hongjoong and Wooyoung wrap up their date.  Hongjoong says he appreciates how the other members respect him as the group’s leader, even when it’s not always easy.  Like Yeosang, he wants to have outings like this more often, but away from the cameras. 

We do get a great moment when they talk about their misadventures on the Han River.  That was one of my favorite moments from this series.  Wooyoung frets about all the memes that will come from that footage.  Don’t worry, Wooyoung.  Those new memes will be hard to find among the billions of other memes of you and Hongjoong already online.

There.  Feel better?

Wooyoung tells his date that when Season Two is released, he should be paired up with someone else.  Please tell me we’re getting another season of this show. 

Now we go to Seonghwa and San, the latter of whom really shouldn’t be talking anymore.  I think more memes will come out of San’s participation on this show than any other member.  

We get another heart-to-heart, and they make a final toast to their date, their fans, and the future.  Then they go stargazing with two telescopes set up for them.  San is really setting himself up for those memes.

With that, all the dates come to an end, and we rejoin all the members in the studio.  Jongho is proud of himself, saying that if he hadn’t written such a great Hidden Ask question, the members would not have shared such honest feelings.  Sure, but I kind of miss the trouble-stirring questions.

It’s finally time to vote for the Best Date Mate, and now I understand why they call it that.  They’re not going to vote for the best date couple.  They’re voting for the one they’d most like to be on a date with, based on this show.  I actually had to think about this.  I’d either want to go paragliding with Mingi, or jet skiing with Hongjoong, or amusement park riding with San (as long as we took my car, and I was the designated driver).

Our boys get whiteboards and angonize over their choices.  Then, on the count of three, they reveal their whiteboards.  The results are:

Hongjoong votes for Yeosang.
Wooyoung and Mingi vote for Yunho.
Yunho votes for Wooyoung.
Seonghwa votes for Hongjoong.
San votes for Seonghwa.  (I’m shocked he didn’t vote for Yeosang.)
Yeosang votes for … this.  The translation tells us it’s a vote for San, but we’ll come back to this.  

And finally, Jongho votes for San.  That puts San and Yunho in a tie with two votes each.  Only Mingi and San voted for the ones they actually went on dates with.  This, of course, starts some arguments.

Turns out Yeosang actually voted for two people.  Those of us who don’t read Korean aren’t told which one he finally erases, but I think it’s Jongho.  His final vote remains for San.  Why?  Because all during the show, San has acted so sad and rejected about Yeosang being on a date with someone else, so he wants to show some love for his smitten bandmate.

ATINY, what exactly is going on between those two?  

Jongho chose San because he likes the way he drinks.  That maknae is a menace.  “Let’s drink a lot together later,” San tells him.  So much for Yeosang, who now just got dumped by his date and his date mate.  Seriously, ATINY, what the hell is going on here?!

Jongho reminds San that in Episode One, Yeosang was asked for his top three date picks, and San wasn’t one of them.  San replies confidently, “I don’t care about numbers.  I know that Yeosang will come to me.”  SERIOUSLY, ATINY, WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

Hongjoong says he voted for Yeosang because Yeosang didn’t put him on a banana boat in the Han River.  “Don’t be greedy.  He’s mine,” warns San, who just agreed to ditch Yeosang and go drinking with Jongho. 

We’re reminded that Mingi and Jongho didn’t get any votes.  I’d go paragliding and nature walking with Mingi any day.  As for Jongho, if I ever wanted to look right into the soul of a supervillain, I’d go drinking with him.  That would be more dangerous than paragliding.

Jongho invites Mingi to go drinking after they finish taping.  He gets, “No thanks, I’m fine,” as a response.

Hongjoong announces there is a prize for our two date mate winners and gives envelopes to San and Yunho.  It’s … oh my God … a confirmation that we’re getting a Season 2, along with a blank check and the privilege of choosing their date locations and date partners next time. 

Hear that, San?  You get to choose Yeosang as your date!  Hear that, Yeosang?  RUN.

The group is super excited and ask if they can go overseas next time.  I don’t see why not.  I’m currently recapping Season 2 of RIIZE’s show, and they’re filming in Shanghai.  Let’s go nuts and take ATEEZ to Las Vegas!

Yunho talks excitedly about Morocco.  Everyone seems set on Morocco.  At least seven of them are.  San is staring intently at Yeosang.  I’m not kidding.  This whole time, while everyone else is talking about the possibilities for Season 2, San is staring, unblinking, across the room at Yeosang, who is looking nervously around the room.  WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

Hongjoong promises us a Season 2, and I learn that the actual name of this show is ATEEZ Plus, which means I’ve been calling this show by the wrong title all this time.  Oh well.  I’ll fix it in the Season 2 recaps, which I am VERY excited about.  I will happily get up early on Sunday mornings to do this all again.

