Happy Birthday, ATEEZ’s San: We’re down ‘Bad’ for his viral chest pop moments

You came for the song. You stayed for the chest pop. Thanks to his famously broad “Dorito” build and magnetic stage presence, ATEEZ’s San has everyone replaying Bad—and we’re certainly not complaining

By Letty Seah - 10 Jul 2026

Ateez San airport — Credit: Getty Images

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If you’ve found yourself replaying ATEEZ’s latest music video Bad just to watch San’s now-viral chest pop, you’re in good company.

The choreography has quickly become one of K-pop’s biggest talking points this month, with fans flooding TikTok, Instagram Reels and X with edits of the move. Performed towards the end of the song, the sharp chest isolation, followed by San lowering his gaze, has become the moment everyone is talking about.

Of course, it helps that Bad is an earworm in its own right. With its addictive hook — “I feel like if we go Latina, like, like” — the track has been on repeat for fans since its release.

The music video also features Hollywood actress and self-confessed ATINY (the name for ATEEZ’s fandom) Chase Infiniti. The actress appears opposite her favourite group — Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung and Jongho — and even gets to share scenes with her bias, San. Just two weeks after its release, the music video has already surpassed 25 million views.

Dressed in a simple white tank top that highlights his athletic physique, San delivers the now-famous move with razor-sharp precision. Fans have affectionately dubbed the choreography near the song’s finale “Let’s All Die”, with countless memes and reaction edits showing viewers dramatically “passing out” after watching the performance.

The viral ‘Bad’ chest pop: Why ATEEZ San’s choreography is captivating fans

Part of what makes the choreography so mesmerising is how well it complements San’s physique. Fans often describe him as having the coveted “Dorito” silhouette — broad shoulders that taper into a narrow waist — a proportion that makes every chest isolation and upper-body movement appear even more striking on stage.

It’s hardly surprising that clips of the choreography have spread far beyond the K-pop community, with even casual viewers admitting they can’t look away.

As San celebrates his 27th birthday today (10 July), we’re looking back at some of our favourite performances of the viral chest pop that has everyone hitting replay.

SBS Inkigayo Performance