Concert review
If you’ve ever wondered if you’d fall for a hypnotizing performance from a supernatural K-pop boy band, much like the Saja Boys’ fans in “KPop Demon Hunters,” those in the stands at Tacoma Dome Sunday night got pretty close.
Awash in blood-red light, chart-topping K-pop group ENHYPEN — featuring stars Jungwon, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-Ki — lounged on a crypt-like set against a stormy castle backdrop and performed their sultry chamber pop hit “Criminal Love” like a scene straight out of Dracula’s lair.
Formed in 2020 through the Korean reality competition “I-Land,” ENHYPEN quickly became one of the top K-pop groups to watch, embracing a vampiric aesthetic in their music videos and performances. On Sunday, they made a statement during their Tacoma stop on the “Blood Saga” world tour, standing on a Washington stage for the first time as a sextet.
On March 10, ENHYPEN’s fans, collectively known as Engene, were shocked when the then-septet’s label, Belift Lab, announced member Heeseung’s departure in pursuit of a solo career. Heeseung played a pivotal role in the group’s first six years together and was widely recognized as a main vocalist, as well as one of the group’s songwriters.
If Heeseung’s departure just months before the start of a world tour affected the remaining members, it was hardly noticeable. Onstage, the group transitioned effortlessly between dance formations reworked to account for one less person, and vocal lines were redistributed among the other members.
The intense energy fans associate with the group was sharp as a blade, with bright lasers and a rock intro going into the opening hip-hop track “Knife,” the lead single from their January EP “The Sin: Vanish.” Though fans immediately erupted into cheers once the group appeared onstage, those sitting farther away had a hard time spotting them. Dressed in all black on the somewhat dimly lit stage (to lean into the mysterious, vampiric aesthetic, no doubt), they nearly blended into the backdrop.
Nevertheless, they kept the vibes high with tracks that allowed the members to focus on dances rather than vocals, moving to “Daydream,” with whispered, breathy vocals over a bumping beat, then the hip-hop trap hit “Outside.”
But there were plenty of moments where the group’s vocal talents had time to shine, including the R&B number “Sleep Tight” (composed by Jake), where the members sat on rising stages against a seascape background as blue confetti drifted around them. Sunoo, another strong vocalist, contributed live ad-libs to many of the songs.
The “Blood Saga” tour stop was the group’s second in Tacoma, following their 2024 “Fate Plus” encore world tour. It was a welcome homecoming for Jay, who spent his early childhood in Federal Way. Jay, a documented Seattle sports fan (he’s named after Mariners legend Jay Buhner, after all) wasted no time honoring his roots. “Tacoma, we are two-time Super Bowl champions!” he told the crowd, earning thundering cheers from 12s. During the group’s encore numbers, Jay also sported a Seahawks Super Bowl champions hat.
K-pop concerts have built a reputation for being meticulously planned, ensuring an immersive fan experience from start to finish. One would think after being hit with lasers and hip-hop tracks at the beginning of the night, the rest of ENHYPEN’s performance might not match the energy set early on. But they strategically planned a second wind, turning up the heat with deep cuts like their 2021 hit “Drunk-Dazed” and fan-favorite “Bite Me.” A few prerecorded videos played during outfit changes, depicting the members fighting hooded figures like six paranormal James Bonds.
By the end of the night, ENHYPEN had performed two dozen songs, an astonishing feat to accomplish in 2½ hours. As they played their alternative rock number “SHOUT OUT” as their ending song, with silver confetti raining down, it was hard not to sing along and cheer with the passionate fans filling the arena. The six members took their final bow at the head of the stage, perhaps a bittersweet moment in the wake of Heeseung’s departure, but a deliberate statement of the group’s commitment to their new chapter.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yakimaherald.com ’
