A single week is simply not enough to keep up with all the K-POP news.
That is why I have decided not to aim for comprehensive coverage in this series.
Just the news that caught my attention this week.
About Yunho, about the groups I have watched for a long time, and about those who are currently growing.
This week, I went to see Yunho in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Changmin announced his tour for next year, NCT WISH began to show glimpses of their next project, and news arrived from Korea that Vaundy’s concert had made a huge impact.
And now, we are even hearing the term ‘6th Generation’.
It was a week where I was interested in both the present of those I have watched for a long time and the future of those who are about to emerge.
1. Yunho, to the Hong Kong concert. I want to write this as my own concert report.
On September 26, I attended ‘U-KNOW PROJECT 26 : SCENE#1’ held in Hong Kong.
Whenever I try to write about Yunho, it inevitably becomes long.
There are many people in the world who are good at singing and dancing. Among them, why have I been watching this person for so long?
Even in a large space like the Tokyo Dome, he has the strength to captivate the audience all by himself.
And yet, seeing Yunho in person, there is also a fragility that feels like he might suddenly disappear. An androgynous beauty and elegance. Strength and delicacy exist within the same person.
That mysterious charm is hard to convey just by listing his career and achievements.
That is why I want this Hong Kong concert report to be about what I saw and how I felt on the spot, rather than a deep dive into his persona.
And starting October 31, ‘SCENE#1 – EDIT’ will begin in Japan.
What will change in this ‘EDIT’? I want to wait for the next stage while holding onto what I received in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Concert Information / Official Japan Concert Information
2. Changmin, heading to various locations in Japan for ‘The Second Dining’
On September 25, Changmin’s 2027 Japan tour, ‘The Second Dining,’ was announced.
It will consist of 24 performances nationwide from February 22 to May 16. This time, he plans to visit regions and venues that have had fewer opportunities to host him in the past.
Looking at the schedule, names like Obihiro, Gifu, Fukui, Kumamoto, Ehime, and Okinawa are listed.
It’s not just about fans gathering in big cities; the artist is going to meet them in various locations. I think this way of expanding a tour is wonderful.
The name ‘The Second Dining’ is also intriguing.
What kind of songs will be served at this second dining table? While the concert details are yet to come, just looking at the venue names makes my imagination run wild about the kind of space where I’ll be able to hear Changmin’s voice.
Yunho and Changmin.
The two members of TVXQ are creating different stages under their respective names. I think being able to enjoy those differences is one of the joys for fans who have supported them for a long time.
3. Vaundy’s Korea Concert. The arrows of music reception point in both directions
This week, one story from outside the K-POP scene.
Vaundy held his first solo concert in Korea at the Inspire Arena in Incheon on September 19 and 20. A Japanese article on the 22nd reported that he drew approximately 30,000 people over the two days and was surprised by the audience’s sing-alongs.
Usually, I often follow how Korean artists are received in Japan.
That’s why news about a Korean audience singing along to a Japanese artist’s songs brings a slightly different kind of joy.
The arrows of music reception extend in both directions.
It also connects to a topic I’ve been interested in lately: K-POP artists covering Japanese songs. Who chooses which song? Through those song choices, I feel like I can see what kind of music is currently crossing borders.
Perhaps there are things that can no longer be captured just by the labels of ‘popular in Japan’ or ‘popular in Korea.’
Kstyle article reporting on the concert
4. NCT WISH, what will they show after ‘Youth’?
NCT WISH’s 4th mini-album ‘I SPY’ will be released on October 12.
The images released this week have a slightly more subdued atmosphere in addition to the bright and refreshing impression seen until now. As a work dealing with first love and confusion, the next phase has gradually come into view.
What I am curious about is how they will change the youth concept from here on out.
However, it is still too early to decide that this is a ‘departure from youth’.
Within youth, there is brightness, but there is also anxiety. Falling for someone can also mean becoming unsure of your own feelings.
Is what WISH is trying to show the end of youth? Or is it another expression found within it?
SM is also a company that has repeatedly thought about how to show the growth of groups with a boyish image through music and visuals.
In that flow, what path will the current WISH choose?
I want to think about it again once the songs and performances are all out.
Article on the new ‘I SPY’ images
5. Already the ‘6th Generation’? What I’m curious about is who will create the next image of a boy
An article published on September 26th summarizing new debut plans for boy groups.
It introduced the movements of SM as well as the agency led by Min Hee-jin, and questioned the arrival of the ‘6th generation.’ Note that not all the plans introduced were announced this week.
Honestly, I do wonder if it’s already the 6th generation.
There are no common, clear criteria for dividing generations, and just because a new name is attached doesn’t mean music changes all at once.
Even so, this news caught my attention.
The boy group currently being created by SM, and the boy group that Min Hee-jin, who has worked at SM, is trying to create elsewhere.
What kind of differences will emerge there?
Of course, you cannot rank them before the works are released. A concept is not something completed by a single producer alone.
Even so, when viewed from the perspective of ‘who will create the next image of a boy,’ it is more interesting than the generation number.
While watching over the growth of NCT WISH, I will also watch the groups that appear after them.
If we do that, we might be able to see a bit more clearly what SM is inheriting today and what it is trying to change.
Kstyle article featuring the ‘6th Generation’
Extra Edition: Onew Sings ‘Aliens’
Just one more song story that caught my attention.
On the September 26th broadcast of NHK’s ‘Venue101 EXTRA,’ Kirinji’s ‘Aliens’ was introduced as the song Onew would be performing.
As someone who biases Onew in SHINee, this song choice is naturally intriguing.
There are many opportunities for K-POP artists to cover Japanese songs, but I believe what they choose to sing also reflects how they approach music.
How will the world of ‘Aliens’ resonate through Onew’s voice? How will the charm of the original song overlap with his own unique vocal personality?
Watching Onew lately, I find myself thinking more about what kind of music he wants to deliver as a solo singer right now.
As an entry point to understanding where he is currently, I want to listen to this cover carefully.
ONEW Official: Program and song performance information
This week, from the solo activities of two people I have watched for a long time, to music that reaches across borders, and even to the next group whose form is not yet visible.
I intend to follow the news, but in the end, I always return to the question, ‘What will this person show us next?’
First, I want to write about Yunho, whom I saw in Hong Kong, while the excitement is still fresh.
And so, I have found more things I want to write about.
