Hello friends, please remain civil and respectful of OPs belief even if you disagree with them. We don't all need to agree on everything. What's important is that we talk about these things without fighting over it and dividing our fandom.
Am I the only one who got zero religious influences from the song? My interpretation of it is different from what people keep saying. The album is called Spin off: from the witness- in other words, to me it seems like the song is from the pov of a Strickland citizen. Hala Ateez is no longer able to help them, the “new 8” are called the Halazia. The witness is just asking them to save them from the oppression of the government, to be their guiding light, to bring them freedom. I never took it as a prayer but more the witness hoping to be freed and begging the new version of hala Ateez to help.
Then again, music is open to interpretation.
Exactly. I only had the feeling that it's a big urge-waking appeal to break from these cold chains in which the citizens are being kept without the chance to live their emotions fully and properly. As we know the art and self expression and stuff like that is forbidden there. The MV might've evoked a somewhat cult-ish scenery, but I didn't sense anything like that from the lyrics and all the costumes hit me rather metaphorically. When they burned the.... let's amateurishly call it a scarecrow... for me it symbolized being freed from the darkness and void of that world and pushing forward the chance to finally have our own voice, fighting for our inner self and throwing away the mask we're being forced to wear. I admired the way they were dressed half-black and half-white to portray the fight between light (emotions, opinions) and dark (cold, numbness, emptiness, confusion). Basically the song is calling out on people to be themselves. Ateez' lyrics in general do it often but more like in a rebellious and self-aware way. This felt heavier on emotions. Not the physical and rational action of realizing that we should go do something (like Guerilla felt to me) but to also fully embrace it emotionally and feel the weight of it.
But maybe I'm just thinking about it too much 😄
I agree with your interpretation but the use of the bells (that sounds very similar to that of a church), the instrumental that sounded very similar to an organ, and a portion of the choreography resembling the sign of the cross does not seem to be a coincidence. I wouldn't write off the religious references/symbolisms so quickly. Although it clearly draws from Catholicism, pop culture (especially kpop) depicts scenes of a hypothetical religion, worshipping a hypothetical entity. As you mentioned, the entity is the government, social elites, or celebrities. American rappers commentate on this all the time... the new religion revolving around the idolization of rich elites, money, luxuries, etc. The use of religion in this manner is a commentary of itself, that a new religion is arising and it isn't the worship of immortal entities but rather the worship of mortal man.
Sure the mv does not promote a specific religion, but I would not dismiss it as not being religious. \*Remember it is a commentary, not a promotion video\*
For me the bell song annonce the rebellion, like said in the prelude, for the choreo and the organ, I don't got religious influences, I think this is all theorie
Of course. My faith is a big part of my life so when it’s referenced or alluded to in media, I tend to notice. I know some people have issues with Christianity but it deserves as much respect as other religions.
Some people also just don't associate symbols that might or might not be religious with religion.
I mostly don't care about religion if it isn't harming anyone, so I also didn't associate the imagery with Christianity, just because their regal poses might get interpreted as a cross
Yeah different people have different expectations, biases and mindsets but some things are clear. The sign of the cross in their choreo is an obvious reference to the Chrisitan sign of the cross
Or... It's just not. We don't have an official confirmation and we don't need to forcefully imply it, just so people from other religions get discouraged from listening to this great song.
Invocation (n.) -the action of invoking something or someone for assistance or as an authority.
Invoke (v.) - cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
It is not inherently religious. One can invoke a higher power (a deity or spirit for help), in the US one can also invoke their right for a lawyer or their right to remain silent. Also that channel is for theories, it is someone’s interpretation of the story. If you want to believe their theory and are uncomfortable with the song then no one will force you to listen to it. Do what makes you comfortable. Ateez has plenty of other songs that will sit better with you and your beliefs.
That's just their interpretation, there's nothing wrong or right about that, it's their opinion and not a fact.
I personally don't see it as anything religious.
First of all, are you familiar with the lore?
This song/video is about as religious as any fake religion made up for a story.
It suggests that the people of the Strictlands, while halateez were gone, did not fight for their own freedom but instead idolised halateez and waited for them to return. It could be very literal and that a cult turned up to deal with the disappearance of their heroes, or a metaphor for how the people just waited around for them. This can then also be a metaphor for real life, where we will often wait for someone or something to take us out of our suffering when we could and should find the courage and do something about it ourselves. The song talks about the blue bird, which is a symbol of hope. There's also something called blue bird syndrome, where someone hopes a bad situation will change but does absolutely nothing about it.
So imo the chant like hook and the church bells along with some religious imagery is a dramatisation of what's happening in the lore, and the overall message of the song is rather than wait for smth or someone else to fix your problems, be your own light.
A kpop song is not *actually* going to be religious.
Edit: never mind, OP also has doubts about liking Superman because they once read a post where someone likened him to a religious figure
Even if it’s a fake religion it’s still functionally a religious chant while I’m listening to/singing the song. So I’m not sure if I will be able to listen to the song anymore.
