kpop

The K-pop sensation, ITZY, returned to the tri-state area on June 23rd, 2024, for their “Born to Be World Tour.” This tour marks the second worldwide tour for the South Korean girl group. It spans Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Europe. The tour is to promote the group’s second album “Born to Be.” Sadly, the tour will take place when the member Lia is on hiatus, but good news, Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna will still preform.

The show kicked off with the girls taking the stage clad in red and black outfits for their song, “Born To be.”  With an extended intro, the girls busted into their moves before venturing into their song, “Racer.” After the girls preformed “Kidding Me,” they took the time to chat with their fans MIDZY. Chaeryeong was the first to speak and she remarked how happy she was to make memories with their fans again. Yuno then highlighted the band that was performing with the girls. She expressed that the performances that night would have a richer sound since they were accompanied by a live band and then she took time to introduce each member of the band allowing the audience to give them their flowers. Then the girls performed “Mr. Vampire” before heading into “Swipe,” which utilized interactive graphics in which the girls swipe their hands across their faces. To those in attendance it certainly was a very cool effect it played right into the music. The girls finished out the act with their hit song “Wannabe,” to the delight of their fans. At the beginning of the song, the dancers stayed on stage for an extended dance break.

After a short video, which encompassed city escapes with the girls, pondering their existence, a spotlight fell on the stage. In the center was Chaeryeong to perform her solo song “Mine.” Decked out in an all-white outfit, her performance was not only sweet, but seductive and encompassed a cool mirror effect along with a dancer who doubled as her. Up next was Ryujin who performed her solo song, “Run Away.” She started the song sitting down holding a microphone with no stand. The stage was filled with colors of red and gold as she rocked out next to a table with a teddy bear sitting next to her, before descending the elevated stage. She was wearing thigh-high boots and a bodysuit with a sparkling rock’n jacket. Then the mood all changed to absolute out of this world sweetness courtesy of Yuno. As she performed her song, “Yet, but,” a large 3-D spaceship straight from her music video was projected behind her as she danced in a diamond cut out couch. She rocked a sparkling outfit with a collar and high boots just as if she was ready to blast off into space with fluffy cute graphics were also projected behind her, at one point, she even jumped into a shopping cart and was pushed around the stage as she performed. Her stage was truly out of this world with its cute 80’s computer graphics. Then the mood shifted again with Yeji’s solo stage which had an extended outro. She performed her song, “Crown On My Head.” She was wearing a red and black outfit and rocked out with cool edgy crown graphics projected behind her with matching choreography. She stunned the crowd with her stage presence, and wow them with her vocals, belting out numerous times amazing notes.

After the girls solo stages, the concert embarked on to act three, which began with a video that was out of this world. It had Armageddon undertones with the girls looking up to the sky and pondering their existence as if they were having an internal  crisis.

Then came an intro in which the girls descended from a staircase to perform their hit song, “Untouchable.” The girls were in crop tops with sequins details and denim jeans. Their dancers were all in white. Then ITZY performed their hit “Gas Me Up,” which saw the arena drenched in red and black, before cascading into a beautiful waterfall of colors for their stage for “Dynamite.” Then the girls took a break to talk and connect with fans again. The girls mention that this concert was the only time that they had performed solo stages. One mention she had a blast singing and performing her song that she wrote herself. Yeji remarked that she was happy to share the energy to which a fan yelled out. “I love you” and she jokingly replied, “I love you too!” Then the audience was in an uproar of sharing love for the group to which then Yeji had to joke, “OK I’m talking,” as she flirted with the audience. She also mentioned that she loved performing her song in the solo stage because it was such a happy song with bright positive energy. It was clear that the audience was touched by her corky sentimental sensibility. Then Ryujin joked with the audience, explaining that she couldn’t hear the audience and encouraged NYC to “make some noise,” before the girls got into their song “Psychic Lover.” For this song, this stage was immersed  in beautiful colors. Projected behind the girls were squares. Each girl was jumping around, giving as much energy as the audience gave to them.  The girls then went on to perform their song, “Don’t Give a What,” Which saw a 3-D monogram projected behind them with their names as they rocked out before breaking into their monster hit “LOCO.” The act concluded with the girls doing a rock version of “LOCO,” with an extended outro that continued to play long after they had quickly dived behind the stage for an outfit change and to get ready for the next act.

For the next act, the band continue to rockout as the girls were working behind the stage to get ready. They started the song, “Not Shy,” with a long intro before the girls return to the stage decked out in white and black western themed outfits, which paid homage to the music video for the song. The girls then broke out their signature moves for their hit songs “Cake” and “Sneakers,” to the audience’s delight. For “Sneakers,” the girls were super cute and playful as colors surrounded the stage. They even did cartwheels to celebrate the joy. The girls then took a beat to chat with their fans again before getting to their song, “Kill Shot,” which was accompanied by extremely cool 3D graphics. ITZY then closed out their set with “Escalator,” which had an extended outro and saw the girls walking off as to say that was it!

However, for MIDZY sake the girls were only teasing. As they prepared for their encore stage a video played. The video encouraged MIDZY to get into the moment with games and challenges that included cheering, singing and even dancing. Then the girls returned to that stage to perform “LOVE is” wearing shorts or skirts with their concert tees cut in individual cute ways.  They sat down to performed their touching song “Be in Love.” As the girl sat on the stage it was a very intimate moment as if it was a farewell love letter to fans to say we have to leave, but we will be back. Then the girls actually said their goodbye to MIDZY, but just as the girls were about to speak a video came on that teased each one of them. They watched as they joked with each other. Then Ryujin remarked that New York’s Time Square now feels like home to her now since they had been bless to come to New York so many times. Chaeryeong spoke in English to the audience and she promised that Lia would return soon. Before jumping into their two final songs the girls sat down on stage to take a photo with their fans. They smiled as the lights on the audience were raised. After the heartfelt moment, the girl sjumped right into their song “Boys Like You,” which saw them running around the stage in a playful manor. They jumped around as the lyrics of the song were projected behind them. Then they finished out the show with their hit song, “DALLA DALLA” which had an extended outro. As confetti was flying the girls waved goodbye to their fans and it was obvious how much they had grown as artists from their sweet humble stage in Brooklyn at the Kings Theater to now taking the worlds stage at Madison Square Garden. The moment seemed to capture their gratitude to their fans for making it possible as well as reflected how much they have grown as artists.