ATEEZ waves goodbye, for now.  Well, seven of them do.  San is STILL staring at Yeosang.

Well, ATINY, this has been one of my favorite recaps yet, and I’ve been recapping Kpop shows for a year and a half.  Thanks to the Tumblr users for their comments and background on this great band.  Join me for my BOSS RIIZE Season 2 recaps, already in progress, and feel free to check out all my recaps on my website. 

Hopefully, I’ll be seeing you all again in Morocco.  For now, that’s a wrap!

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Double Date with ATEEZ, Episode 7: Answer

(Written September 21, 2025)

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This has been a WEEK.  We need to get some housekeeping out of the way before we get started.   For starters, the new ATEEZ album, Ashes to Light, dropped on Wednesday.  My phone pretty much exploded.  I know everyone’s going nuts over the first track and video, “Ash,” but my immediate favorite was “Face.”  (What can I say?  I like my ATEEZ wild and dangerous.)  I also love the vocal harmonies on “Days” and “Crescendo.”

Then, just when I was settling in with this new album, ATEEZ pulled a Kendrick Lamar and unexpectedly dropped a  solo video for Mingi’s “Roar.”  Just right out of nowhere.   I said I liked my ATEEZ wild and dangerous, and Mingi apparently took that as a challenge.  His performance pins you to the wall and leaves you breathless on the floor, wondering how your bra is gone but your shirt’s still on.

Also this past week, I got confirmation from several Tumblr users that Jongho is indeed an evil mastermind.  Look no further than the epic tags written by user chestnutbeomie and posted by storkmuffin.  (Go to the reblog section.)  Jongho is a bit scary, which is kind of hot.  I seriously do not understand what this group is doing to me.  Let’s just get back to the recaps.  Welcome to Episode Seven!

We’re in the home stretch of this series, and we open with San in a confessional, telling us his dates with Seonghwa were full of romance.  “Romance limit exceeded,” he tells us.  He’s asked how he felt when he found out Seonghwa was going to be his date.  He answers without mentioning Yeosang at all, which I believe therapists call “growth.” 

We get a flashback montage of their date, and I hope the whole episode won’t be flashbacks.  K-pop reality shows generally have a pacing problem.  I’m worried the showrunners have suddenly realized the dates are over and they still have two episodes to fill. 

The showrunners must have heard me, because now we cut to footage from just last month, on the group’s US tour.  OH, YES.  I remember when this hit the internet.

More flashback footage, as San and Seonghwa arrive at the glampsite for whisky and marshmallows.  We finally get our opening credits, and I settle in for new storylines.  But no.  Now we get flashbacks of Hongjoong and Wooyoung’s date.  It looks like this is going to be an episode of B-roll footage.

Well.  This is disappointing. 

We get shots of the food our boys are served in the hotel lounge.  It’s presented with the same “ta-da!” vibe as before, as if the showrunners forgot we’ve already seen this.  

“Um, guys?  I think this is a rerun.”

We get some conversation I don’t remember from before.  As they enjoy the seafood, Hongjoong says, “I ate lobster with my mom not too long ago.”  Wooyoung protests, “You can’t say that on the show!  My mom will see this and say, ‘Hongjoong eats lobster with his mom.  Why don’t you ever take me for lobster?’” 

In a confessional, Wooyoung tells us his date is bad at cooking.  So that’s driving, wardrobe, eating vegetables, and cooking that he thinks his captain is terrible at.  Poor Hongjoong.  He’s probably wishing he’d been paired up with Yeosang as well.

“Did I mention Hongjoong snores?  I’m so glad we finally got our own rooms.”

We get more flashbacks of the two of them falling off the banana boat in the Han River.  Okay.  Let’s see if I can liven this up with some of the research I did on this group back when I started these recaps.  (checks notes)  Here’s something.  Wooyoung can touch his nose with his tongue, and Hongjoong’s English name is “Edward.” 

I also found a great story on Reddit.  Hongjoong constantly gets nagged by Seonghwa about cleaning up after himself.  One year on Hongjoong’s birthday, Seonghwa put his birthday gift on top of Hongjoong’s pile of laundry, along with a threatening note.  I’m not proud of this, but that sounds like something I would do.  I was not a fun roommate in college.

Also, according to someone on Quora, Hongjoong’s top three words he’s had to say most as a leader are “stop,” “no,” and “please.”  I’ve said it before:  I can’t imagine trying to lead this group.  He’s probably too exhausted to clean up and do laundry.

