[Herald Review] GFriend rocks first solo concerts

After three years in the K-pop scene, GFriend’s dream has finally come true: The group successfully wrapped up its first solo concerts “Season of GFriend” in Seoul on Saturday and Sunday.

The concerts, held at the Olympic Hall at Olympic Park in Seoul, were a testament to the six-piece group’s reputation as one of Korea’s most promising young acts. The event, which ran for more than three hours on each day, featured the group’s hits and individual members’ solo performances for the first time. 

The concerts drew more than 6,000 fans including a huge portion of male concertgoers, who tirelessly rooted for their idols by chanting each members’ names.

Despite looking nervous and tense at first, the group smoothly opened the show with the high-energy “Fingertip” and eased the remaining tension with the powerful “You and Me” and “Crush.”

But GFriend did not forget to temper the hype with a ballad version of “Summer Rain,” which the members performed atop swings hung from the ceiling, which were adorned with white sheets to match the song’s angelic vibe. 

During the solo parts, Shinbi and Sowon performed BoA’s breakout hit “No.1” and “Gashina,” respectively. Umji, Eunha, Yuju and Yerin took turns to shine with “23,” “Bloom,” “Heaven” and “U Go Girl,” respectively.

After electrifying the audience by performing “Glass Bead,” “Me Gustas Tu” and “Rough” -- three of the act’s most beloved hits -- in a row, the members expressed their sincere gratitude to fans.

“This concert seemed like a far-fetched dream at first,” said band leader Sowon. “There were countless walls in front of me in the process of becoming a K-pop star, and they seemed so high. But with the help of members and good-hearted people around me, we did it. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve it by myself. And I’m so proud of it.”

Umji, the youngest in the band, also revisited the group’s past. “I remember our early days when we had to cover other songs at events, as we didn’t have enough songs to fill a show. And after three years, we filled this concert only with our own songs,” she said. 

Rounding out the show with “1/2,” “Love Whisper” and “Falling Asleep Again,” the group also interacted with fans by descending from the stage and roaming around the audience to throw presents to the crowd.

Since starting out in 2015 under Source Music, GFriend has rapidly captured the K-pop world’s attention with its synchronized performances and sweetly vibrant synth pop.

The group was often compared to K-pop legend Girls’ Generation, which previously paved the way with vibrant femininity and a school-uniform inspired look, but GFriend soon carved out its own niche with its stand-out sonic style that incorporates Japanese anime-like melodies and breathy yet powerful vocals.

In August last year, GFriend released its fifth EP “Parallel,” led by the lead track “Love Whisper.” It released the repackaged album “Rainbow” in September last year.

(lotus@heraldcorp.com)