ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Male (Group) Choreography, and the Rising Star category in the 2019 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Click here to support ATEEZ and your other favourite artists before the 31st of December!

2019 has been one crazy roller coaster. There have been many up and downs this year, which I am sure even the newest of fans are able to name a few. One particurlar group that has been experience the more positive events of the year is ATEEZ. They have had three comebacks this year in Korea and recently made their debut in Japan with Utopia. And as we find ourselves on a Saturday, I thought I bring back Japanese reviews for the remainder of the year, as there is a fair amount of Japanese tracks I need to review.

Utopia was originally released as part of the group’s 3rd mini-album (Treasure EP.3: One to All). I never wrote an album review for it, which leaves the songs on the album open for a review (which is obviously why we are here today!). The first thing that comes to mind when I hear Utopia is that it is a lot more colourful and vibrant, matching up with the title tracks of their 3rd mini-album, but basically different in that sense to any of their other title tracks. The track does align with their the rest of their promotional singles, as the chorus in Utopia is quite powerful. It packs a punch that makes the song so appealing! The instrumental has this edge thanks to its dynamic percussion and upbeat tempo that just keeps on giving. The vocal line was really showcased in this song, particularly during the chorus, but this also gives way to a very addictive post-chorus hook. The rapping as well works very well, enhancing the song further and giving it a very edgy touch. I also really like how the song slows down at the end, calming us down from the high they gave us in Utopia.

While I was very impressed with the music video, I couldn’t help but think it got a tiny budget. I say this because ATEEZ has had grand sets in the past or were flown to countries with strong and picture perfect scenery, which suited the song that they were filming for. Here, they filmed in a rather simple set and it was pretty much bare. They could have been going for a minimalist vibe, but the way the video was edited didn’t give off that impression (i.e. the editing made the video feel busy). But nonetheless, all the scenes were very crisp and the lighting/colour really reflected the brightness/vibrancy that the song had maintained.

ATEEZ is nominated for Best Male Choreography for Say My Name. And it seems like Utopia is a clear indication to why they would deserve the performance. There was always something happening in the choreography, despite the tempo being fast or slow. There was a captivating and alluring dynamic to the choreography that made it a strong routine.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10