Back to our show.  In a confessional, Hongjoong tells us that Wooyoung is a “very deep friend.”  Hoo boy.  Wait until he sees the footage of Wooyoung itemizing his faults. 

On to our flashbacks of Yunho and Mingi.  

They talk about what they’ll be doing in ten years.  “We’ll be forty,” Yunho tells Mingi, who sits quietly with that for a few seconds and then responds, “We’re doomed.  Almost thirty already.”  He looks genuinely sad.

As a Gen Xer, I really felt that.  Time leap headfirst into denial with some fun facts!  (scrambling through my notes while trying to ignore the fact that time is a never-ending march toward oblivion and we are all just dust in the wind)  Here we go!  Mingi also hates vegetables and is considered the noisiest member.  He’s also a big scaredy-cat, as evidenced by some really funny videos on YouTube.

Also, Yunho always wears a ring that was a gift from his late grandfather.  His friendship with Mingi is so strong, they call each other’s moms “Mom.”  Or whatever the Korean equivalent is.  (checking Google translate)  “Eomma.”  It’s pronounced “oh, ma!” like a Brooklyn guy yelling at his mom. 

Back to our clip show episode.  We see Yunho and Mingi at the baeksuk restaurant.  This is one of my favorite moments from the show, seeing these two enjoying baeksuk while surrounded by nature.  I’ve learned that Mingi has been very open about his anxiety, so it makes sense that his date involves nature walks, good food, and paragliding.  For all the thrills, I still saw something kind of Zen in the paragliding.  

Back to San and our clean freak Seonghwa.  One thing I’ve noticed on these dinner dates is that the group members are very aware of the cameras and film crew stationed just a few feet away from them.  They’re always looking off camera, and you can tell when they’re making eye contact with a crew member. 

San calls himself and Seonghwa ATEEZ’s official light drinkers, which reminds me of something from my notes.  Seonghwa ranked the drinking tolerance of the group members a few years ago.  He ranked himself, San, and Hongjoong at the bottom.  In fact, Hongjoong was in last place, and considering he’s the shortest and probably weighs the least, it makes sense that his tolerance is so low. 

I’m surprised that Jongho only came in second place, but he’s behind Yunho, the one with the biggest body mass in the group.  I got a kick out of a Reddit comment that Hongjoong and Seonghwa are probably the biggest drinkers of the group, despite their low-ranking tolerance on the list, because they are the dad and mom of this group and need the most alcohol to get through it.  Their kids have driven them to drink.

I found a YouTube video from five years ago in which Hongjoong, filming a show called ATEEZ Treasure Film, is very clearly drunk.  I love how drunk Hongjoong still tries to stay in Cool Idol Mode.

“Hellooooo Atineeeeeee!  Pleazzzz stop making the room spin!”

Back at the glampsite, San says he doesn’t like to drink much because “alcohol multiplies feelings,” which is the best way of putting it I’ve ever heard. 

Now we head over to the heavy drinkers of ATEEZ, Jongho and Yeosang (#2 and #5 on Seonghwa’s list).  They talk about the drinking habits of each member, and we get the clip of Jongho insisting he doesn’t have a drinking problem.  Fun Fact:  Seonghwa once said he had to switch off Jongho’s alarm clock because it wasn’t waking Jongho, but it was waking up Seonghwa, who was in a totally separate room.  I’m not saying that Jongho was passed out drunk, but I’m not NOT saying it either.

At the restaurant, Jongho says Mingi tries to get others to drink when he’s drunk, and if someone else can drink better than him, he tries to go home.  Yeosang responds, “He must have gone home a lot when drinking with you.”  Our shyest member has some fire in him.

Back in the studio, all the members are quick to say that none of the members have extreme drinking habits, and none of them get too rowdy when they drink.  Again, I’d like to call YouTube to the stand for contradicting testimony.  This is from something called WANTEEZ Drink Tour:

We do seem to be getting some new footage from these dates.  Jongho starts singing, and Yeosang hands him a microphone.  Koreans love their karaoke.  These two call it “noraebang,” which literally means “song room” and is a private karaoke room with food and musical instruments.

Jongho sings Park Hyo Shin’s “Memories Resemble Love,” and for all the crap I’ve given him in my recaps, I have to say he has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard.  His high range is to swoon for.

After that lovely interlude, we join San and Seonghwa by the glampfire.  San is blissed out after three shots of whisky and says, “I’m seriously so happy.”  According to my notes, San’s name means “mountain,” and his sister Hanuel’s name means “sky.”  His parents sound really cool. 

