K-Pop Concert Diary: TAEMIN – Ephemeral Gaze Tour
Taemin came to Hawaii. TAEMIN CAME TO HAWAII!!! Two weeks later and it still feels like a dream. Did I really see him performing on stage with my own two eyes?!?! YES!! Yes, I did. And it was definitely an amazing concert experience. Join me as I share ALL my thoughts and favorite moments from this special tour stop.
To say I was ecstatic when I heard that Taemin had added additional stops to his Ephemeral Gaze tour, is a vast understatement. A Kpop idol of his stature making a tour stop in Hawaii?? It’s unheard of!! No, seriously. Taemin is THE FIRST ever K-pop performer to hold a concert in Hawaii. The collective excitement of fans on the island was off the charts, and seeing him perform live was top priority for this Kpop community. I was joined by local friends from my K-Pop dance class, as well as my K-Pop Bestie from the mainland, to see Taemin’s concert. I was prepared for an unforgettable day, and I was NOT disappointed!
Pre-Concert Hype — It’s Tea Time!
Concert day began with a visit to a nearby bubble-tea shop, where a special fan event (coordinated by SHINeeUSA fan-base) had been set up. Excitement was high as my friends and I joined other Shawols and Taemates for a tasty drink (the Japanese buckwheat milk tea was SO yummy) and complimentary photo cards! We also had the opportunity to sign a specially made Taemin flag that would later be gifted to him at the concert. The amazing fan-base volunteers planned an ALOHA-filled welcome for Taemin (and his dancers) — beautiful fresh flower leis, delicious trays of Hawaiian-style Poke, spam musubi, and malasadas, a bountiful gift basket stuffed with local island snacks and goodies. For Taemin especially, there was a lovingly-made Hawaii quilt that featured his light-stick design in each of the squares! Further evidence that Taemin’s visit to Hawaii was a VERY, big deal!!
VIP Benefits — Fangirling Fun
Thanks to my bestie, I was able to secure a VIP-pass for the concert! This allowed me access to the pre-concert soundcheck, a special poster, commemorative ticket, and official concert photo-card, plus a Hi-Wave pass-by after the concert ended! We arrived early to the venue so I could join the queue for soundcheck — in addition to local attendees, there were fans from Australia, Japan, Korea, and the U.S. mainland (Utah and Florida, to name a few states) who had flown in for this concert stop. As we waited several hours for the doors to open for soundcheck, I enjoyed chatting with those waiting in line around me, as well as collecting many wonderful freebies created and crafted by my fellow concert-goers. The unparalleled enthusiasm and community that comes with being a fan of K-Pop is always incredibly heartwarming to experience.
My patience in the VIP queue was rewarded with a front row seat for soundcheck! It was definitely quite surreal to watch Taemin greet the fans and perform ‘Move’, ‘Want’, and ‘The Rizzness’ only a few feet from me! His soft-spoken demeanor as he chatted with the crowd was equal parts humble and sweet. Fans cheered as he shared his excitement to be in Hawaii and how he had enjoyed eating poke and watching the Friday night fireworks on Waikiki Beach! Yet, whenever the music came on, he instantly transitioned in to performer mode. His expressions carefully matched the vibe of each song, while his movements, though relaxed for this rehearsal stage, were perfectly clean, precise, and effortless. All the while, his vocals consistently exuded that smooth confidence of a seasoned performer. I’m most thankful that they allowed us to film during the soundcheck, because these are memories I do not want to forget!
Concert Musings — Magical Memories
For the concert, our seats on the balcony level gave us an unhindered view of the stage and video screens. This vantage point was excellent, as we could both appreciate the zoomed-in details captured by the camera crew, as well as admiring the larger choreography movements on stage as a whole. My biggest takeaways from this concert were two-fold.
First, the set list was FANTASTIC!! Not only did Taemin perform a multitude of songs, spanning his almost 11-year career as a solo artist, but the flow from one song to the next was seamless, even as he bounced between tracks from different albums. It definitely highlighted the distinctive yet cohesive styling that spans his discography.
Second, dancer Taemin will always be an inspiration to me — his talent, skill, and artistry are unmatched! The stamina needed to dance (and sing!) multiple high energy songs back-to-back without pause is insane. I was completely captivated by his beautiful intertwining of power and grace — each move was executed with fluid precision. His solo routines were simply outstanding, but I also found myself mesmerized by the flow and theatricality of the group choreo when he performed with his dance team. It was marvelous to witness this concert first-hand!!
Performances aside, I also enjoyed the ments sprinkled throughout the evening. In each one, Taemin’s signature kind and cute personality shone bright. I also loved the appreciation he extended to his back-up dancers — each took a turn in the spotlight for a short solo, highlighting their unique dance styles! One of my favorite moments came at the end of the concert, as Taemin took a commemorative photo with his fans. It was so touching to see him wearing his Hawaiian lei and holding the flag we had earlier filled with messages of thankfulness (for coming to our island), admiration (of his tremendous talents), and excitement!
Song Highlights — It’s SO Hard to Pick Favorites
I can’t really gush about Taemin without sharing a few of my favorite songs from the evening!
‘Sayonara Hitori (Goodbye)’
Off his 2016 Japanese album of the same name, ‘Sayonara Hitori’ is dramatic and emotional ballad. While the MV leans into a dark and angsty vibe, Taemin’s live stage performance for this track had a softer, regretful tone — his vocals and choreography convey all the heartbreak and longing the lyrics of this song encompass.
‘The Unknown Sea’
‘The Unknown Sea’ is my favorite track from his most recent album, Eternal. Taemin shared that the lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a butterfly seeing the sea for the first time — I love the sense of awe and wonder this song conveys. For the Honolulu concert, the usual “sea” of lights (from light-sticks and phones) shining during this song transformed into a beautiful “rainbow sea” to celebrate Taemin’s visit to our island. So beautiful!!
‘Pansy’
The most memorable song of the night, though, came during the finale set. In preparation for the concert, I had looked up the setlist in order to prepare myself for what would be performed. It was an outstanding selection of songs, but I was a teensy bit sad that some of my b-side favorites didn’t make the cut. BUT I was going to see Taemin live, so that disappointment was short-lived. Fast-forward to Taemin’s final ment for the evening, when he revealed that he would be singing ‘Pansy”!!! I cannot express how much I love this song — the lyrics are so beautiful and the tears were definitely flowing as I watched this special performance. It was the perfect ending to an absolutely unforgettable night!!
Final Thoughts — Finished, But Never Forgotten
Following the closing of the concert, I was able to catch one final close-up glimpse of this amazing artist during the Hi-Wave event. And with a hastily blurted, Korean conveyance of thankfulness from me, and angelic smile from Taemin, the evening was officially over — cue the Post-Concert Depression! Taemin has always been on my short-list of “Performers I Want To See Live”, so I am most grateful that he chose to come here as he wrapped up his U.S. tour — it will always be a cherished concert memory! 감사합니다 태민!!!
Special thanks to my new friend, Shoyou_Ramen, for allowing me to share her fabulous ‘Goodbye’ fancam — if you would like to see more of her awesome concert clips, check out her YouTube channel here! Also, a shout-out to my bestie for her pic of Taemin with the flag and her clip of the beautiful “rainbow sea” during ‘The Unknown Sea’ .
Were you able to see Taemin during his concert tour?! If so, please share your experience in the comments below!!
Until the next the concert,
화이팅!
MiataMama
Dramas with a Side of Kimchi
