[Herald Review] Highlight kicks off Asia tour with memory-filled Seoul concert

Despite heavy rain, the KSPO Dome in Seoul on Saturday was packed with fans who had to come to see the boy band Highlight perform a Seoul concert of its Asia tour "Lights Go On, Again."

The three Seoul concerts on May 10-12, Highlight's first concerts in two years, marked the group's 15th anniversary.

Amidst crimson lights and lasers, the quartet emerged and opened the show with intense performances of "Switch On," "Alone," "Paper Cut," and others. They transitioned momentarily to an emotional rendition of "Sleep Tight," engaging with fans seated on the second floor via a circular lift, while planet-shaped decorations descended from the ceiling.

Highlight's signature upbeat rhythms were showcased in impressive performances of "Plz Don't Be Sad" and "Body."

Midway through the concert, Highlight excited fans by performing several songs from their early days, including "Bad Girl," "Shock," and "Special." These songs were released under their former name "Beast."

Highlight recently regained the trademark rights to their original group name "Beast" through an agreement with their former agency, Cube Entertainment. Although they plan to continue activities as Highlight to prevent confusion, reclaiming their roots holds deep significance for both the members and fans.

Leader Doojoon greeted the fans once again with the reclaimed name. "Now you can shout out as much as you want, hello, we are Beast!" Kigwang also expressed his joy saying "We are now standing in front of you as Beast and as Highlight."

Dongwoon explained that bandmates had planned the song sequence considering the flow of the performance. "We sang only songs released under the name of Highlight in the beginning, while this section that showcases our past is filled with songs from our Beast days. We will sing songs representing our future in the final section."

Stages of songs under the name of Beast continued, including "On Rainy Days," "Shadow," and "Breath." Fans expressed their love towards the members by holding slogans that read, "No matter what name, our relationship will remain unchanged."

Performing a total of 28 songs including the encore, the quartet filled the stage for almost three hours, smiling as they expressed gratitude towards their fans.

"This year has been filled with good things. Reclaiming the name of 'Beast' and reminiscing about our past brings me great happiness. With fans and members, I feel like I can sing for a very long time," said Yoseob.

"Our first performance in this venue was in 2012. If we were asked back then if we could perform here again in 2024, we would have been skeptical about it. Let's continue making memories for a long time," added Doojoon.

Following the Seoul concert, Highlight will continue its tour in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taiwan, and Japan.