San definitely has a low tolerance, but he’s so sweet when he’s drunk.  “I really do have great people in my life,” he keeps saying.  Seonghwa finally gets tired of it and says, “You’ve got good luck with people because you’re a good person.  There, I said it.” 

“We’re just receiving so much love right now,” San insists, and I just want to give him a hug and maybe get him some coffee.   “If I were more emotional, I’d be crying right now,” he says.  Oh my God, how is this onstage monster so sweet offstage?

The two of them scarf down some spicy noodles, and then San sits back and looks contentedly at the sky.  “One thing’s for sure,” he says, “I’m happy.  I was really, truly happy today.”

I seriously might cry.

San keeps drinking whisky, and his face is starting to get red.  I hope the crew takes his keys away. 

Now back to Jongho and Yeosang.  They get a notification on their phones.  It’s a new Hidden Ask question:  “Who’s the most different off camera than on camera?”

Just based on what I’ve learned over the past few weeks, I’d say San and Mingi.  They are absolute beast idols onstage, sometimes downright scary, but they are sweet and quiet in person.  (Well, mostly San.)

Yeosang picks San.  He knows his bandmate well.  Back in the studio, San lights up like the Fourth of July at hearing his favorite bandmate finally talk about him.   

Back at the glampfire, we learn that everyone in the group has the same answer.   San is still blissed out on Macallan and says, “I’ve never seen a group as kind as ours.”  This man is wonderful.  Please take the bottle away from him.

“I love carpet.  I love desk.  I love lamp.”

Now we join Mingi and Yunho just in time to see Yunho drink an entire small bowl of Makgeolli in one shot.  Our boys get a text notification with a new Hidden Ask question, and this is the one I’ve been waiting for:  “Do you have a truth that you’ve been keeping from a member?”  Right away, they both know Jongho wrote this question.  I just know the man is always looking for blackmail material he can use to rule the universe. 

Jongho, in the extremely unlikely event that you are reading these recaps, I would just like to say that I welcome you as our new K-pop overlord.  I’d like to remind you that as a trusted online recapper on Tumblr that I could be helpful in … well, I’m sure I can think of something.  Please don’t kill me.

Jungho insists he wrote this question because he thought it would be fun.  Yes, I absolutely believe that causing chaos is fun for him.  But the real reason turns out to be way more petty than I expected.  “When we used to live together in the dorm, we wondered who kept leaving their paper cup on top of the water dispenser,” he explains.  “I feel like some members are still hiding things like that.”

The other members share my reaction, which is:  Wow.  Hongjoong says he doesn’t even think the culprit would remember doing that, and I agree.  Also, it appears that Jungho is a bigger neat freak than Seonghwa.  I once had a roommate who dyed her hair black in the shower and left black streaks all over the bathroom.  It looked like a demon had been slaughtered in there.  I would have been so grateful if she had just left paper cups everywhere instead.

Okay, let’s see if we can find this culprit.  We go to Hongjoong and Wooyoung in the dinner lounge and wind up getting a confession to a totally different crime.  Wooyoung says, “Once Jongho shouted at us, asking who ate this one particular food in the green room.” 

Back in the studio, Jongho says triumphantly that this is exactly the kind of response he wanted.  The man is PET-TY.

“I actually ate that,” Wooyoung says casually.  He never copped to it because Jongho was so angry, he actually scared the other group members.  Again, Jongho is the MAKNAE.  According to Google, “The maknae embodies youth, innocence, and a fresh energy that appeals to fans and adds to the group’s charm.  The usual maknae image is cute and innocent.”  Unless you eat his favorite food in the green room.  Then he becomes someone who forces you to confess on a reality show.

“Yeah, I ate all the Cool Ranch Doritos in the green room.  I sure hope this doesn’t wind up on the internet!”

According to Wooyoung, Jongho was so angry about this, he wouldn’t let it go.  You don’t say.  Then, in a scene that will easily be one of my favorite moments of the entire series, Wooyoung looks right into the camera and says, “It was really tasty, Jongho.  I can’t remember what I ate, but your reaction was much more delicious than the food.”

Hongjoong has his own confession.  Back in the dorms, he used to swipe clothes from other members out of the laundry room and wear them for TV appearances.  Apparently, no one noticed. 

“Did you at least wash the clothes afterwards?” Wooyoung asks. 

“I think I did.  Maybe not,” is the response.  Okay, now I understand why Seonghwa left his birthday present on a pile of laundry.

Speaking of Seonghwa, we now go back to the glampsite, where San is struggling to get the bottle of whisky open.  It’s a decanter, so all he has to do is gently pull the top off, but the fact that he can’t even manage that means it’s just as well.  Someone please get our boy some coffee. 