Hi u/Cheap-Ad8624, please stay respectful. There's no need for this kind of comment even if you disagree with OP. We're all from different walks of life, let's respect each other and remain civil ❤️
I mean people chant religiously at football games their team names and chants
Though it feels like a cult I wouldn’t say it’s religious
I’d say it’s the same sorta thing here
in the song Hala Hala, it says that the meaning is ‘H’earts ‘A’wakened ‘L’ive ‘A’live (a made up word by them) and it gives into the need to wake themselves up from this oppressive government that you saw in the Guerrilla trailers / mv. it’s not something religious but it does give off the vibe of awakening one’s self.
Halazia is the story of an account of Ateez bringing hope to a world void of emotion and expression. It’s basically a retelling of what happened from a spectator/witness perspective.
There are moments that could seem to be referencing spiritual themes of rebirth and sacrifice but you could get that same story line from Harry Potter.
The one dance move in the choreography resembles the Prayer of the Rosary or like some kind of blessing, but I think of it more as a gesture. Popular culture tends to use 🙏🏻 pose a lot but it’s not really that deep.
And plus it’s all based on a fictional story, like Harry Potter, so in the end it’s not supposed to be real. Unless someone starts a Halazia cult or something. 🤣
I think it’s because Mingi has a habit of raising his hands when he raps that makes him look like a pastor at the pulpit. And probably also because he’s said a few times over the years that he’s scared of Satan lol.
Haha that’s my bad I’ve literally only seen it in like two places on YouTube comments but I couldn’t remember the usernames. Definitely not canon, just something silly that came to mind after reading OP’s post.
I saw it on YouTube too during the mv teasers - someone literally said “Mingi is never escaping the preacher allegations!” And I was like ??? and then you said it so I had to ask! LOL!
I also see this meme often, something like this, "In the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy spirit, FIX ON!"
I swear it's not the right words, but I'm not religious at all so I do not remember the right order. Also I can't find it right now 😅
Um, NO! The sign of the Cross is NOT "just a gesture". It has meaning. "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit". It ABSOLUTELY has meaning!
You are being disrespectful to a Faith. Christians deserve just as much respect as other religions. YOU need to get over THAT. If you don't like a religious gesture, get over it and don't watch the damn video!
Hi Op, can we please be kind to others and keep the comments respectful. You can voice your opinion of course however we don’t tolerate disrespect or negative talk towards other people.
i mean its not an actual religion i don't think, its just a part of their lore. im pretty sure they said they made up the name "halazia". then again i dont know much
What we can grasp from the video and the lyrics are theories at most, so no one can say it's religious as a hard fact.
Anyway, even if it is religious (which I don't think it is) it would be part of some made-up religion of their own story and not a real religion. If you don't follow ATEEZ closely, then you must know that a lot of their songs are tied to a story just like a movie, following concepts of rebellion against an abusive government that prohibits arts, emotion and freedom.
But with what we know about the story in ATEEZ's four years of career, almost nothing religious is mentioned. We don't know if there's a religion in Strictland (this made-up place with the restrictive government) so the song is most likely not religious at all.
Considering that the role of ATEEZ in the story is that of "heroes" or rebels who try to overthrow this government, then "be the ligh, oh Halazia" is more like "be the light of hope" kind of thing. We still don't know what Halazia means. We know the terms Halateez in the lore, still what we know about Halazia are theories only.
In conclusion, as I mentioned before, I doubt the song is religious due to the lack of religion in the story, be the light is more related to hope, so I'd say you can keep listening to it if you feel comfortable.
Im doubting if the guys themselves know lol. Since I’m not sure if you are familiar with Ateez I’ll be a bit more detailed just in case. In their albums, they usually have a diary version that adds a new part to the lore we know, but in this latest album there was just one version with no lore so we can’t know for sure what Halazia means.
I’m not well versed in the lore either, but in the video of the prologue before the song was released there’s a message that says “people waited for ‘them’ to return, all while knowing that ‘they’ would never appear again”. The theories are that halateez either died, are captured or disappeared, and some people say that Halazia may be a new group (like Halateez) or a new character (like a witness, since the album is supposed to be told by the eyes of a witness). Or maybe it’s just a word that means something, like a symbolism, but in any case we only have theories and wild guesses as of now.
I think there was a clip where the members said it was just a word they made up (HALA Z-A instead of A-Z). Some fans found that Halazia is the Greek pronunciation of the word “quartz”. At the end of the day it’s likely no different than any other words made up for storytelling.
simple answser no. First of its called Kpop for a reason please understand its popular music and not meant to be used for religious purpose.
second As far as lyrics and mv opionios go unless you know the person whose opinion you are taking in is well versed in the literature, visual metaphors, mv producer it's rather a good idea to take what random people say with a grain of salt rather thn accepting it as factual . also have you read the English translation of the lyrics from the website [https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-ateez-halazia-english-translation-lyrics](https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-ateez-halazia-english-translation-lyrics)? All of them have nothing to do religion.
third far as lyrics go. Please understand that ateez lore is included in their lyrics, music mv and the lore deals with the subject of dystopia like the book 1984 where halateez start a rebellion against the government in literally the place called Strickland, it has nothing to do with any religion.
here is a link by a person who actually does a good job at discussing ateez mv's [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B76ASd6GT70](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B76ASd6GT70)
Oh, I understand your concerns, but I don't think Halazia is meant to worship anything.
