ATEEZ Reveal the Injuries They Performed Through

ATEEZ has become proof that a K-pop group from a smaller agency can reach the very top. A new TV appearance showed what that takes, one day at a time.

On the 24th, episode 421 of the MBC variety show "Reveal My Star's Life: The Manager" followed San. He is the ATEEZ member behind the chest dance from "BAD" that caught on with fans around the world. In Korea, he is also known by the nickname "Grand Duke of the North," a nod to his sharp, intense image.

Off stage, the episode showed a different side of him. Known as the first idol from Namhae, San showed a warm, caring side toward his parents. Early one morning, he also joined the line for the opening of a Pokémon pop-up store. Once inside, he couldn't hide how much he loved the cute merchandise.

His time at the hotel gym told a different story. When ATEEZ debuted, San stood 176 cm tall and weighed just 52 kg. To keep up with the group's demanding choreography, he ate six meals a day and trained hard. Over four years, he built up to 65 kg.

On the show, he worked through chest exercises, pull-ups and heavy dumbbells without slowing down. Soon, members of the group's workout club, nicknamed "Eussya Eussya," gathered around him. They bowed deeply to his chest as a joke. Some pushed through their own sets, hoping to claim the title of "the second chest." At breakfast, they kept the teasing going, calling one dish "the San chest toast."

The playful moments sat next to a more serious picture. ATEEZ is in its ninth year since debut, and the members still give everything to the stage. They even trade opinions on small styling details.

"They haven't wasted a single minute or second," their manager said. "They've taken on a challenge every moment."

The episode also revealed injuries the members had pushed through. Hongjoong and SEONGHWA went ahead with performances after being diagnosed with broken ribs. Yeosang broke a finger when it bent backward. He set the bone himself and finished the performance.

On the main stage, San and the group brought the same intensity fans know them for. ATEEZ has topped the Billboard 200 three times, played stadiums in the U.S. and became the first K-pop boy group to perform at Coachella. On the day the show filmed, the group added another honor, winning the grand prize at an awards ceremony.

"I think the most important thing is to keep doing what I've always done," San said. "I want to be an artist who keeps showing great performances and can give people a lot of feelings."

For a group that started without the backing of a major label, that steady approach has carried it a long way.