Jongho’s question is put to them.  Seonghwa says he used San’s bathroom multiple times in the dorms.  This admission takes a few seconds to work its way through San’s whisky-soaked brain.  “My bathroom?” he asks.  “Let’s just say we’re equal since I used your bathroom too.”

Back in the seafood restaurant, Jongho keeps pushing his date to tell his secrets, but the openhearted Yeosang doesn’t seem to have any.  “Even when there’s a situation worth getting angry about,” Yeosang says, “it doesn’t really make me angry.  All I think about is that I need to resolve this situation right away.”  Yeah, that pretty much tracks with everything I’ve been learning about Yeosang over the past few weeks.

Yeosang does confess to getting a little irritated with his bandmates in the breakroom when he’s trying to relax, and the more energetic members (cough Mingi cough) are dancing and singing.  “But they’re kind of cute, too,” he adds quickly.  He now joins San as the two members I want to see protected at all costs.

They get another Hidden Ask question:  “How do you want to be remembered?”  Hongjoong wrote this one.

Jongho wants to be remembered as the kind of idol fans can be thankful for and gain inspiration from.  Or he will make them pay.  (Okay, he doesn’t actually say that last part.)

Seonghwa says when he is remembered, he hopes only good memories come to mind.    

San stares off camera, probably wondering why all the crew members are now identical triplets, and slurs that he just wants to be remembered as a cool person.  

“Why is our camera guy out of focus?”

We end the episode here.  Next week, our group will vote on the best date duo after pushing San into a cold shower and making him swallow some Alka-Seltzer tablets whole.  I really am sad to see this series end. 

For the record, my vote for best date is San/Seonghwa, followed closely by Yonho/Mingi. 

See you next week, ATINY!

Episode 8 (FINALE):  Turbulence

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Double Date with ATEEZ, Episode 6: Say My Name

(Written September 14, 2025)

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Boy, I really focused on cake a LOT in last week’s recap.  I may even have bought a slice after that and eaten it for breakfast.  One thing I definitely did was watch a video in which ATEEZ broke down the lyrics to “In Your Fantasy,” in which they innocently denied any sexual meaning behind lines like “I’m here for the cake.”  I went to Urban Dictionary, and after the realization that I am seriously ignorant of modern slang, I started craving cake even more.  I have no idea what is wrong with me.  Welcome to Episode 6, ATINY!

I swear, I had no idea.

When we left our Pirate Kings, two of the couples were on Hidden Dates.  We open this episode with Mingi in a confessional.  He gives us more lyrical analysis regarding “Crazy Form.” 

“We believe if you write something in the lyrics, then the lyrics come true,” he says, which explains lines about getting a trophy, visiting all the continents, and putting commas in their checks.  That makes the protagonist of the song an ATEEZ-style motivational speaker.  The song is a badass TED Talk. 

We cut to a great moment in a recent live show.  Hongjoong tells the crowd that “In Your Fantasy” has just officially entered the Billboard Hot 100, marking their second appearance on that chart in a row (the first being “Lemon Drop.”)  He even looks a little stunned, like he can’t believe it either.  They’re being given yet another trophy they demanded in their lyrics.  Their dreams are made manifest.

We get a look of life on a concert tour.  Yonho describes it as “concert venue, hotel, airplane, repeat.”  Mingi says hotels are one of the factors that tire them out, which surprises me at first because I love staying in hotels.  But then I thought about arriving at a hotel, crashing from exhaustion, then doing a show and having to pack up and go to another hotel, crashing from exhaustion, rinse and repeat.  Yeah, that would get old really fast.   They do get time to go out and explore the cities they visit, which gives us some great footage.

I feel a glimmer of pride when I see Yunho discovering American landmarks.  As depressed as I’ve been about the state of our country lately, it is a beautiful and breathtaking place to explore. 

I also love seeing concert footage.  In a flashback clip of driving around in the mountains, Yunho asks Mingi if he’s going to take his shirt off on the upcoming tour.  (Pause for fan screams.)  Mingi says he’s not sure.  “I just take it off when I feel good,” he hedges.  Then, because the editors of this show have a great sense of comic timing, we get a clip of the 2024 Yonsei University Festival, where Mingi doesn’t just take his shirt off.  He shreds it like a wild animal escaping a net.

Now we go back to our dates.  Specifically, the amusement park with Seonghwa and San.  They’re still riding the indoor roller coaster, and Seonghwa’s screams are so high-pitched, they almost shatter my computer screen.  This guy should try opera someday. 

