ATEEZ's San Talks About The Group's Europe Tour, Staying True To His Roots, And More

Mar 18, 2025

ATEEZ’s San recently posed for a photo shoot for the fashion magazine Elle.

In the interview that followed, San was asked his thoughts on completing ATEEZ’s 2025 Europe tour, “TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER.” He responded, “It was incredible. I feel like I grow with every moment. It may sound obvious, but my fellow members and I truly cherish every performance with our fans.”

San also spoke about performing during ATEEZ’s promotions for their 11th mini album “GOLDEN HOUR : PART.2.” He shared, “I gained a lot from performing ‘Ice On My Teeth.’ Through this performance, I discovered what suits me best and what I excel at. Most importantly, the song’s concept aligned well with my personality. I have a rational side—some might even call it cold—and that trait made me feel comfortable on stage.”

San, who is now in the eighth year of his career as a member of ATEEZ, also spoke about the mindset he strives to maintain despite the passage of time. When asked to describe that mindset, he remarked, “Staying true to my roots. My belief is that I must love my work and cherish the people around me. To uphold that belief, I have to keep carrying the same determination I had in the beginning—to always do my best. This is something I absolutely want to hold on to.”

Regarding his acceptance speech for the K-pop Icon Award at last year’s ELLE Style Awards, where he said, “I want to be a person who feels human,” San recalled, “I debated whether it would be cooler to say something simple and polished. But I realized that expressing gratitude genuinely to those who deserve it is the Choi San I want to be.”

When asked about the kind of person he aspires to become, San shared a heartwarming story about the meaning behind his name. He explained, “My father named me with the intention that I could be a warm hill to some and an unreachable high mountain to others. I want to be someone who can embrace everything—a great mountain that can become a place of rest for those who fly about like the wind.”