Hongjoong of boy band Ateez made his debut as the music director of an indie film, “Hallucination,” his agency KQ Entertainment said on Friday.

“I gained profound inspiration by seeing my creations — the music and sound — being featured in the movie,” Hongjoong said during a special screening of the film at the Jeonju International Film Festival on Thursday.


The film centers on the romance between Ralphie, a human fashion editor and an AI system named Call.

Hongjoong produced two tracks for the film, titled “Bleeding Light” and “Nothing Left.” The former captures Ralphie’s feelings toward AI Call, while the latter reflects the fundamental discomfort stemming from an emotional relationship between technology and humans. Hongjoong also lent his vocals to “Nothing Left.”

“I want Korea’s indie film to expand its reach, and I want to continue my work [with music] through various mediums,” he said.

Hongjoong’s older brother, Kim Bum-joong, took on a lead role in the film.

Hongjoong debuted as a member of Ateez under KQ Entertainment in 2018. He released the solo track “NO1" as part of the band’s album “Golden Hour Part.3" last year.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]