Now it’s time for the final ride.  After some hair-raising twists and turns on the roller coaster, they’re going to chill out on the carousel.  The last time they were here was four or five years ago, and back then they took pictures of themselves in front of this romantic ride.  They decide to re-create the photos.

My God, these guys are photogenic.  Total face cards.  (That’s another bit of slang I picked up this week.  I am really old.)

Now their phones buzz with the news that it’s time for their Hidden Date.  They hop back into the convertible.  I really can’t think of anything else they could do that would make this date more perfect.  An omasake meal in a Michelin Star restaurant and having an amusement park all to themselves – I think they may have the best date award wrapped up already. 

They drive through the city at night with the top down while Seonghwa sings under his breath.  It’s dizzyingly romantic.  When a Hidden Ask pops up on Seonghwa’s phone, asking them what their dreamiest day was, they both enthusiastically agree it was today. 

We briefly join Wooyoung and Hongjoong, whose Hidden Date was dinner at a 5-star luxury resort.  They’re also driving back through the city.  Wooyoung is singing in the car, practicing one of their English-language songs.  After some reminiscing with them, we join Yeosang and Jongho at the seafood restaurant, where the show has sent them after they failed to catch a single fish on their date.  The fish in that lake are going to be talking about that omasake bait meal for years. 

Jongho throws back soju shots, and they both enjoy a meal that has their bandmates in the studio drooling with envy. Seonghwa tries to recreate the meal by taking a shot of water from his bottle cap.  

San is in actual pain from jealousy.  “Please eat the butter-grilled abalones now,” he begs.  I don’t think I’ve truly understood the meaning of “food porn” until now.  And why am I craving cake again?!

Jongho and Yeosang argue about who the best drinkers are in their group.  The fact that Jongho keeps taking shots and hasn’t keeled over yet has me thinking he’s in first place.  They debate whether Wooyoung or Mingi is in second place, which I’m not sure is a fair fight.  Mingi’s at least four inches taller than Wooyoung and looks to have a good 20 pounds over him, so his tolerance has to be higher.  And now I realize I am starting to take this show WAY too seriously.

Okay, it looks like I’m not the only one.  Our two boys get into a scientific discussion over who is better at drinking soju versus liquor, and then Jongho breaks down how getting drunk on soju is more cost-effective than getting drunk on whiskey (Mingi’s drink of choice).  I’m actually getting out my calculator before I remember I suck at math and don’t even drink.  What the hell are we doing here?

Jongho must realize how he sounds, because he makes a point of saying he doesn’t have a drinking habit.  His bandmates in the studio emphatically disagree.  His bandmates also agree with me that this is a strange conversation for a romantic date.

Jongho is still going.  He talks about going to a convenience store after a long video shoot and getting ramyeon and a bottle of Chamisul Soju, which of course took me down another Google rabbit hole.  “Chamisul” means “real dew,” and it’s made by filtering it through charcoals made from three year-old Korean bamboo.  Now I’m wondering how the makers of this drink landed on three years as being the right age for the bamboo, and I’m sure Jongho could tell me, but what a weird date this is turning out to be.    

We then get a confessional in which Yeosang talks about how much Jongho drinks.  And there’s even more.  “When it’s time for a toast, he doesn’t like it if you just sip,” Yeosang tells us.  “If he poured it, you must finish it in one go.”

Jongho is clearly thrilled with this conversation.

In the studio, Jongho’s bandmates accuse him of being a “kkondae.”  Back to Google I go.  A kkondae is a unique kind of bully, usually an older person in a position of power who forces their outdated attitudes and rules onto others.  Wait, isn’t Jongho the maknae?  Is he secretly running this group?  What the hell is going on here?

And for the record, I now have screenshots labeled “Jongho drinks” and “Jongho denial.”  This recapping project just took a hard left turn and is now careening off the overpass because Yeosang STILL isn’t done.  “It’s scary, drinking with Jongho,” he says.  “The next day, you kinda have to worry about it.  But Jongho is great at handling alcohol.  No matter what happens, he always bounces back the next day.”

I don’t know if he’s saying this because it’s true, or because Jongho is sitting right next to him in the confessional and Jongho is the secret evil genius running this group and Yeosang is terrified.  I start analyzing Yeosang’s facial movements to see if he’s blinking for help in morse code.  We can hear the production crew laughing behind the camera, and I don’t know if it’s because this is all really a joke or if they’re all Jongho’s henchmen and Yeosang just talked himself into serious danger.

Speaking of hard left turns, let’s veer over to the Grand Walkerhill Hotel lounge, where Hongjoong and Wooyoung are enjoying their dinner, unaware of the horrors that are unfolding for their bandmate on the other side of town. 

