Bunni Pop's Best of 2023: Concerts edition

From Suga, Twice to Lollapalooza, there was no shortage of great shows this year

From intimate club settings, arenas to music festivals, Asian artists had some really wonderful moments this year when it comes to concerts.

While ticketing and the pent up demand for concerts remains a struggle, I was grateful to get the chance to see some really amazing shows and also meet some great friends along the way.

So without further ado, I’m digging in to some of the best concerts I’ve went to this year in no particular order.

Kang Daniel

Many solo artists have to contend with smaller venues when it comes to international audiences. But Kang Daniel took it all in stride, delivering a set full of gorgeous costume changes, impressive dance moves, live vocals and hilarious banter.

For those unfamiliar with Kang Daniel, the 27-year-old singer-songwriter first rose to fame as the winner of Produce 101’s second season. As a result of winning the reality competition series, he became part of the boy group Wanna One. Since going solo, Kang Daniel has been described as “one of the highest-earning and most significant acts in K-pop”, and those in Korea have described him as the “Nation’s Center.”

While a star in his native Korea, Kang Daniel made the most of playing in an intimate venue like Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall (which has a capacity of 1,500). He made time for lots of fan service. At one point in the show, he jumped into the crowd to draw a tattoo for a fan. He also signed an album. And during the final moments of his show, he came out wearing a vintage Vince Carter Toronto Raptors jersey. He even did his research, sharing his desire of watching Canadian hockey games and enjoying the ski hills. Read the full review of the show here.

Keshi

Keshi’s rise between 2022 and 2023 has been astonishing. Last May, I had a chance to catch his sold-out show at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall. But in less than a year’s time, his audience grew tremendously. In March, Keshi played a sold out show in front of 7,500 people at Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum— an upgrade from the 1,500 a year prior.

Over the years, Keshi’s singles including “beside you”, “skeletons” and “drunk” have attracted millions of listeners upon release. However, it was the release of his debut album GABRIEL in March 2022 that helped his musical career reach new heights.

While the songs on Keshi’s setlist had many of the same songs for the two shows I attended, what was different was how the artist commanded the stage. In the previous year, he seemed a lot shyer, and didn’t interact with the crowd as much. But in 2023, Keshi seemed much more confident, even flirting with the crowd and sharing heartfelt stories about how his father eventually came to accept and support his musical career. Read more about the show here.

Suga

When Suga announced he was going to tour on Valentine’s Day, my group chats basically blew up. BTS were on a hiatus from group activities due to military enlistments and solo endeavours. So while the band’s concerts have been put on hold, getting the chance to see one of the BTS members perform solo was not only a special, but a once-in-a-life time opportunity.

Suga has been instrumental in writing and creating many of BTS’s top hits as a rapper and lead producer for the group. But his solo work released under his moniker Agust D (derived from his hometown Daegu plus his stage name backwards) have taken fans back to his underground hip hop roots and given insight into his deepest and darkest thoughts.

The D-Day tour further elevated the stories Suga told in his music. And what resulted was a show-stopping concert that I can only describe as a cinematic ode to his past and present. His concert had pyrotechnics, a live band and one of the coolest moving stage set-ups I’ve ever seen. And unlike the complex choreography we often see at BTS shows, Suga instead opted to deliver a hardcore rap concert — paying homage to his early days as an aspiring artist who grew up loving South Korean hip hop artists like Stony Skunk and Epik High.

Most moving of all though, were the stories he told through filmed VCRs that played throughout the show in between his set. It alluded to his past struggles with mental health, depression and self-hatred. But most hopeful of all, was how the show ended on an optimistic note…with the singer exiting the stage swiftly as if he was leaving behind the anger and pain of his past. Read more about the show here.

Twice

While Twice is no stranger to Canada (having filmed the ‘Likey’ music video in Vancouver in 2017), it took them six more years until they decided to play their first show in the country.

Demand for Twice’s first Canadian concert in Toronto was so fierce that the group had to add a second date. And fans paid upwards to $900+ for a seat at Scotiabank Arena just to see the girls perform for the very first time.

Twice, often known for cute, girly and sweet concepts, definitely showed their more mature and sexy sides during this tour. It also marked the first time each member got to perform a solo stage of their own, whether it’s a cover or an original song. Who can forget Sana’s sultry performance of Dua Lipa’s ‘New Rules?’ Or Momo pole dancing on the stage to Beyoncé? Or better yet… Mina twerking along to Ariana Grande’s ‘7 Rings’?! The three of them had the crowd going wild!

Seeing the success of Twice’s concerts in Toronto, I sure hope JYP Entertainment continues to send its artists to Canada. There are so many K-pop fans here that are waiting! Perhaps, a Stray Kids concert in 2024? Fingers crossed! Read more about the show here.

P1Harmony

While P1Harmony is known for making solid pop bangers, I would argue that they’ve really found a following through their quirky and hilarious Gen Z sense of humour. From TikTok videos to memes, P1Harmony does it all. And it’s largely due to leader Keeho for keeping up to date on all the current trends.

Keeho, who was born and raised in the Toronto area, has always been proud of his Canadian roots. So when he returned to the city this past July for a concert at REBEL, it marked a full circle moment for him. After all, that was the place in which he saw his very first concert in as a young boy. So naturally, the show was also an emotional one.

