Dressed in black, with his bangs swept back, he looks expressionlessly into the camera. Although he has not added many embellishments, the image retains a weighty sense of tension. This is the moment Ateez's San earns the nickname ‘the Northern Grand Duke.’
Choi San, who has recently sparked a ‘Northern Grand Duke’ craze, has drawn renewed attention through Ateez's ‘BAD.’ His choreography, which lowers his center of gravity before unleashing power in an instant, and his intense facial expressions make his presence felt even in short videos.
A closer look at San's style, however, shows that he does not simply wear black outfits repeatedly. He also wears white-toned looks, decorative outfits, and shirts that softly drape over his body. Even so, they leave a similar impression because they do not conceal his natural lines, particularly around his forehead, neckline, and shoulders.
So how can you create Choi San's signature ‘Northern Grand Duke’ vibe through styling?
First, revealing the forehead brings the eyes into focus
Hair plays a major role in creating Ateez San's striking appearance. He is often seen with his bangs down, but styles that reveal his forehead stand out particularly at photo shoots and fashion events.
When the forehead is exposed, his bold eyebrows and elongated eyes immediately draw attention. The contours extending from his cheekbones to his jaw are also left unobscured by his hair. On some days, he chooses a style with a little texture rather than a perfectly slicked-back look, creating a rugged mood distinct from overly polished suit-style hair.
The approach is similar when he wears his bangs down. Rather than covering his eyebrows completely and heavily, he leaves gaps between the strands or sweeps one side away. That is why his eyes do not look closed in even when his hair falls forward.
Second, eye makeup extends below the eyes, not just toward the outer corners
With makeup, the placement of shading matters more than the color. In Ateez San's stage makeup, dark shades are often concentrated along the lash line and around the outer corners instead of being spread broadly across the entire eyelid.
The area beneath the eyes is not left bare, either. A light brown or gray-toned shadow is applied under the eyes and connected to the upper eyeliner. Rather than creating merely sharp eyes with extended outer corners, this technique gives the eyes a deep look, as though a shadow has formed around the entire eye area.
Instead of redrawing the eyebrows to make them thin and sharp, he preserves their natural thickness. On days when his bangs are swept back, more of his dark eyebrows are visible, adding strength to his expression.
Second, San's clothes do not hide his shoulders or waist
A recurring feature of Choi San's fashion is clothing that reveals the shape of his upper body. Straight-shouldered jackets, high-waisted pants, and sleeveless tops that show his silhouette are representative examples.
He does not insist on wearing only form-fitting clothes. Even when he wears a roomy jacket, he layers it over a top that reveals his neckline or a lightweight shirt. The jacket defines the width of his shoulders, while the inner layer leaves his neck and upper chest exposed. It is a combination that makes his upper body look larger without appearing bulky.
In black looks, he avoids monotony by mixing materials. He may pair a matte jacket with a light-reflecting shirt or combine leather and lightweight fabrics in one outfit. When the stage lights hit, the boundaries between each piece become visible even within the black palette.
The fact that Choi San's dance lines stood out so clearly during the high-energy performance of ‘BAD’ is also related to this type of styling.
Third, even a necklace follows the direction of the outfit's opening
With accessories, their placement catches the eye more than their size. On days when he leaves several shirt buttons undone or wears a deeply cut top, he lets a long necklace fall down to echo the direction of his neckline. When wearing a jacket, he uses a brooch or metal accent to draw attention to one shoulder or side of the chest.
Even when he wears several accessories at once, he tends to coordinate their metal tones. On days when his clothes are elaborate, he reduces the number of embellishments; with monochrome outfits, he adds the sparkle of crystals or metal.
In other words, Choi San's ‘Northern Grand Duke’ image cannot be explained by a single black outfit. Beneath his exposed forehead are dark eyebrows and deep-set eyes, while his open neckline leads into broad shoulders. Clothes that clearly define the waist and cool-toned metal accents complete the image.
The contrast between Ateez San's intensity on stage and his unexpectedly gentle appearance offstage makes this style even more intriguing.
The moment his usual expression disappears and the lights come on, the lines hidden in his hair, makeup, and clothes are revealed all at once. That is probably when people see the ‘Northern Grand Duke’ in San.
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
