Beats of the Month: Taemin in LA & Jennie’s “Ruby”

In the vast landscape of Korean entertainment, sometimes it’s the little things that bring us joy (or disappointment) and make our fan girl/boy/folk hearts beat a little faster.

Each month, we ask our writers to share: Among the many Hallyu things vying for your attention, what’s caught your eye, is on your mind, or has made your heart skip a beat?

Taemin in LA! (& a word of encouragement for potential solo concert-goers)
— Siena

In late February, I experienced a couple of fan milestones: I saw arguably my favorite artist in K-pop and I traveled for a concert for the first time. The artist in question was Taemin, closing out his first-ever North American tour in Los Angeles. Even weeks later, I’m still struggling to articulate how incredible it was to see him live. He’s a truly one-of-a-kind performer, from his famed dance skills, to his strikingly strong and emotive vocals, to his quirky but charismatic non-performance persona. I’ve been fortunate enough to go to a handful of arena-size K-pop concerts over the years, and this was one of the most stripped-down I’ve seen, largely relying on lights, solid VCRs, and of course, Taemin’s star power (this is most likely because the majority of Taemin’s pre-LA US shows were in smaller spaces, so his tour had to adapt to different stage setups). Honestly, that was kind of a win, as it allowed Taemin to be the true focus of pretty much every stage, alongside a fantastic crew of backup dancers.

Additionally, the show’s setlist was pristine, featuring nearly all of Taemin’s major career hits plus an excellent selection of standout b-sides. As he mentioned himself during the performance, because this was his first time in North America, the setlist was purposefully designed to be more comprehensive than a typical concert lineup. Another sign of the momentous nature of the occasion was a very sweet fan project video which aired during the encore set. It would always have been special to see Taemin, but the concert did have an extra sparkle thanks to it being part of his first (and, fingers-crossed, far from last) international tour.

On a personal note: I feel very lucky that I was able to travel for the show, and for those who are also in a position to give that experience a shot, I highly recommend it. Travel is fun, concerts are fun, and traveling through an airport and seeing multiple people in recognizable concert merch is very, very fun!

& another TedTalk…if you are someone who is considering going to a concert alone and you are feeling nervous, please take it from someone who has gone to many shows (including Taemin) all by her lonesome: Do it anyway! Of course, it’s a blast to share a concert experience with friends, but going solo isn’t nearly as scary as it might seem. For one thing, many K-pop fans are super nice: I’ve made several concert buddies on the go, and once, a fan who had brought two lightsticks (commitment) to an Ateez concert calmly offered me one to use during the concert (I felt so cared for). Sometimes, concert logistics can be slightly trickier solo, but with good planning and awareness, you can face that too. Most of all, when an artist you are truly excited about steps on stage, you’re not going to be thinking about if people are looking at you funny for being alone (they’re not), and you’re not going to be wishing you stayed home: You’re just going to be having the time of your life. 

Taemin in LA (Also!)!
— Sabrina

Unknowingly, Siena and I happened to be at the same Taemin concert in LA—despite neither of us living there. Like Siena, I struggled to put coherent thoughts together about his show, partly due to eager anticipation for his first US tour. I was lucky enough to see him at KCon LA the past two years (yes, I have flown to California three times in three years for this man) and at 2023’s KCon, I witnessed the most thunderous reception and palpable excitement for his set. However, that experience does not compare to the overwhelming emotions from seeing my ultimate bias finally get the world tour he has wanted for 16 years. As Taemin said on stage, “Thank you for waiting for me.”

It is also difficult to fully describe the breadth of Taemin’s immense talent. The tour title “Ephemeral Gaze” reflects that the concert provides glimpses into Taemin’s various facets. The show began with Taemin at his most expressionistic and dramatic, from the atmospheric opener “Deja Vu,” to the moving choreography of “Goodbye,” to the show-stopping staging of “Heaven.” We saw his emotive vocals in ballads like “Blue” and “The Unknown Sea”, precise yet fluid dancing in hits like “Want” and his self-proclaimed ‘identity song’ “Move,” and swagger in “G.O.A.T” and “The Rizzness.” Fresh arrangements of songs, such as a rock remix of “Criminal,” allowed for intense dance breaks as well as more subtle change-ups to choreography. The concert captured who Taemin is as an artist, while also showcasing how he continues to push his creativity.

Outside of performance, Taemin amiably interacted with fans in both English and Korean. During soundcheck, he bantered about preferring Five Guys to In-N-Out and playfully scolded a fan who called him cute after he performed “Sexy in the Air” (“that’s not a cute song”). Later, after the fan video event, he insisted that we were the “adorable” ones. Taemin seemed so happy and very much in his element on stage, and I hope he can continue to be with his fans around the globe for some time to come.

In Praise of Jennie Ruby Jane
— Gina

On the note of K-pop soloists, I wanted to rave about Jennie’s recent solo work Ruby — which is by far my favorite Black Pink album!! Everything from the music production to genre variation (truly a “buffet” like she said it would be) and the overall vibes are quite amazing and of high quality. Not to mention the featuring artists balance out Jennie’s own voice/contributions in the affiliated tracks. Sometimes songs tend to rely too much on the featuring artists, or vice-versa their featuring is too short. But for tracks like “Handlebars” featuring Dua Lipa or “Damn Right” with Childish Gambino and Kali Uchis (!!), there’s an incredible cohesive balance of voices working together for the song.

The theme of identity is strong throughout the album: listening to it I found myself ruminating on Jennie’s wide range in genres, voice, and style. It’s obvious that YG really held all the girls back from flourishing in their own colors, and we’re finally seeing all that Jennie has to offer as an artist. It’s great to be present in this era where all the girls are flying, but Jennie impressed me the most with her artistry and I hope she performs many songs live!

(YouTube [1]. Images via BPM Entertainment, Sabrina, Siena.)