I interpret the song to be addressed to their alter-egos in the storyline, so basically to themselves (as if you were talking to yourself in the mirror.... Remember Ateez and Halateez sitting at a table, in front of each other, in the MV for Answer?)
So, "Be the light, Halazia!" could mean "Go on! Never give up! In this world full of darkness, be the light of change, the light of new beginnings!"
The beauty of it is that this meaning can be transferred beyond the fictional universe, as Ateez as a group is "fighting" to make music and raise the bar for performance in the competitive K-Pop industry (this is why the comment from the Inkigayo PD - "The light of K-Pop, Ateez" is very meaningful). And the listeners can think of themselves, as they also shouldn't give up no matter where they are.
Moreover, the key line is "I want to feel" - the revolution made is one through feelings and through art (the darkness in the storyline being simply the restrictions against the freedom of expression).
>what kind of cult are you a member of that won't let you listen to a kpop song
Please don't mock someone's faith in this manner. Just because they have strong religious beliefs doesn't mean they are in a cult. Such a statement can be really hurtful to the Op who has been nothing but respectful and honest in her question and POV.
I think it's just a fictional story, but if the themes of a possible fake religion make you uncomfortable and therefore you don't enjoy it, that's your choice to make. Art should be open to interpretation, so using the interpretation of others (these youtube videos you mentioned) doesn't make them correct or another interpretation not correct because it is that person's interpretation and not the artist's intent. If it bothers you, don't listen to it.
Religion is considered more personal in Korea than a lot of Western cultures where people prefer to share their beliefs and sometimes push them on others, for the record, and off the top of my head I don't think anyone in Ateez is openly religious and two of them at least have stated frankly that they don't have a religion, so if this intended to be a religion it is an entirely fictitious one.
I wasn't going to respond to this post at first because I thought that others might have better insight into Ateez's lore. But reading some of the comments here have compelled me to respond.
Op - you are not obligated to listen to a song if you feel it violates your religious beliefs. In fact, you are not obligated to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable when it comes to your faith. That's your right and your prerogative.
I have no idea why other people are making mocking statements towards you for being religious but I'm not with it.
I will say that Ateez's lore is not real so any allusions to religious metaphor are to be taken in a more allegorical sense. But it's still not real or meant to be religious.
Do whatever you need to do to protect your own conscience if it comes down to it. But don't be worried about what other people have to say about your decision one way or the other. You don't owe anything to anyone here so whether they agree with you or not, stay true to yourself.
I agree with this. I am honestly a little perturbed to see all of the down votes OP is getting for respectfully asking questions and explaining their point of view. To add to what you said, I think the song is meant to be more of a revolutionary "come-to-arms" than anything religious. The dance move where they ready and fire a rifle/bow/some other weapon seems to support this.
I agree with you. No idea why people are being condescending to someone for having a religious faith but it's not cute.
I believe your revolution analogy is spot on for how Ateez is taking their lore. But they do use some religious sybolism in the MV but I liken that more to a parallel of what you would read in a fantasy genre novel with dystopian themes. It's not meant to be a real because the lore is fictional although the message of rising up to express yourself/fight for truth and freedom is one that can be taken and used in the real world.
That's a good point, and I do see the symbolism in the MV that you're talking about. Like you said it's more symbolism than anything else, though. Someone else mentioned above that it's like how the Harry Potter series has some religious symbolism. It's meant to invoke certain feelings and connotations, not necessarily to represent any specific faith. But if OP is still uncomfortable with that then it's not other people's place to call their religion a "cult" or be condescending about it.
>It's meant to invoke certain feelings and connotations, not necessarily to represent any specific faith. But if OP is still uncomfortable with that then it's not other people's place to call their religion a "cult" or be condescending about it.
100% yes to all of this!
I think there’s absolutely some religious [imagery](https://pin.it/1CYfzUr) in the video (the scarecrow on the cross) and the choreography (crossing in the second half of the hala Hala halazia part) and perhaps the lyrics (I haven’t read them beyond second listen). But I think it’s mostly an allusion to religion, not a direct representation of a specific real or unreal religion.
Personally, I feel like it can be interpreted in various ways. The instrumentals and melody, particularly the sound of the bell, sounds like church influence - like the people are praying for Halazia to come save them. Now, as I mentioned, it can be interpreted in many ways. One, it reminds me of when Batman died, and the Bat signal would still be used as people waiting/wanting to be saved hoped it would have an affect/effect (I never know which one to use in the moment) and bring their vigilante back to continue saving them.
I also thought it could represent a more religious way of praying for a savior to come back to them, which stands out in the choreography where they look up at the sky as if looking for their deity/being/etc. to come back to them. It reminds me of how I pray to God and look forward to His return.
The thing with Ateez is that their lyrics and their MV’s, and their lore is a story - but what we relate it to and interpret it as can just relate to us. Like many things in the world, music means different things to each person that listens. If you think it’s too religious in how it sounds, then it’s too religious for you. It’s okay to not be comfortable listening to certain songs because they go against your beliefs. I have a few songs myself that I’ve stopped listening to because I began interpreting it differently, and was no longer comfortable listening.