Wooyoung puts some food on Hongjoong’s plate and says he remembers that Hongjoong doesn’t eat his veggies.  That’s something I have in common with our captain.  Why can’t veggies taste good, like cake?  Everything should taste like cake.

Their cocktails arrive, and oh good, we’re drinking again.  Well, Wooyoung is.  Hongjoong sticks to soda.  Now it’s time for them to check the results of the poll they posted to the rest of the group to decide who is the best dressed after today’s shopping trip.  (A reminder to our viewing audience:  My pick is Hongjoong.)

Turns out only three members voted – Seonghwa, Yunho, and San.  I remember an earlier episode where Hongjoong complained about his bandmates not checking the group texts.  I’m guessing the others were too busy to vote because they were fleeing from the maknae, who was chasing them with a bottle of Chamisul.

Our boys try calling the members who didn’t vote.  I have to laugh at how irritated our captain looks.  

“Join a K-pop group, they said.  It will be FUN, they said…”

Hongjoong gets Mingi on the phone, and it would be so great if he were still paragliding when taking this call.  Instead, Mingi is clearly aware the cameras are rolling and he’s on speakerphone, so he drops his voice several octaves and tries to sound bored.  “Check KakaoTalk, Mingi,” his captain orders before hanging up.  Leading this group must be like herding drunk cats.

While Wooyoung tries calling the others, Mingi logs in and votes for Hongjoong.  Good call.

Now our boys start arguing over who wins that vote.  Was it for Hongjoong for looking good, or Wooyoung for picking out that outfit?  Ah, the chaos of this group.  I live for it.

And now Wooyoung is irritated because none of the members are picking up his calls.  To be fair, we’ve established they may be in serious danger right now.

“Hi, you’ve reached Yeosang.  I can’t come to the phone right now because I’m running for my life.”

Yeosang finally does log in and vote, ending any chance of a tie.  Hongjoong wins in a landslide.  San adds insult to Wooyoung’s injury, saying his look has no vibe and he needs a hat. 

Wooyoung claims victory because he’s the one who styled Hongjoong.  Whoever won, the result is that Hongjoong has to wear his new outfit on their next Music Bank appearance.  That tells me that Hongjoong DID win, because he looks great in that jacket.  Yes, he’ll look like a Amherst College grad student on Music Bank, but he’ll still rock the look.  Especially if he pairs it with glasses.

Now we jump ahead to the Music Bank appearance on June 20, 2025.  Just a few short weeks ago.  (How is summer over already?)  Our captain steps up to the building in the pouring rain and heavy winds.  He looks embarrassed, but I still think he makes it work.

He also poses in the stairwell, and this footage solves a mystery for me.  I’ve seen so many K-pop artists wedging themselves under the railing of this same stairwell in photos, and I didn’t know where it was.  Now I see that it’s a popular photo spot for K-pop artists when they perform on Music Bank.  They also record a lot of TikTok dances here.

Now we return to Jongho and Yeosang, and we’re STILL talking about drinking.  Yeosang has chosen not to drink today because he has a busy schedule tomorrow.  But Jongho wants to make a drinking bet.  They will each pick a different bandmate and call them at the same time.  The person who gets their call answered wins.  The loser has to take a drink.  Jongho then pours a shot of soju and sets it in the middle of the table.  This man is EVIL.

Yeosang wants to see what time it is so he can get an idea of which bandmate might pick up.  Jongho won’t even let him look at the time.  Jongho is REALLY evil.  Like, a deliciously mean kind of evil.  It’s a little bit thrilling. Why am I turned on by this?  AND WHY AM I CRAVING CAKE AGAIN?!

Yeosang picks Hongjoong.  Back in the studio, San is jealous again.  He’s mad that Yeosang didn’t choose him.  San’s an only child, isn’t he?  (Okay, I looked it up – he has a sister, but he’s the only son.  As a sister to an only son, I know how those boys can be.)

After some thought, Jongho chooses Wooyoung.  That’s pretty ballsy, considering Jongho didn’t pick up Wooyoung’s call when it was time to do the clothing vote.  

This man doesn’t answer calls.  He makes them.

Our boys count to three and then dial.  I honestly don’t know which one I’m rooting for.  My heart is actually pounding.

And the one who picks up is … 

… Hongjoong.  Yeosang wins!

“I missed you!” Yeosang tells his captain, who is understandably confused.  Jongho takes the phone and demands to know why Hongjoong answered, considering he usually has his phone on DND.  Again, are maknaes supposed to talk to their elders like this?  And wait, why is Hongjoong’s phone usually on DND?  Isn’t Hongjoong the one irritated by how unresponsive his bandmates are?  I am so confused.

