Coat, jeans, Le City bag, D’Orsay sneakers, all Balenciaga
Jacket, jeans, all Balenciaga; Wulu petite earstuds, Wulu 18 large necklace, Wulu 18 black cord bracelet, Paperclip interchangeable bangle with Wulu buckle, all Qeelin
A group like ATEEZ should, by the usual logic of K-pop, never have made it this far. The odds, more than anything else, were against them. They survived the industry’s infamous seven-year curse; escaped the churn of member departures that has dismantled groups before and after them; and, more unusually, held onto essentially the same conceptual language since the beginning. They are Pirates, less in the literal sense than as a shorthand for rebellion, anarchy, and resistance to conformity and control.
In K-pop, where reinvention is often a condition of survival, that degree of continuity could feel almost reckless. Yet ATEEZ has rarely played along. Instead, they keep returning to the same world, stretching it, even complicating it and making it bigger rather than abandoning it whenever the genre moves elsewhere. Eight years in, they have never been more popular.
“Authenticity” might help to explain some of that, although it is a funny word to use in K-pop. The industry is built, quite openly, on construction: concepts and comebacks, choreography and styling, hours of media training, carefully considered images, and entire teams of people tasked with making sure very little is left to accident. None of this is a secret. If anything, part of the pleasure is seeing how spectacular all that construction can look when it works, which makes anyone who still looks recognisably like themselves through it all unusually compelling.
Which leads us to HONGJOONG, ATEEZ’s captain, who has never seemed particularly interested in restricting himself to what a K-pop artist is supposed to be. Within ATEEZ, he is already a rapper, songwriter, producer, and performer; beyond the music, the same impulse spills into photography, art, and clothes.
Last year, he created Petit Coussin, a 24-look childrenswear collection drawn from memories of the clothing shop his mother ran when he was young. It sounds almost suspiciously neat: the child who once played among clothes eventually grows up to make his own. Yet the collection belongs to a much longer thread: we got a glimpse of HONGJOONG with more to prove than the limits of being an idol allow.
And that instinct may be the clearest way into HONGJOONG. Music becomes something to author, clothes something to experiment with, memories something that can coalesce into a collection. As ATEEZ has grown, his interests have become more visible, more valuable, and inevitably more useful, yet the impulse underneath them remains curiously intact. Making things is how HONGJOONG makes sense of himself. So even as the form changes, somehow he keeps finding himself inside it — which, in K-pop, may be the harder trick than reinvention itself.
Coat, Balenciaga; Wulu petite earstuds, Wulu 18 necklace, Wulu 18 black cord bracelet, all Qeelin
What are you like when you are not working?
I don’t think I’m all that different when I’m not working. I’ve always enjoyed letting my mind wander and exploring different ideas, and I find it really relaxing to turn those thoughts into something more concrete. It’s also something that gives me a lot of positive energy.
What have you been listening to lately?
My taste is open when it comes to genres, although I listen to a lot of pop. I’m constantly putting together playlists, going back to older albums I’ve loved for years while also adding newer songs that catch my ear. Right now, it’s filled with everything from The Beatles’ “Let It Be” to Tame Impala’s “End of Summer.” It’s quite a mix.
What has been taking up most of your thoughts most of these days?
I’d still say tomorrow. I’m always curious about what tomorrow holds for ATEEZ, and within that, what it holds for Hongjoong Kim as a person. A lot of my thoughts go toward shaping that future into something that feels true to the direction I want to take.
Is HONGJOONG the artist different from the person behind the name?
There isn’t a huge difference between the two, at least not in my mind. Of course, when I’m working as an artist, there are times when I become more sensitive and meticulous about certain things. But the standards I hold myself to don’t really change whether I’m an artist or simply myself. What I wouldn’t do as a person, I wouldn’t want to do as an artist either, and vice versa. At the end of the day, they’re both part of who I am and the same life I’m living.
Shirt, Balenciaga; Wulu large pendant, Wulu Eternity bangle, Paperclip interchangeable bangle with Wulu buckle, Tien Di ring, all Qeelin
Articles about you often use terms such as “creative force” and “multitalented captain.” After all these years, do those descriptions feel accurate to how you see yourself, or is there another way you would rather be understood?
I’m grateful for words like “creative” and “multitalented,” and they do seem to reflect certain parts of who I am. I’ve always enjoyed creating things and challenging myself in different fields in my own way, so I can understand how those descriptions have come to be associated with me. I actually enjoy seeing whatever words people use to describe me, or however they choose to understand me; it often gives me a new sense of inspiration. Rather than defining how I’d like to be seen, I’d prefer to leave that open to each person’s interpretation. Having that openness also gives me more freedom in how I express myself. As I continue to show different sides of who I am, hopefully people will keep finding their own ways to describe me.
How involved are you in shaping your own image, and what do you want that image to communicate?