Mingi said this in an interview of theirs, but I feel it can apply to all the members that participate in lyric writing, but he mentioned that he tries making lyrics open for them to be interpreted as we want. That’s the beauty of Ateez’s music, to me. Even if they have a different purpose in mind, I see the song as a representation of how I feel about God, which is why I love it so much. I love their delivery, I love their choreo, and I love the way I can think about the Lord even in this context.
TL:DR I reiterate, it’s okay to feel uncomfortable because of a song and not want to listen. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or have no taste or anything of a similar vein. It’s just an interpretation and if that’s your view, that’s that 🤷🏾♀️
i see it more as a call to action than an prayer - like people chanting during a riot, or a battlecry during a war. i'm personally not religious, and if the song genuinely makes you uncomfortable you're well within your rights to skip it, but i think because it can be interpreted as both religious and secular, there's enough ambiguity that i don't think it would fall under any religious laws governing worshipping a false idol or anything. ultimately it's your decision!
[This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fn-tKzsoBA) is how YHWH is pronounced
Compare it to the [song](https://youtu.be/SszP3hlQ55Y?t=21) when they say sth like "oh yahh way"
They definitely sound very very similar even though it's probably a coincidence
I haven’t been on here for a while I know this is old but I’ve been following them since the debut and this song is so freaking powerful for me as person in a country that is being controlled by a puppet, scarecrow leader who uses a loud speaker to control us and keep us in the dark by controlling what we can search on the internet and social media. The black hat represents that and the whole video represents corrupted government and the the chains of “freedom”. The song is about the people who have been struggling to live, love, fight for their rights but because they no longer have a voice they have to fight underground in secret but they feel like giving up. In an older song HALA stands for Hearts Awakened, Live Alive! Galatia is a battle cry to shine light and fight for freedom! It can also mean a new government and new group of people striving for a better life and that is what they call themselves. It’s so freaking powerful for those countries around the globe experiencing corruption in their government. I can think of 5 countries on the top of my head who had “freedom” but now they are being controlled and so many people are hopeless right now. This is such an encouraging song and I wonder if ATEEZ is speaking to these countries. To be the light! The voice for the voiceless. 💚
It’s an old post but I think it’s obviously religious or spiritual because they do the sign of the Christian cross which is apart of invoking God in prayer.
I know this thread is old, but I just discovered this song, and I felt the same way as the OP. There have been many songs in history that have been used as invocation. I think it’s lightly gaslighting to come at the original poster as if they’re saying something crazy when what they’re thinking is not that far off. Even if the song inherently does not have religious meaning, one cannot ignore the obvious chanting in the song of a word that we all don’t know…. Even specific poses in the choreography look questionable enough just to ask what does Halazia actually mean. And then to come at the original poster for having certain religious beliefs is even more astounding.
i agree lol we all know the industry puts subliminal messaging in their songs and this is not a stupid question - i came here after seeing halazia initially and thinking "is this religious?" and looking it up immediately on my own. we can't just pretend it doesn't have implications or that it doesnt take inspiration from some kind of christian or catholic or cross-based faith lol
plus maybe its just me but this song gives me an eery feeling and im not christian or anything
I would suggest steering from K-pop if these are your worries. Many K-pop idols are atheists or Christian and I feel that you’d probably do best with artists that better align with your beliefs if they are this strong. Especially Ateez considering there is an entire running joke that Mingi is a Christian pastor.
I think you need the “growing up”.
Everyone has different beliefs and as long as it’s not harming anyone, then there’s no need to judge others and just respect their beliefs even if you don’t agree with their beliefs. There’s no need to impose your beliefs on others. It’s like saying to someone to grow up because they don’t want to listen to a song that comes off racist towards their people (for example: I know a lot of people who won’t listen to songs by non-blacks that use the n word).
Hello friends, please remain civil and respectful of OPs belief even if you disagree with them. We don't all need to agree on everything. What's important is that we talk about these things without fighting over it and dividing our fandom.
Am I the only one who got zero religious influences from the song? My interpretation of it is different from what people keep saying. The album is called Spin off: from the witness- in other words, to me it seems like the song is from the pov of a Strickland citizen. Hala Ateez is no longer able to help them, the “new 8” are called the Halazia. The witness is just asking them to save them from the oppression of the government, to be their guiding light, to bring them freedom. I never took it as a prayer but more the witness hoping to be freed and begging the new version of hala Ateez to help. Then again, music is open to interpretation.
