[Dispatch=Min-ji Gu] Just a few seconds stopped people in their tracks.

ATEEZ's 'BAD' relentlessly charges forward. It pushes powerfully, then eases up at the crucial moment. The timing of the chest pop, the gaze into the camera—they completed the killing performance through controlled pacing.

That brief spacing created even greater impact. Details where intensity and restraint intersect led to repeated viewings. It dominated social media feeds. How was 'BAD,' which captivated global fans, made?

The performance director found the secret in an unexpected place. It wasn't flashy performance techniques. He revealed it was thanks to the members continuously exchanging opinions and finding the best answers together.

"What impressed me most while working with ATEEZ was the trust between members."

He answered without hesitation. The members did not simply learn choreography that was already set. Each freely suggested ideas and exchanged opinions with the director. He said this collaborative approach was ATEEZ's greatest competitiveness.

Dispatch met with ATEEZ's performance director. We heard about the members' preparation process behind the scenes.

◆ "It started with questions"

"From the moment we conceived the choreography, we constantly exchanged opinions with the members."

The performance director recalled the process of working on 'BAD.' First, he focused on expressing the emotions and atmosphere felt first from the song through performance. In the process of conceiving the choreography, he continuously shared opinions with the members to flesh out the performance.

"I tried to reflect the members' interpretations and ideas. I thought about a direction where each person's individuality and charm would shine while creating the best picture when all eight come together. It was completed through multiple revisions and refinements."

San has been consistently participating in choreography creation. He recalled, "San loves choreography and is sincere about performance. He always thinks about and asks how we can express it more coolly and effectively." He emphasized that not just San, but all members are proactive.

He said, "What I feel most every time I work with ATEEZ is the atmosphere of freely exchanging opinions," and "any opinion can be discussed comfortably, and a culture of mutual respect leads to good results."

"The members prioritize creating results everyone can agree with over finishing quickly. I was impressed by how they don't just brush over small details and try to match everything through to the end."

◆ "A team that trusts and delegates"

"ATEEZ can do anything."

When asked what he keeps in mind most when creating choreography, he answered without hesitation. "I have faith that ATEEZ can perfectly digest any concept given to them," he emphasized.

This was evident in recently released choreography practice videos. ATEEZ showed eight-member teamwork collaboration. It didn't end with one person's opinion. They created it together, asking, "Should we lift our heads? Lower them?", "What angle?"

The director was satisfied with the final product. "Even though a gesture, gaze, or movement path differs by only about the thickness of a sheet of paper, the stage atmosphere and completeness changes significantly. 'BAD' has details hidden throughout," he explained.

In particular, 'BAD' also received praise for expressiveness. "The members' facial acting and stage play are the result of their endless contemplation and effort," he said highly. "We trust the members' interpretations and allow them freedom," he added.

"We seem to always receive inspiration from ATEEZ, rather."

He said, "Even if it's choreography I worked on, the expression differs for each person who dances it," and "ATEEZ is a team with excellent ability to analyze and express choreography. I'm amazed by their expression method each time," he added.

◆ "Ultimately, the stage proved it"

The achievement was also confirmed in numbers. 'BAD' surpassed 1.88 million in initial sales and achieved its seventh million-seller status. It also achieved its third number one on Billboard's main album chart, 'Billboard 200.' It dominated number one on the World Album Chart and Artist 100 Chart as well.

The director, having coordinated steps closely over a long time, clearly felt the members' growth. "As experience accumulated, confidence definitely grew. I distinctly felt their growth from how they enjoy the stage itself," he recalled.

He said ATEEZ's competitiveness cannot be explained solely by synchronized formations or technical perfection. Beyond simply executing movements accurately, their ability to convey their own energy, emotion, and story makes the team special, he explained.

He said, "The immersion created by eight people together is not easy to replicate," and "when individual skills transcend and teamwork and expressiveness are completed as one performance, ATEEZ's true color emerges," he conveyed.

"If you watch the stage, you'll understand! Their thirst for the stage, sincerity, and passion are all contained in it. I think that's why they've maintained the modifier 'performance team' for so long."

<Photo source=KQ, SBS>