“It’s really like a full 360,” Keeho said.

Performing in front of a crowd filled with childhood friends, family and fans who came to see the hometown boy, supporters made sure to make Keeho and his P1Harmony members (Jiung, Intak, Theo, Jeongseob and Soul) feel well loved.

“Because this venue meant so much to me, it was kind of the reason why I wanted to start performing and singing,” Keeho said.

While the K-pop world can be overwhelming, cut-throat and overcompetitive, I truly believe that the idols who are able to thrive is remembering who they are inside, and what got them there in the first place. That seems to be the case for Keeho. After all, here’s how he introduced himself to his hometown crowd: “Toronto’s pride and love. I’m P1Harmony’s Keeho!”

NewJeans

(Photo credit: Roger Ho for Lollapalooza)

While NewJeans were not headliners at Lollapalooza this year, the energy surrounding them sure made it feel that way. This performance was set to be their U.S. debut. So hours before the band were set to perform, fans lined up in the blistering heat just for a chance to see the very first K-pop girl group play at the famed Chicago music festival.

By the time NewJeans finally made it on stage, the hype around their performance was justified. Singing songs like ‘Hype Boy’, ‘Super Shy’ and ‘Attention,’ NewJeans took the stage with the confidence and charisma of idols who had been doing it for years. Not to mention, the crowd was massive. About 70,000 fans showed up just to see the girls perform.

If this is what a rookie girl group can do in a year since debuting, that’s a sign they’re gonna dominate in the years to come. I can’t wait to see what NewJeans does next.

The Rose - Lollapalooza aftershow

I saw The Rose three times this year. But the performance that truly felt special was the midnight aftershow they performed at Lollapalooza, which just so happened to coincide with their sixth anniversary.

Going back to their busking days, the band came without a setlist and instead took song requests from the audience. It was a bit chaotic, but SO fun. It was also a chance for fans to get to hear The Rose play some of their earliest tracks, including ‘Photographer’. They also sang a rendition of ‘Beautiful Girl’ by Woosung featuring Penial of BTOB.

I later asked The Rose about the aftershow in an interview for GRAMMY.

“We really had to go back in our memories to memorize all [the songs]. But it was fun,” Dojoon told me.

“It was a back-to-back show in the same city. Obviously for Lollapalooza, there was a setlist for that. So maybe instead of doing the same thing over again the next day, why don’t we kind of have a little moment between Black Roses and our fans? We wanted to make something special,” he added.

Getting on this level of spontaneity is rare in concerts these days, especially as setlists are often planned meticulously and well in advance. It doesn’t always succeed. But because The Rose have had to be scrappy to make it in the music industry, it was nice to see them going back to their roots.

Tomorrow X Together

(Photo credit: Roger Ho for Lollapalooza)

Tomorrow X Together had a big year in 2023. From playing sold out shows across the world in stadiums to debuting at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200, the true test of the band’s starpower came at this year’s Lollapalooza.

In August, TXT became the first K-pop idol group to headline the event. Just before their concert, Yeonjun admitted to NME that he felt he was "lacking” and “didn’t deserve to be on a huge stage.” It’s incredibly human and humble to admit such fears in the midst of a history-making moment.

However, the band took on the big task successfully, delivering a show-stopping 1.5 hour set filled with costume changes, fireworks and non-stop dancing. They absolutely deserved their headliner status. And their energy and performance made me convert from a casual fan to a full on MOA.

Rina Sawayama

While Rina Sawayama played a club show in Toronto, her Hold The Girl tour convinced me that she is the ultimate pop star who deserves to play in arenas.

While Rina rarely addressed the crowd with long speeches during her show, she let her songs do all the talking instead. Her album Hold The Girl is autobiographical, and you could really see some of her most moving, personal and difficult work on display. She came with production, costume changes, choreography and a cohesive storyline! Not to mention, her live vocals are amazing.

The highlight of the show was the story she told right before launching into her song ‘Send My Love to John’, which is based on a phone call her friend received from his conservative mother who was not supportive of his queerness. The mother ended the call by saying “send my love to John”, referring to the friend’s longtime partner. Speaking to the crowd, Sawayama said that moment was a “breakthrough.”

Hearing that story being told at the concert was particularly heartwarming, and a friend next to me was moved to tears by it.

Balming Tiger

(Photo: Balming Tiger)

Balming Tiger prides themselves as a “multi-national alternative K-pop group” that refuse to be limited by specific genres. So while their experimental style may not be everyone’s cup of tea, listening to Balming Tiger is always an adventure.

Balming Tiger, who got a boost in popularity last fall by collaborating with BTS rapper RM, received some of the loudest cheers at their show the moment their track ‘Sexy Nukim’ started playing. “Nukim” translates to “feelings” or “senses” in Korean, and the song itself is a reminder to listeners that sexiness does not come from money, material wealth or how others perceive you.

But it’s their out-of-the-box thinking and rebellious attitude that resonated with the audience most. The song ‘Trust Yourself’ is a rallying cry for people to follow their gut and vision, and not let outside pressures overwhelm you into giving up. And the moment it plays during the finale of the Balming Tiger show, the band had the crowd chanting enthusiastically along.

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