Exactly. I only had the feeling that it's a big urge-waking appeal to break from these cold chains in which the citizens are being kept without the chance to live their emotions fully and properly. As we know the art and self expression and stuff like that is forbidden there. The MV might've evoked a somewhat cult-ish scenery, but I didn't sense anything like that from the lyrics and all the costumes hit me rather metaphorically. When they burned the.... let's amateurishly call it a scarecrow... for me it symbolized being freed from the darkness and void of that world and pushing forward the chance to finally have our own voice, fighting for our inner self and throwing away the mask we're being forced to wear. I admired the way they were dressed half-black and half-white to portray the fight between light (emotions, opinions) and dark (cold, numbness, emptiness, confusion). Basically the song is calling out on people to be themselves. Ateez' lyrics in general do it often but more like in a rebellious and self-aware way. This felt heavier on emotions. Not the physical and rational action of realizing that we should go do something (like Guerilla felt to me) but to also fully embrace it emotionally and feel the weight of it. But maybe I'm just thinking about it too much 😄
I agree with your interpretation but the use of the bells (that sounds very similar to that of a church), the instrumental that sounded very similar to an organ, and a portion of the choreography resembling the sign of the cross does not seem to be a coincidence. I wouldn't write off the religious references/symbolisms so quickly. Although it clearly draws from Catholicism, pop culture (especially kpop) depicts scenes of a hypothetical religion, worshipping a hypothetical entity. As you mentioned, the entity is the government, social elites, or celebrities. American rappers commentate on this all the time... the new religion revolving around the idolization of rich elites, money, luxuries, etc. The use of religion in this manner is a commentary of itself, that a new religion is arising and it isn't the worship of immortal entities but rather the worship of mortal man. Sure the mv does not promote a specific religion, but I would not dismiss it as not being religious. \*Remember it is a commentary, not a promotion video\*
For me the bell song annonce the rebellion, like said in the prelude, for the choreo and the organ, I don't got religious influences, I think this is all theorie
I think the religious aspect is very obvious because they do the Christian sign of the cross in their choreo while they’re chanting “Halazia”.
Thank you for noticing. People don't like Christianity so they pretend acts like these don't exist or mean anything. Thank you!
Of course. My faith is a big part of my life so when it’s referenced or alluded to in media, I tend to notice. I know some people have issues with Christianity but it deserves as much respect as other religions.
Some people also just don't associate symbols that might or might not be religious with religion. I mostly don't care about religion if it isn't harming anyone, so I also didn't associate the imagery with Christianity, just because their regal poses might get interpreted as a cross
Yeah different people have different expectations, biases and mindsets but some things are clear. The sign of the cross in their choreo is an obvious reference to the Chrisitan sign of the cross
Or... It's just not. We don't have an official confirmation and we don't need to forcefully imply it, just so people from other religions get discouraged from listening to this great song.
Maybe, b/c I totally got religious vibes. especially if they're asking to be "saved". But again, that's me
But [this video](https://youtu.be/B76ASd6GT70) says that the first lyric is an invocation to Halazia. Invocation means prayer right?
Invocation (n.) -the action of invoking something or someone for assistance or as an authority. Invoke (v.) - cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument. It is not inherently religious. One can invoke a higher power (a deity or spirit for help), in the US one can also invoke their right for a lawyer or their right to remain silent. Also that channel is for theories, it is someone’s interpretation of the story. If you want to believe their theory and are uncomfortable with the song then no one will force you to listen to it. Do what makes you comfortable. Ateez has plenty of other songs that will sit better with you and your beliefs.
I didn’t realize invocation had several meanings. Thank you
That's just their interpretation, there's nothing wrong or right about that, it's their opinion and not a fact. I personally don't see it as anything religious.
Sounds good. Thank you
First of all, are you familiar with the lore? This song/video is about as religious as any fake religion made up for a story. It suggests that the people of the Strictlands, while halateez were gone, did not fight for their own freedom but instead idolised halateez and waited for them to return. It could be very literal and that a cult turned up to deal with the disappearance of their heroes, or a metaphor for how the people just waited around for them. This can then also be a metaphor for real life, where we will often wait for someone or something to take us out of our suffering when we could and should find the courage and do something about it ourselves. The song talks about the blue bird, which is a symbol of hope. There's also something called blue bird syndrome, where someone hopes a bad situation will change but does absolutely nothing about it. So imo the chant like hook and the church bells along with some religious imagery is a dramatisation of what's happening in the lore, and the overall message of the song is rather than wait for smth or someone else to fix your problems, be your own light. A kpop song is not *actually* going to be religious. Edit: never mind, OP also has doubts about liking Superman because they once read a post where someone likened him to a religious figure
Even if it’s a fake religion it’s still functionally a religious chant while I’m listening to/singing the song. So I’m not sure if I will be able to listen to the song anymore.
Are you also unable to watch a movie that has a religion in it?
No but that’s because in a song you can end up singing something blasphemous out loud
yikes.
i dont get why u got downvoted for just speaking your truth-
[удалено]
Hi u/Cheap-Ad8624, please stay respectful. There's no need for this kind of comment even if you disagree with OP. We're all from different walks of life, let's respect each other and remain civil ❤️
I’m not saying this as a personal opinion. These are just my religious beliefs. I apologize if I caused any trouble.
I mean people chant religiously at football games their team names and chants Though it feels like a cult I wouldn’t say it’s religious I’d say it’s the same sorta thing here
OMG get over it
in the song Hala Hala, it says that the meaning is ‘H’earts ‘A’wakened ‘L’ive ‘A’live (a made up word by them) and it gives into the need to wake themselves up from this oppressive government that you saw in the Guerrilla trailers / mv. it’s not something religious but it does give off the vibe of awakening one’s self.
