디시인사이드

Earlier this year, the “nation’s little sister” IU made headlines by announcing she would embark on her HEREH World Tour. For many international fans, this would be their first chance to see the Korean icon, as she had only ever held concerts in Asia up until this point.Genius Korea had the honor of attending the show in Newark, NJ this week, so keep reading to hear more about our experience!Immediately after getting their tickets scanned, each fan was treated to a gift set, courtesy of IU’s mother! The decorated tin contained a magnet, a specialized keychain specific to the Newark stop of the tour, and a set of photocards. Interestingly, IU is one of the first tours I’ve seen in a long time on this scale (K-pop or otherwise) without any VIP tiers, so having this benefit for all ticket holders was a lovely surprise.Soon, the lights began to dim, and it was time for IU to make her grand entrance. With an explosion of color merging into a bright blue sky animation, the singer emerged from the gigantic platform center stage. For the first song, IU performed “홀씨 (Holssi)” off of her latest album, The Winning. During this time, she brought out some very special guests—local child dancers from the I LOVE DANCE academy in Manhattan! IU and the kids excitedly bounced across the stage together with a huge blast of confetti to send them off.The entire show itself was separated into five official parts based on their “vibes”: Hypnotic, Energetic, Romantic, Ecstatic, and Heroic. During the first portion of the show, IU performed “잼잼 (Jam Jam),” “어푸 (Ah puh),” “BBIBBI (삐삐),” and “Obliviate.” I want to highlight just how gorgeous the stage design was during this section, particularly a stunning underwater deep-dive for “어푸 (Ah puh),” and a whimsical lantern-filled backdrop with dancers in white elegantly surrounding IU in the middle of “Obliviate.”Next up was a more lighthearted “Energetic” portion, kicking off with an audience favorite: “Celebrity”! Now donning a sparkly sports jersey rather than the princess-like purple dress from before, IU brought the energy to the entire arena, with everyone in the crowd singing along to the familiar tune. IU continued exuding a refreshing aura as she smiled brightly during songs such as “Blueming,” “에잇 (eight),” “Coin,” and “관객이 될게 (I stan U).”Moving on to the “Romantic” segment, IU’s doll-like charms really shined through. The pure emotion of lighthearted love was highlighted in “Havana,” one of IU’s older classics released back in 2013. It felt like the audience was transported to a tropical paradise, and as though it were a scene from a movie playing out in real life. IU continued on with “너의 의미 (Meaning of You)” and an acoustic version of “strawberry moon,” before rounding out the set with a particularly poignant song, “밤편지 (Through the Night).” As the arena faded to black, leaving behind a faint twinkle of stars in a forest, IU sang her heart out, pausing occasionally to hear Uaenas singing right back to her.Part four began with one of IU’s biggest hits, “Shopper”! While this act is called “Ecstatic,” I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend calling it the “power vocals” portion instead, considering it contained “시간의 바깥 (Above The Time),” “너랑 나 (You & I),” and “Love wins all.” One thing I need to point out here is just how pure and strong IU’s singing ability really is—I have never heard a voice that clear and resonant throughout such a large venue. IU’s “Love wins all” performance truly cements her as one of the top voices not just in South Korea, but the music industry as a whole.Closing out the show, you could tell IU wanted to end things with a bang. Donning a chic military-style two-piece set, IU’s “Heroic” encore was filled to the brim with fighting spirit. Not just her, but also her dancers tore up the stage with “Shh..,” “스물셋 (Twenty-Three),” and finally, a rock version of “Holsii” once more.But actually, “finally” might not have been the right word to use, as there was yet another encore in store! For the true finale of the show, IU came out in her adorably comfy tour shirt and loose jeans, bringing out a more laid-back mood. At this point, she took audience requests of favorite songs they desperately wanted to hear. After scanning the crowd for signs and enthusiastic volunteers, IU decided to finish with “라일락 (LILAC),” “푸르던 (The Shower),” “금요일에 만나요 (Friday)”—in the hopes that her next concert in Newark could take place on a Friday night rather than a Monday—and “팔레트 (Palette).”All in all, there were many technical details about IU’s show that made it stand out above the crowd. Firstly, the inclusion of a live band always elevates the sound quality, especially when the members themselves are extremely skilled at what they do. As IU gave a shout out to each one at the end of the show, they all played a short solo that truly showed off their skills.Another highlight would have to be the fact that for every song, Korean subtitles were shown on both side screens. This definitely enhanced the concert experience, making it so that fans could sing along even if they didn’t have all of the lyrics memorized. Finally, it must be said that the production quality of the stage itself was absolutely breathtaking. As one song flowed into another, the graphic designers were able to perfectly capture the aesthetic and overall mood of IU’s performances.While this tour did go quite viral for its steep price tag, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a ticket to IU’s concert is worth every penny. Her showmanship, raw vocal talent, and undeniably charming personality are exactly what make IU the shining star she is. For fans in the U.S, there are still five more opportunities to see her in concert. Check out if she will be coming to your area here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/iu-tickets/artist/3104589!Genius Korea would like to thank IU’s team for inviting us to her show in Newark. For regular updates about IU’s music, be sure to follow her on Twitter (X) and Instagram.Follow Genius Korea on Twitter (X) and Instagram for regular updates about Korean music, dramas, and entertainment.Photo Credit: EDAM Entertainment

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