AlphaDrive1 Sangwon Wins Unanimous 'Visual MVP' Vote From His Own Members at ATA Festival

When AlphaDrive1's members were asked to vote for the group's 'Visual MVP' at the Asia Top Artist Festival 2026, not a single vote went to anyone but Sangwon. The unanimous result was announced in front of a packed crowd at Nanji Hangang Park in Seoul's Sangam-dong on the 20th, and Sangwon's response was immediate: he launched into an impromptu, full-commitment rendition of T-ara's Bo Peep Bo Peep, complete with the kind of expressive face and gesture work that had his members howling and the audience cheering back.

The moment said a lot about AlphaDrive1's group dynamic. There was nothing reluctant about it. The members leaned in, the crowd leaned in, and the whole segment had the easy warmth of a team that actually enjoys each other's company.

Five Seconds to Make a Fan

The ATA Festival served as many attendees' first real introduction to AlphaDrive1, and the group leaned into that. Before the Visual MVP segment, they ran a fan-favorite icebreaker: a relay challenge where each member had five seconds to pitch their most compelling individual charm point, hitting the camera with eye contact and poses sharp enough to earn a reaction from the live crowd on the spot.

The session also revealed the group's unofficial roles in a different light. Rio was named the best photographer among the members, while Sangwon claimed the title of best poser. The two turned it into a mini performance of its own: Rio mimed pressing a camera shutter, and Sangwon snapped into a polished, instinctive pose without missing a beat. It was a small moment, but it landed.

Stage Energy Meets Multilingual Warmth

AlphaDrive1's performance at ATA leaned into the contrast the group seems to thrive on: intense and commanding on stage, then immediately bright and personable the moment the music stopped. Asked which concept felt closest to their real personalities, the members were candid. "We're much brighter and more playful than people might expect," they said, "but there's a quieter side too. On stage, the high-energy, charismatic version feels like the best fit for us."

For a festival drawing a global audience, they also made a point of showing range off stage. Members greeted the crowd in English, Chinese, and Japanese, then switched back to Korean to thank fans directly: "Thank you for coming out to see us perform even in this heat. Getting to stand on a stage by the Han River is something we'll carry with us for a long time."

The group's contribution to the ATA corner called for an acrostic poem built around the letters A and T, and they delivered one that got a laugh: "'A', I was so bored. 'T', the timing couldn't have been better, meeting our fans at the ATA Festival. We're genuinely happy to be here."

A Festival Finale With a Deep Lineup

The ATA Festival 2026, organized by TenAsia and Hankyung Media Group, ran across two days at Nanji Hangang Park as a wider K-culture platform covering music alongside K-food, K-beauty, and K-fashion. AlphaDrive1 performed on the second and final day, sharing the bill with Dragon Pony, Choi Ye-na, Choi Hyun-wook, Daybreak, Urban Zakapa, Lee Mujin, Kickflip, Jannabi, and ATEEZ, among others. The first day had featured its own stacked lineup, with &TEAM, CNBLUE, Dynamic Duo, and Lucy among the acts.

For a group still building its global fanbase, a festival slot alongside names that size is exactly the kind of stage where a unanimous Visual MVP vote and a well-executed Bo Peep Bo Peep moment can do real work.