I’m involved in quite a few aspects of it. Rather than asking someone to create an image for me, I have a lot of conversations with the people I work with to shape both ATEEZ and who HONGJOONG is within the group. We talk about my ideas and the direction I want to take, and we really try to understand each other. That way, when the timing feels right, the image I want to show can come through naturally. More than anything, I want each version of myself to reflect where I am at that point in my life — my age, what I’m thinking about, and how I see things — and express those in my own way.
What about shaping what audiences ultimately see and hear with the other ATEEZ members?
It’s actually hard to find an area that the members haven’t had some hand in. At the same time, there’s a lot of trust in the people we work with. I try to understand what comes from their ideas and creativity, then find a way to interpret it through my own perspective. Creating thingshas always been something I enjoy, but someone else’s idea can spark something completely new in me. So for me, it’s really about that back-and-forth with the people around me, and eventually finding something within that process that still feels unmistakably like me. Every member probably approaches it differently, but for me, something only feels truly complete when it carries both my perspective and the ideas of the people I trust.
Within such a collaborative process, how do you preserve your own point of view? How do you decide when to insist on an idea, and when to let it evolve through someone else’s interpretation?
When I have a clear direction in mind, I like to share the thinking behind it with the people I work with, including why I believe in it and what it means to me. And when I really believe in something, I’ll make the case for why I think it’s worth pursuing. I don’t believe I can create something truly great unless the people I’m working with understand my vision for it. That feels especially important in today’s creative landscape. At the same time, I try to stay just as open to being convinced by someone else. There’s no way every decision I make will always be the right one. Even if something doesn’t turn out exactly as I hoped, that experience can still spark something new in me. So rather than being afraid of that process, I try to embrace it.
Cardigan, jeans, loafers, all Balenciaga
Can you recall a specific suggestion from you or another member that significantly changed the final outcome of a song, performance, visual concept, or stage production?
It’s such a natural part of how we work that it’s honestly difficult to single out one moment and say, “This person did this” or “That idea came from that member.” We’re all involved throughout the entire process, so a lot of those ideas naturally become part of the final result.
As you have grown as an artist, have you felt a desire to explore different sides of yourself beyond the role of an idol — through DJing, hobbies, or other interests — and how you want to express yourself as a public figure for others to perceive?
Those are the kinds of challenges I enjoy, and I take them seriously. Even if one of those interests eventually becomes another part of my career, being an idol will always be my foundation. Knowing where my roots are gives me the confidence to be bold and try new things. Starting with Electric Daisy Carnival Korea (EDC Korea) in October, I want to show more of myself as a DJ, while pursuing my other passions in a way that feels distinctly like Hongjoong Kim.
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Where do your strongest ideas usually find you?
Most of the time, they come from everyday life. The people and experiences that have shaped me — my surroundings, my childhood, the members, and ATINY — often become the starting point for ideas, whether big or small.
Are you more interested in making beautiful things or interesting things?
Interesting things are more my style. I’ve learned that no matter how beautiful something may be, if it doesn’t hold my interest, I can easily forget about it once it’s finished. That’s why I try to create things that stay interesting to me. At the same time, I like to leave a little bit of what I consider beautiful hidden somewhere within it.
Your creative work has extended beyond music, including the 24-look collection and fashion presentation you created for Petit Coussin. What pushed you to explore fashion as another form of expression?
Fashion has been a big part of my life since I was young. That interest started with my mother, and as I grew up, I was always exploring and developing my own sense of style. Some of those experiments are a little embarrassing to look back on now, but I think they’re also what made fashion such a natural way for me to express myself after debuting. Attending fashion shows and meeting different designers made me want to take that interest further and build a fashion world of my own — something shaped by my own ideas and made with my own hands. Even if it takes time, I want to keep developing it carefully and refining it into something that is truly mine.
Did working as a designer allow you to communicate something that music could not?
In many ways, yes. It went beyond the visual aspect itself. Telling the story behind each look through shape, colour, and other details, and then seeing those choices resonate with someone without having to explain them directly, gave me a creative experience that felt very different from making music.
Is there a difference between your private taste and the version of your taste that the public sees?
I’m not entirely sure how the general public perceives my taste, but when it comes to what my fans know of me, I’d say it’s been fairly consistent with who I actually am. So there probably isn’t much of a difference between the two. Of course, my taste continues to evolve as I do, and new interests naturally come along with time. Part of the fun for me is finding my own way to bring those new sides into what I show people.
Jacket, pants, tie, all Balenciaga
Fashion has allowed you to express your own perspective. What kind of reactions have you received from the people around you when doing so?
The reactions have varied depending on what I was trying to express at the time. Whenever I’ve chosen fashion as the medium for an idea, there have always been responses I didn’t expect. That unpredictability is also part of what I love about fashion. These days, I don’t necessarily feel that what I want to express needs to take such an unconventional or provocative form, so there’s been a little less of that friction. I’m sure there will be a time when I feel the need to push those boundaries again.
Are there plans to expand further into fashion, particularly design?
Definitely, but I’d like to pursue it more seriously when I have the time to really study the craft and fully immerse myself in it. Until then, there are still things I can explore through my work with ATEEZ. Someday, though, I’d love to spend more time in that world, just as the designers who invited me to their shows and called me their muse have welcomed me into theirs.
