Ateez’s SK turns Bad Liar into a sunburned Billboard 200 spectacle
Ateez tops the Billboard 200 as SK’s Bad Liar performance, sunburn makeup and most-replayed chorus drive global buzz.
ATEEZ achieves Billboard 200 No. 1, driven by San's performance
ATEEZ's San is capturing the attention of global fandoms with his intense performance for the new song 'BAD'. The 'BAD' music video, released on June 26, has surpassed 22 million views. In particular, the chorus choreography section has become a hot topic, cited as the most replayed part of the video.
This fervor translated directly into chart success. The EP 'GOLDEN HOUR : Part.5', which features the new track, simultaneously claimed No. 1 on three charts, including the US Billboard 200, Top Album Sales, and World Albums. First-week sales in the US reached approximately 223,000 copies, a figure 8.5 times higher than Olivia Rodrigo's latest release. With this, ATEEZ recorded their third career No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and their 9th entry into the Top 10.
From 'Northern Grand Duke' to wild 'Sunburn Makeup'
His visual transformation on stage is also drawing significant attention. San, who is often called the 'Northern Grand Duke' due to his typically cold impression, showcased a 'Sunburn Makeup' look for the 'BAD' stage, appearing as if flushed from the sun. The styling emphasizes a wild atmosphere by adding redness centered around the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose.
For this performance, San utilized low-saturation brown and reddish-brown tones. He spread the color widely from under the eyes toward the outer cheekbones and connected it to the bridge of his nose. Combined with sleeveless outfits, a toned silhouette, and a wet-look hairstyle, he even captured a texture that seems to glisten with sweat and sunlight by adding subtle highlighter.
The power of the 'Demon Line' that breaks microphones
San's performance capabilities have already been proven on numerous stages. Known as part of the 'Demon Line' alongside Hongjoong and Seong-hwa within ATEEZ, he displayed energy so intense it nearly broke his microphone during his 2024 Coachella performance, and he caused a sensation with a powerful performance at the MAMA awards.
His presence was equally distinct in the music video for 'Ice On My Teeth' from the previous album 'GOLDEN HOUR: Part 2'. At that time, scenes featuring his upper body exposure and suit-clad choreography each became trending segments with the highest viewership. Leader Hongjoong shared via a recent live broadcast, "San prepared so hard for this promotion, and I feel proud that so many people seem to be noticing it."
