wavenovel Chapter 1319 The King!
Chapter 1319 The King!
Chapter 1319 The King!
"Next up is... Welcome XO!"
As the concert drew to a close, before EXO even appeared on stage, the audience erupted in a loud and clear scream, which completely drowned out the surrounding traffic noise.
The cheers were a stark contrast to the previous cheers. The front-row staff, who had been calm all night and used to the previous cheers, were stunned and immediately surprised.
"This is XO's debut."
In the front row, a younger staff member and a middle-aged man who looked like a leader or official were explaining in low voices.
"So it's XO." Upon hearing the name EXO, the middle-aged official immediately showed a look of understanding.
I just watched a two-hour concert, and to be honest, there aren't many idol groups that I recognize, and their styles don't really suit my musical taste.
EXO is one of the few groups he has heard of and truly knows about.
"...XO has been active in Europe and America for the past two months. Since it was announced that there would be an XO performance today, many of the people who came today are their fans."
"I know this."
The official nodded. He was aware of EXO's successful entry into the US market, which was a significant achievement for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. As he spoke, he also shifted into a more serious sitting posture.
Amidst cheers that resounded through the night sky, the nine members of EXO, accompanied by thirty backup dancers, walked onto the stage, immediately filling the entire stage to capacity. Fortunately, the stage was quite large today; SM Entertainment had initially thought that there wouldn't be enough room for so many people, and that they would be performing a cut version of "ON" today. However, during rehearsals, they tried it out and found that standing close together wasn't a problem.
"This aura is just different..."
As the signature snare drum accompaniment and soulful background music began, and the stage movements resembled an army changing formation, the officials below immediately sensed an aura unlike any other group performance before, and couldn't help but nod in approval.
"The dance to 'ON' represents the highest level of K-pop, and it has received a lot of recognition and high praise in Europe and America. This week it's on the Billboard charts..."
Upon hearing this, the young man next to him immediately began to explain to the official. He was clearly aware of EXO's recent achievements in the United States, and with some well-placed flattery and grand narratives, the leader next to him immediately nodded in approval.
''
Meanwhile, in the backstage dressing room, many male and female idols were watching the live broadcast on the monitor. In particular, many female idols were gathered around the TV, chattering and discussing as they watched.
The fans and officials outside were just watching the show, but these idols could see a lot of details. After just a couple of glances, they could tell that the choreography of "ON" was really difficult. Even ordinary idols would have some difficulty covering it without special practice.
Because of EXO's status in the music industry and the popularity of their songs, their hit songs have always been a must-learn for other idols and trainees to practice and cover. This song, "ON," will probably appear frequently in the practice rooms of various companies in the near future, but it will probably cause a lot of trouble for many trainees.
The second point is... SM really has money. You can tell that the price of a team of 30 professional backup dancers is not cheap. EXO always brings them along for every stage performance. It is conceivable that the cost of backup dancers alone is something that small companies and idols cannot afford.
However, the effect was really good. Just by watching the live stream, many people could feel the overwhelming momentum, which was quite different from the style of some boy groups.
"Wow, Kyungwon oppa is so handsome."
In the lounge, Kim Ye-rin stared at the close-up shot of Ji Kyung-won that had just been cut off, recalling the visual impact of that killing part, and giggled with longing on her face.
Bae Joo-hyun, sitting next to him, crossed her legs, rested her chin on her hand, and stared intently at Ji Kyung-won on the screen, smiling without saying a word.
On the other side, Chou Tzu-yu sat gracefully in a chair with her legs together, smiling as she watched Ji Kyung-won and XO on the screen. Next to her, Lim Na-yeon, Yoo Jeong-yeon, and Son Chae-young were chattering away, and although it was a bit noisy, she was enjoying listening to them.
Not far away, three Japanese characters sat together. Mina and Sana looked at the screen but remained silent, while Momo next to them had already stood up and started imitating the actions in the video.
Previously, Chi Jingyuan sat in the dressing room commenting on the various female idols during the live stream, but now it's their turn.
However, it seems to be working quite well.
…………
EXO has really been away from the Korean music scene for far too long. Two months without any appearances or activities is considered a long time in the ever-changing music industry.
Not to mention their remarkable achievements overseas, with news about them bombarding fans and casual observers on the peninsula every day, greatly increasing everyone's interest and expectations.
EXO, who had been away from the Korean Peninsula for a long time, returned to the peninsula and made their first appearance on the stage of the G100 concert at the Tokyo Olympics. It was the first performance of "ON" on the peninsula. When EXO appeared, they immediately topped the trending search list. Various stage videos and related discussions occupied four or five of the top ten spots, making it the hottest topic in the entertainment section tonight.
"It still has to be XO. The presence it makes when it appears is truly different."
"I've been hearing news every day that XO is very popular in Europe and America recently. When I was browsing American communities, I also saw many people praising the 'ON' stage. I thought it was a bit exaggerated before, but after seeing it live today, I was really moved. I felt that the stage, from the choreography to the aura, to the lyrics and the coordination, was really amazing. It was the pinnacle of K-pop."
“I was there, right in the audience! The atmosphere changed the moment XO came on stage. Everyone was cheering for them. I was moved to tears watching the live performance of ‘ON’. The level of coordination and the sheer impact of it made me feel a sense of redemption for the first time through the stage and the dance.”
"Recently, so many boy groups have come and gone in the music industry. I didn't feel anything after watching a bunch of male idols at today's concert, but when Yuan appeared, his looks completely overshadowed me. Just looking at his appearance, there was a huge difference. It was a visual miracle."
"Yuan's two close-up shots were truly killer-level, weren't they? Especially that last wave with continuous zoom-ins, it made me... ahhhhh."
"Indeed, when I watched Wanna One's performances before, although their synchronization was good and their looks and figures were okay, their aura was really lacking."
"Can you stop dragging Wanna One down when you're praising your local group? What do you mean by 'impressive aura'? Local fans are really good at exaggerating. Isn't it just a bunch of backup dancers creating that effect? More people naturally make it look more impressive. Even street thugs know that."
"The King of Kpop is back!"
"Want to call him the king? Look at EXO's domestic data this year. EXO has been declining in the Korean music scene for a long time. Aren't the addition of a few more wives this year enough? The current king of boy groups in the Korean music scene is Wanna One!"
With the stage of the G100 concert, EXO officially announced their return to the Korean Peninsula from Europe and America. However, while various people were discussing it online, all the members disbanded at lightning speed after the concert and went their separate ways.
...Having been away from the peninsula for almost two months, everyone was eager to return home. In addition, they came straight from the airport to rehearse and perform, so everyone was exhausted.
Chi Jingyuan said goodbye to the others and returned to his home.