Yeosang puts the captain on speaker, and they talk about their dates.  Jongho says his dates with Yeosang have been healing.  Hongjoong reflects on his day of nearly drowning and then struggling to dress Wooyoung, and he says, “I don’t know if my dates were healing or killing.”

After the call, Jongho remains true to form.  He wants to play another round.  Yeosang knows better than to push his luck.  Now Jongho is really disappointed, especially since Wooyoung isn’t even calling him back.  The dynamics between these bandmates are wild.  

Now Jongho is complaining that he had so many missed calls from Wooyoung earlier.  “I guess they wanted my vote on who dressed better,” he says.  Now I’m bewildered.  He KNEW that’s what they wanted, he KNEW it was for the show they’re filming, and he DELIBERATELY ignored the calls?  I’ve never seen a maknae get away with behavior like this.  The closest I can think of is I.M from Monsta X, and he just seems older than his bandmates.  Jongho is too babyfaced to be able to pull this off.  Back in the Introduction Episode, Mingi got scolded for crossing his legs, and now Jongho just blows off his captain’s phone calls and orders people to drink.  Just … wow.

Now Wooyoung calls Jongho back, saying he didn’t pick up because he was sleeping.  “I drank because of you,” Jongho tells his bandmate.  No, my guy.  You drank because it was there.  You drank because it’s Sunday.  You drank because there’s a fifty percent chance of rain.  You don’t NEED a reason.

Wooyoung hangs up on him, which is fantastic.  I actually applauded.

Now we briefly join San and Seonghwa, who are still driving to their Hidden Date.  They’re talking about Coachella again, and I am so jealous of everyone who got to see that performance live.  Just watching the clips makes me want to jump out of my seat and punch the air.  The choreography is insane.  Human bodies are not supposed to be able to move like that.

On to Yunho and Mingi.  They’re also driving toward their Hidden Date.  They’re both hungry, and I realize they haven’t eaten at all on their dates.  They’re both craving baeksuk, which is meat (usually chicken) with different dipping sauces.  They talk about baeksuk for several minutes.  It’s all they can think about.  I feel like I’m watching the Korean version of Forrest Gump.  Someone please feed these guys.

“There’s young-gye baeksuk, and dak baeksuk, and hanbang baeksuk … “

They arrive at the restaurant, and Thank God it’s a baeksuk place.  In keeping with the theme of their dates, it’s nestled beautifully in the forest, near a small waterfall.  I can smell the air.  I wish I were there right now.

This looks even more romantic than the carousel at the amusement park.  I could spend hours here.

They decide to order makgeolli, which is an off-white, sparkling rice wine.  I Googled it, and the taste is described as a less-sweet alcoholic yogurt drink.  We spend several minutes with them in this relaxing atmosphere, watching them savor the food and enjoy the scenery.  A cat joins them out of nowhere and curls up next to the table.  This looks like heaven.  Even the bandmates in the studio are peacefully calm while they watch.

Now back to San and Seonghwa, and they finally arrive at their Hidden Date location.  It’s now past midnight.  They’re wondering what could be open at this hour. 

They drive higher and higher into the mountains and finally arrive at Forest Park.  A glampsite has been set up for them, and it’s beautiful.  Of course, the entire site has been rented out just for them.  I’m calling it – San and Seonghwa will get the best date award.

Their picnic table includes premium, single malt Scotch Macallan Whisky. Back in the studio, both Jongho and Mingi look very jealous.   This is incredibly romantic.

They raise a toast to happiness and then toast marshmallows over the glampfire.  Well, San toasts marshmallows while Seonghwa tells him he’s doing it wrong.

We leave San and Seonghwa under the stars, sipping top-shelf whisky and eating marshmallows, talking about their perfect day.  Time to check back in with Yunho and Mingi, their biggest competition for the best date award.

They’re remembering the first time they drank alcohol.  Yep, that tracks with the rest of this episode.  Mingi also talks about how much they’ve changed and grown up since they debuted.  He says he went through a dark period of self-doubt for a while, thinking he was just a pretty face who didn’t deserve to be in a successful group.  Eventually, he learned to rediscover his lost self.  I like how he phrases that.  And I really like how open and honest these guys are in moments like these.

The episode ends here.  Next week, our boys will get a Hidden Ask question about a truth they’ve kept hidden from the others.  I’m guessing Jongho will confess his plan to overthrow the management at KQ Entertainment and declare war on BTS.  I wouldn’t put it past him.  See you then, ATINY! 

Episode 7:  Answer

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