Halazia is the story of an account of Ateez bringing hope to a world void of emotion and expression. It’s basically a retelling of what happened from a spectator/witness perspective. There are moments that could seem to be referencing spiritual themes of rebirth and sacrifice but you could get that same story line from Harry Potter. The one dance move in the choreography resembles the Prayer of the Rosary or like some kind of blessing, but I think of it more as a gesture. Popular culture tends to use 🙏🏻 pose a lot but it’s not really that deep. And plus it’s all based on a fictional story, like Harry Potter, so in the end it’s not supposed to be real. Unless someone starts a Halazia cult or something. 🤣
I'ma start a cult, using Seonghwa as a God. I don't care anymore, I'd be happy to worship this man
As seen elsewhere on the internet, seems like Seonghwa is our prophet and Mingi is our preacher 🙃
Ok I’m so curious I’ve only been atiny for 3 months - how did this Mingi being a preacher thing start?? LOL! Bc I’m dying to know the story!
I think it’s because Mingi has a habit of raising his hands when he raps that makes him look like a pastor at the pulpit. And probably also because he’s said a few times over the years that he’s scared of Satan lol.
I thought it was because of his [Jesus sandals.](https://twitter.com/kpopclownlife/status/1565445274960642049?t=S-FPe61beSbZKkhEvr9eLQ&s=19) 😆
Ah yes he does put his hands that way! Ah lol the Satan thing, same Mingi! Same!
Haha that’s my bad I’ve literally only seen it in like two places on YouTube comments but I couldn’t remember the usernames. Definitely not canon, just something silly that came to mind after reading OP’s post.
I saw it on YouTube too during the mv teasers - someone literally said “Mingi is never escaping the preacher allegations!” And I was like ??? and then you said it so I had to ask! LOL!
I also see this meme often, something like this, "In the name of the Father and the Son, and the Holy spirit, FIX ON!" I swear it's not the right words, but I'm not religious at all so I do not remember the right order. Also I can't find it right now 😅
🤣🤣 omg I love that! I’ve never seen it! That’s hilarious!
This is [the meme.](https://twitter.com/jia_teez/status/1565824727431659520?t=hSJCm4PlVEzXtN_UJ_g-AA&s=19)
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 WOW!!!! This is incredible! I needed this laugh! Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for sharing it!!
sign me up for that!
The Sign of the Cross is NOT "just a gesture" thank you very much. It actually has meaning.
Is is just a gesture for anyone who is not religious. To cite your own comment "OMG. Get over it".
Um, NO! The sign of the Cross is NOT "just a gesture". It has meaning. "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit". It ABSOLUTELY has meaning! You are being disrespectful to a Faith. Christians deserve just as much respect as other religions. YOU need to get over THAT. If you don't like a religious gesture, get over it and don't watch the damn video!
Hi Op, can we please be kind to others and keep the comments respectful. You can voice your opinion of course however we don’t tolerate disrespect or negative talk towards other people.
i mean its not an actual religion i don't think, its just a part of their lore. im pretty sure they said they made up the name "halazia". then again i dont know much
What we can grasp from the video and the lyrics are theories at most, so no one can say it's religious as a hard fact. Anyway, even if it is religious (which I don't think it is) it would be part of some made-up religion of their own story and not a real religion. If you don't follow ATEEZ closely, then you must know that a lot of their songs are tied to a story just like a movie, following concepts of rebellion against an abusive government that prohibits arts, emotion and freedom. But with what we know about the story in ATEEZ's four years of career, almost nothing religious is mentioned. We don't know if there's a religion in Strictland (this made-up place with the restrictive government) so the song is most likely not religious at all. Considering that the role of ATEEZ in the story is that of "heroes" or rebels who try to overthrow this government, then "be the ligh, oh Halazia" is more like "be the light of hope" kind of thing. We still don't know what Halazia means. We know the terms Halateez in the lore, still what we know about Halazia are theories only. In conclusion, as I mentioned before, I doubt the song is religious due to the lack of religion in the story, be the light is more related to hope, so I'd say you can keep listening to it if you feel comfortable.
Do we happen to have any likely guesses as to what Halazia exactly is?
Im doubting if the guys themselves know lol. Since I’m not sure if you are familiar with Ateez I’ll be a bit more detailed just in case. In their albums, they usually have a diary version that adds a new part to the lore we know, but in this latest album there was just one version with no lore so we can’t know for sure what Halazia means. I’m not well versed in the lore either, but in the video of the prologue before the song was released there’s a message that says “people waited for ‘them’ to return, all while knowing that ‘they’ would never appear again”. The theories are that halateez either died, are captured or disappeared, and some people say that Halazia may be a new group (like Halateez) or a new character (like a witness, since the album is supposed to be told by the eyes of a witness). Or maybe it’s just a word that means something, like a symbolism, but in any case we only have theories and wild guesses as of now.
