ATEEZ's newest merch sparked a discussion online for its "resemblance" to Stray Kids' animal-based characters.

Here's what happened.

Did KQ Entertainment Plagiarize Stray Kids' SKZOO for ATEEZ's ANITEEZ? Here's How STAYs, ATINYs Reacted to Similarities

Earlier on January 29, ATEEZ introduced eight mysterious animal silhouettes on X (Twitter), along with a caption "You and, we are the same?"

Afterwards, KQ Entertainment finally revealed the code name ANITEEZ for the characters. The post featured the adorable figures, exciting a lot of ATINYs who were more than happy to receive new merchandise from the boy group.

 However, the critical side of the K-pop community was still inevitable. Some pointed out its similarities to Stray Kids' SKZOO, which also displayed animal-based characters.

Here's how they reacted:

It doesn’t need to become a big fight tho. It’s actually not that deep

— Beauté Bang (@Leebittit) January 29, 2024

Ateez can’t do something without this fandom being all over them pic.twitter.com/invZPQdVLy

— 🏴‍☠️eli TEEZCHELLA🏴‍☠️ (@woo_boochanie) January 29, 2024

now imagine if skzoo released later than all of this. skz gonna be in everyone fucking mouth. yall should know which fandom will making a fucking thread of plagiarism https://t.co/qFYeHjOijm

— 랑랑 (@922seung) January 30, 2024

like😭 pic.twitter.com/hJECEreNiL

— ♡︎ (@gucciknows) January 29, 2024

Meanwhile, the wholesomeness between STAYs and ATINYs weighed more than the negative atmosphere.

Both fandoms did their best to avoid any incidents that can trigger an all-out fanwar and expressed their joy through hearty posts.

Others rolled their eyes on the comparison that ensued.

Wrong bunny! 🐰 pic.twitter.com/OS9AwXZtd1

— iree 🍒 (@ohprcr) January 29, 2024

98 line bunnies 🩷🤍
they're like lil marshmallows to me#aniteez #skzoo pic.twitter.com/OamQL8eVQX

— ♡ kat ♡ (@angeIix_) January 29, 2024

See this is what I wanna see ^^ not grown ass adults fighting over plushies

— bri🍓 (@Tanniekooks) January 30, 2024

are ppl still mad at this? pls grow up https://t.co/5gUydPbDN1

— noooria🌹LTY2💜ROBIN DAY❗ (@tysfilter) January 30, 2024

kpop stan’s when idols have the same representative animals https://t.co/7rGUVdfgv7 pic.twitter.com/YiS4G4Dwcs

— venus ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ (@lvrboyhannie) January 29, 2024

Twitter Error

didn't know that skz invented animals https://t.co/iZPdiko0Lb

— sansang told me to create this acc (@sansangmydads) January 29, 2024

Why Are Stray Kids & ATEEZ Special in K-pop? Stans Reveal THESE Reasons

In other news, the K-pop community discussed what makes Stray Kids and ATEEZ special in the music industry on December 7.

According to Korean netizens, Stray Kids and ATEEZ both promote strong musical identities and are unafraid to mold their mark outside the spectrum of "easy-listening" discographies.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: K-pop Stans Reveal Why Stray Kids, ATEEZ Are Special - What Makes Them Stand Out? 

Stray Kids was mentioned in the forum, saying how the group managed to maintain their consistent image when it comes to music. Fans also pointed out how versatile the group was, since their albums contained beautiful B-side tracks.

Netizens also mentioned the uniqueness of each Stray Kids member, stating how each idol in the group brings something new to the table with incredible talent and execution. They also commented that the members were all geniuses in their craft.

On the other hand, netters revealed that ATEEZ's ability to encapsulate an audience to its full attention with their live performances is what makes them special. Apart from being dubbed as the "Performance Kings" of fourth-gen K-pop, ATEEZ also received praise for their discography.

What are your thoughts on their exchanges? Do you agree with the similarities? Let us know in the comments below!

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Written by Riely Miller