BOYNEXTDOOR successfully launches first solo tour with Incheon concert

By Lee Gyu-lee

K-pop rookie group BOYNEXTDOOR kicked off its first concert tour, “BOYNEXTDOOR TOUR 'KNOCK ON Vol. 1,” with two-day concerts last weekend.

The group held concerts on Saturday and Sunday at the Inspire Arena on Incheon's Yeongjong Island, selling out both shows. This is the group’s first solo concert since its debut last year.

The six-piece group — consisting of Jaehyun, Sungho, Riwoo, Taesan, Leehan and Woonhak — started the show with “Earth, Wind & Fire,” the title track from its second mini-album “HOW?” released this April.

It also presented other title tracks from previous albums like “But I Like You,” “But Sometimes,” “One and Only,” “Nice Guy” and “Serenade,” as well as songs “Dangerous,” “OUR,” “Call Me,” “Crying” and “Gonna Be A Rock.”

The members explained that they tried to deliver the originality of their songs without rearranging them for the concert.

"As this is our first concert, our goal was to show the team's authenticity as much as possible. We wanted to bring out fans' emotions when they first heard our music,” the group said.

The group expressed excitement throughout the show, sharing behind-the-scene details while preparing and making the concerts.

“We can't describe how long we've been waiting for this moment. Our first solo tour that we’ve been wanting since debut has finally begun. We're grateful to those who filled this space with their voices," the group said.

"We carefully chose the title for our first concert. The meaning is that we 'knock on' to meet with you at this 'paradise.’”

The group put on an interactive show, starting a sing-along session with fans, garnering excitement from the audience with a powerful live performance. It skillfully used up the entire set, which was designed to cover the entire venue, performing one of their tracks, “Amnesia,” from the audience seats.

Toward the end of the show, the group made a surprise announcement, hinting at a new release in January.

"The comeback is 100 percent based on the members' opinions. We've been preparing hard to make a comeback in January for our Onedoor (BOYNEXTDOOR's fandom name). We believe not just Onedoor, but many people will enjoy it," the group said.

The members expressed gratitude for their fans’ love as they wrapped up the show.

"Thank you to everyone who filled our paradise. We'll continue to show ourselves running nonstop (as artists). As this is Vol.1, our songs and scale will only get bigger in the future," it said.

"Wherever you are, we'll rush to any place that needs BOYNEXTDOOR’s music. We hope our music becomes a part of your youth. Let's be together for 400 years."

BOYNEXTDOOR will pick up its tour in Japan in the coming weeks, holding concerts in Tokyo on Jan. 30, Aichi on Feb. 2, Osaka on Feb. 8 and 9, Miyagi on Feb. 15, Fukuoka on Feb. 18 and 19 with Kanagawa from Feb. 22 to 24. The group is also scheduled to perform in other cities, including Singapore, Manilla, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Jakarta.