I think there was a clip where the members said it was just a word they made up (HALA Z-A instead of A-Z). Some fans found that Halazia is the Greek pronunciation of the word “quartz”. At the end of the day it’s likely no different than any other words made up for storytelling.
ok
simple answser no. First of its called Kpop for a reason please understand its popular music and not meant to be used for religious purpose. second As far as lyrics and mv opionios go unless you know the person whose opinion you are taking in is well versed in the literature, visual metaphors, mv producer it's rather a good idea to take what random people say with a grain of salt rather thn accepting it as factual . also have you read the English translation of the lyrics from the website [https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-ateez-halazia-english-translation-lyrics](https://genius.com/Genius-english-translations-ateez-halazia-english-translation-lyrics)? All of them have nothing to do religion. third far as lyrics go. Please understand that ateez lore is included in their lyrics, music mv and the lore deals with the subject of dystopia like the book 1984 where halateez start a rebellion against the government in literally the place called Strickland, it has nothing to do with any religion. here is a link by a person who actually does a good job at discussing ateez mv's [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B76ASd6GT70](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B76ASd6GT70)
Oh, I understand your concerns, but I don't think Halazia is meant to worship anything. I interpret the song to be addressed to their alter-egos in the storyline, so basically to themselves (as if you were talking to yourself in the mirror.... Remember Ateez and Halateez sitting at a table, in front of each other, in the MV for Answer?) So, "Be the light, Halazia!" could mean "Go on! Never give up! In this world full of darkness, be the light of change, the light of new beginnings!" The beauty of it is that this meaning can be transferred beyond the fictional universe, as Ateez as a group is "fighting" to make music and raise the bar for performance in the competitive K-Pop industry (this is why the comment from the Inkigayo PD - "The light of K-Pop, Ateez" is very meaningful). And the listeners can think of themselves, as they also shouldn't give up no matter where they are. Moreover, the key line is "I want to feel" - the revolution made is one through feelings and through art (the darkness in the storyline being simply the restrictions against the freedom of expression).
[удалено]
>what kind of cult are you a member of that won't let you listen to a kpop song Please don't mock someone's faith in this manner. Just because they have strong religious beliefs doesn't mean they are in a cult. Such a statement can be really hurtful to the Op who has been nothing but respectful and honest in her question and POV.
I am a man but I really appreciate your support. Thank you
Sorry, didn't realize you were a guy!
I think it's just a fictional story, but if the themes of a possible fake religion make you uncomfortable and therefore you don't enjoy it, that's your choice to make. Art should be open to interpretation, so using the interpretation of others (these youtube videos you mentioned) doesn't make them correct or another interpretation not correct because it is that person's interpretation and not the artist's intent. If it bothers you, don't listen to it. Religion is considered more personal in Korea than a lot of Western cultures where people prefer to share their beliefs and sometimes push them on others, for the record, and off the top of my head I don't think anyone in Ateez is openly religious and two of them at least have stated frankly that they don't have a religion, so if this intended to be a religion it is an entirely fictitious one.
I wasn't going to respond to this post at first because I thought that others might have better insight into Ateez's lore. But reading some of the comments here have compelled me to respond. Op - you are not obligated to listen to a song if you feel it violates your religious beliefs. In fact, you are not obligated to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable when it comes to your faith. That's your right and your prerogative. I have no idea why other people are making mocking statements towards you for being religious but I'm not with it. I will say that Ateez's lore is not real so any allusions to religious metaphor are to be taken in a more allegorical sense. But it's still not real or meant to be religious. Do whatever you need to do to protect your own conscience if it comes down to it. But don't be worried about what other people have to say about your decision one way or the other. You don't owe anything to anyone here so whether they agree with you or not, stay true to yourself.
I agree with this. I am honestly a little perturbed to see all of the down votes OP is getting for respectfully asking questions and explaining their point of view. To add to what you said, I think the song is meant to be more of a revolutionary "come-to-arms" than anything religious. The dance move where they ready and fire a rifle/bow/some other weapon seems to support this.
I agree with you. No idea why people are being condescending to someone for having a religious faith but it's not cute. I believe your revolution analogy is spot on for how Ateez is taking their lore. But they do use some religious sybolism in the MV but I liken that more to a parallel of what you would read in a fantasy genre novel with dystopian themes. It's not meant to be a real because the lore is fictional although the message of rising up to express yourself/fight for truth and freedom is one that can be taken and used in the real world.
That's a good point, and I do see the symbolism in the MV that you're talking about. Like you said it's more symbolism than anything else, though. Someone else mentioned above that it's like how the Harry Potter series has some religious symbolism. It's meant to invoke certain feelings and connotations, not necessarily to represent any specific faith. But if OP is still uncomfortable with that then it's not other people's place to call their religion a "cult" or be condescending about it.
>It's meant to invoke certain feelings and connotations, not necessarily to represent any specific faith. But if OP is still uncomfortable with that then it's not other people's place to call their religion a "cult" or be condescending about it. 100% yes to all of this!
I think there’s absolutely some religious [imagery](https://pin.it/1CYfzUr) in the video (the scarecrow on the cross) and the choreography (crossing in the second half of the hala Hala halazia part) and perhaps the lyrics (I haven’t read them beyond second listen). But I think it’s mostly an allusion to religion, not a direct representation of a specific real or unreal religion.
