'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABeAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgYQAAEDBAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABREhByIGEhMVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAxEBAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgABIQP/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AI5ejz2rBZVMTEsq/YZwUsgb+Sxk+pGayg48usgB5Xk0gFzuQGNZVvXalKl1SKy4jZ//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ATEEZ are back at stretching the limits of comeback announcements in the K-pop world. The fierce fourth-generation K-pop group once again let fans stumble upon their never-seen-before posters and QR codes that hint at an upcoming new release.
Korean ATINYs (the group’s fandom) found HALATEEZ posters at the group’s Japan concert venue and around the city of Hongdae. They were revealed after the concert ended, which made the matter even more mysterious. Additionally, the group even wrapped up their December 12 concert with a teaser VCR hinting at a comeback.
While teaser VCRs after a concert are old school K-pop announcements, the Guerrilla singers once again amped up their marketing game by including QR codes in their nameless posters. These codes led fans to another mysterious Instagram account.
ATEEZ return with QR codes, cryptic teasers, and mysterious posters
Eight-member boy group ATEEZ is known for breaking many boundaries - competing with top fourth-gen groups as the only underdogs from a small company, energetic performances, powerful expressions, and bringing their lore to the real world with cryptic comeback hints.
This time, the posters included HALATEEZ, a darker version of the group from the other dimension, which is a part of their lore. The posters were up at the venue of the Guerrilla singers’ Chiba concert on December 12 and Hongdae, a neighborhood in Seoul. The posters also had a small QR code in one of their corners.
Scanning the QR codes leads fans to Instagram account @from_the_witness. At the time of writing, it had zero posts and only highlight stories. The first one contains a VCR clip that has a blink-and-miss photo of what seems to be HALATEEZ, and the question:
“I’ve seen it, will you?”
The second highlight story then makes things a bit clearer as it contains the new album’s details. Titled SPIN OFF : FROM THE WITNESS, the album is scheduled to be released on December 30, 2022.
As per Edaily, a South Korean outlet, FROM THE WITNESS is a single album and will be promoted during the group’s European stops for the world tour, THE FELLOWSHIP: BREAK THE WALL. It is scheduled to begin in February 2023.
Meanwhile, fans’ reactions to the hints were as enthusiastic as ever. ATINYs have often taken pride in the group’s marketing tactics as their story-telling techniques break the fourth wall and allow fans to experience the lore in real life.
In the past, KQ Entertainment air-dropped another set of codes, which led to a “leaked” confidential document. They also previously posted similar code-based posters in Hongdae. Another set of QR codes air-dropped during a music show pre-recording led to a video that used morse codes to hide their message.
ATEEZ’s lore has underlying themes of political rebellion, government control, and a group of people fighting for freedom.
Posting messages in codes, ripped posters across certain neighborhoods, and air-dropping files are all seen as an act of uniting people to rebel against evil people. These offline tactics of the group pull fans into its universe easily, making them feel like a part of the story.
It will be interesting to see what new fierce concept and chapter ATEEZ unravels in SPIN OFF : FROM THE WITNESS.