K-pop idols are often expected to be both perfectly polished and completely authentic. Do you think those expectations contradict each other?
I don’t think they necessarily contradict each other. Everyone has a different idea of what “perfect” means, and the same goes for authenticity. Since those standards are personal to begin with, I think the two can absolutely coexist. To people who aren’t part of ATINY, I might come across as a leader who’s always striving for perfection. However, if they spent even a day observing how I interact with ATINY, they might see a very different side of me. I want to keep growing as an artist who embraces both. There’s nothing wrong with striving for your own version of perfection while staying true to who you are.
You have spoken about continuing to grow as a producer and artist beyond what audiences already associate with ATEEZ. Are there ideas you have written or imagined that have not yet found a place within the group?
There are a lot of ideas — my notes app is practically overflowing at this point. Coming up with interesting ideas and writing them down is just part of my everyday life, and quite a few of them have already developed into something more concrete. But the message we want to share as ATEEZ and what I personally want to say at a particular moment aren’t always exactly the same. Even I don’t know where some of those ideas might eventually lead to. And as time passes, my perspective keeps evolving. If those ideas no longer align with who I am or what I believe in, I’d be hesitant to put them out.
What would it take for that more personal side of your creative identity to emerge more fully?
There isn’t really one specific thing I need for that to happen. I don’t necessarily need dedicated time to work on my own projects. Even within my current schedule, I can find the space and make it work. The desire to explore my own creative identity came from everything I’ve experienced with ATEEZ in the first place. So rather than waiting for the right circumstances, I’d like to keep developing my own creative voice within where I am right now.
When do you feel most responsible for the other members of the team?
It’s when one of the members is going through a difficult time. With eight of us, we’re not all going to laugh on the same day or struggle on the same day. Each person experiences their own emotions at unexpected times, separate from how well an album is doing or what we may have accomplished together. That’s when the sense of responsibility really sets in. If I notice one person standing a little apart, almost like he’s by himself facing the wall while six of us are laughing, it stays with me. It’s not so much about trying to be a good leader in moments like that. I want to be a good older brother to the members I’m sharing all of this with.
Jacket, shirt, all Amiri; Wulu petite earstuds, Wulu necklace, Wulu large tag pendant, Wulu small bracelet, Wulu Eternity ring, all Qeelin
As the captain, are there moments when your responsibility to represent ATEEZ conflicts with your desire to express something more individual or unresolved?
There are certainly moments like that, but I’ve never seen that tension as something that weighs me down. In many cases, working through that conflict actually helps me make better sense of both my responsibilities and my personal thoughts, and channel them in a more positive direction. The captain’s armband means a lot to me, and I wouldn’t want to portray it as something that limits me or takes away from who I am.
After all these years, do you still feel the need to prove yourself?
Absolutely. I’ll probably be proving myself for the rest of my life. And I don’t think that’s something unique to being an artist — I imagine people in any field can relate to that feeling. For me, it’s something that never really stops. Even if there came a day when no one else was watching, I’d still want to prove myself to me.
ATEEZ is approaching a significant point in its career. Looking back at the group’s debut and where you are now, what has changed most in the way the members create, communicate, and understand one another?
When we first debuted, there was a lot of back-and-forth between us. We were so focused on getting our own points across that we didn’t always take the time to really understand where the others were coming from. Now, we’ve learned to accept and understand our differences. There’s much more respect for each other’s opinions, and we’re able to genuinely empathise with one another while also thinking maturely about what makes the most sense for ATEEZ as a whole.
When people look back at this chapter of your career years from now, what do you hope they will understand about the person and artist you were becoming?
When I look back on this chapter years from now, I hope I’ll see it as just the beginning. There’s still so much more that ATEEZ and I have yet to show. More than anything, I’d like to be remembered as an artist who never stopped expressing himself, never stopped evolving, and always in a way that feels unmistakably HONGJOONG.
Are there any upcoming projects you are excited to share with the readers of Men’s Folio?
When I found out I’d have two longer breaks this year, I immediately started making plans on how I wanted to use that time. I think I’ll be able to show, and let you hear, some of what came out of those plans very soon. I’ve also been steadily writing songs that carry more of my own stories. At the upcoming EDC Korea, I’ll be introducing another persona, NO1, and through that, I want to show a new side of HONGJOONG, with styles and sounds I haven’t shared before. ATEEZ also has a lot in the works, so I have a feeling ATINY is about to get pretty busy.
Photography Mok Jungwook
Creative Direction & Styling Izwan Abdullah
Executive Producer Manfred Lu
Production Kieran Choe, Ami Kim
Grooming Suhee Kim | Commune
Hair Jeongmin Lee | Commune
On-set Styling Ju Hyun | The Cosmos
Set Design Ko Jion
Set Assistants Han Illsoon, Oh EunJi
Styling Assistant Sofia Alex
Production Kieran Choe, Ami Kim
Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our September 2026 issue.