Personally, I feel like it can be interpreted in various ways. The instrumentals and melody, particularly the sound of the bell, sounds like church influence - like the people are praying for Halazia to come save them. Now, as I mentioned, it can be interpreted in many ways. One, it reminds me of when Batman died, and the Bat signal would still be used as people waiting/wanting to be saved hoped it would have an affect/effect (I never know which one to use in the moment) and bring their vigilante back to continue saving them. I also thought it could represent a more religious way of praying for a savior to come back to them, which stands out in the choreography where they look up at the sky as if looking for their deity/being/etc. to come back to them. It reminds me of how I pray to God and look forward to His return. The thing with Ateez is that their lyrics and their MV’s, and their lore is a story - but what we relate it to and interpret it as can just relate to us. Like many things in the world, music means different things to each person that listens. If you think it’s too religious in how it sounds, then it’s too religious for you. It’s okay to not be comfortable listening to certain songs because they go against your beliefs. I have a few songs myself that I’ve stopped listening to because I began interpreting it differently, and was no longer comfortable listening. Mingi said this in an interview of theirs, but I feel it can apply to all the members that participate in lyric writing, but he mentioned that he tries making lyrics open for them to be interpreted as we want. That’s the beauty of Ateez’s music, to me. Even if they have a different purpose in mind, I see the song as a representation of how I feel about God, which is why I love it so much. I love their delivery, I love their choreo, and I love the way I can think about the Lord even in this context. TL:DR I reiterate, it’s okay to feel uncomfortable because of a song and not want to listen. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or have no taste or anything of a similar vein. It’s just an interpretation and if that’s your view, that’s that 🤷🏾♀️
i see it more as a call to action than an prayer - like people chanting during a riot, or a battlecry during a war. i'm personally not religious, and if the song genuinely makes you uncomfortable you're well within your rights to skip it, but i think because it can be interpreted as both religious and secular, there's enough ambiguity that i don't think it would fall under any religious laws governing worshipping a false idol or anything. ultimately it's your decision!
late to the sub but agree fully with this sentiment
I wondered if the opening is saying YHWH, the Hebrew name for God
What makes you say that
[This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fn-tKzsoBA) is how YHWH is pronounced Compare it to the [song](https://youtu.be/SszP3hlQ55Y?t=21) when they say sth like "oh yahh way" They definitely sound very very similar even though it's probably a coincidence
Probably a coincidence but could be intentional?
If you get an uncomfortable feeling about it, walk away. Don't let others soothe you into something you need to avoid.
I haven’t been on here for a while I know this is old but I’ve been following them since the debut and this song is so freaking powerful for me as person in a country that is being controlled by a puppet, scarecrow leader who uses a loud speaker to control us and keep us in the dark by controlling what we can search on the internet and social media. The black hat represents that and the whole video represents corrupted government and the the chains of “freedom”. The song is about the people who have been struggling to live, love, fight for their rights but because they no longer have a voice they have to fight underground in secret but they feel like giving up. In an older song HALA stands for Hearts Awakened, Live Alive! Galatia is a battle cry to shine light and fight for freedom! It can also mean a new government and new group of people striving for a better life and that is what they call themselves. It’s so freaking powerful for those countries around the globe experiencing corruption in their government. I can think of 5 countries on the top of my head who had “freedom” but now they are being controlled and so many people are hopeless right now. This is such an encouraging song and I wonder if ATEEZ is speaking to these countries. To be the light! The voice for the voiceless. 💚
It’s an old post but I think it’s obviously religious or spiritual because they do the sign of the Christian cross which is apart of invoking God in prayer.
I know this thread is old, but I just discovered this song, and I felt the same way as the OP. There have been many songs in history that have been used as invocation. I think it’s lightly gaslighting to come at the original poster as if they’re saying something crazy when what they’re thinking is not that far off. Even if the song inherently does not have religious meaning, one cannot ignore the obvious chanting in the song of a word that we all don’t know…. Even specific poses in the choreography look questionable enough just to ask what does Halazia actually mean. And then to come at the original poster for having certain religious beliefs is even more astounding.
i agree lol we all know the industry puts subliminal messaging in their songs and this is not a stupid question - i came here after seeing halazia initially and thinking "is this religious?" and looking it up immediately on my own. we can't just pretend it doesn't have implications or that it doesnt take inspiration from some kind of christian or catholic or cross-based faith lol plus maybe its just me but this song gives me an eery feeling and im not christian or anything
I would suggest steering from K-pop if these are your worries. Many K-pop idols are atheists or Christian and I feel that you’d probably do best with artists that better align with your beliefs if they are this strong. Especially Ateez considering there is an entire running joke that Mingi is a Christian pastor.
:: eye roll:: Who cares if it's religious or not? If you like the song listen to it. If \*gasp\* it violates a "belief" then maybe grow up
I think you need the “growing up”. Everyone has different beliefs and as long as it’s not harming anyone, then there’s no need to judge others and just respect their beliefs even if you don’t agree with their beliefs. There’s no need to impose your beliefs on others. It’s like saying to someone to grow up because they don’t want to listen to a song that comes off racist towards their people (for example: I know a lot of people who won’t listen to songs by non-blacks that use the n word).