On February 15th, I had the amazing opportunity to see aespa perform at United Center, my first time attending a K-pop show. Upon arriving outside, I was astonished by the displays on the venue to promote the show: each member displayed on a screen almost as tall as the venue itself. As I finally got into the venue, I continued to be blown away. I could feel the energy and how excited people were right as I stepped in the doors, with most people already at their seats with light sticks in hand anticipating the show.
My first arena show in years, I was surprised by my exceptional view of the stage, along with the three massive display panels that helped me catch every detail of the show. Camera operators sped all across the stage helping to display the members on the big screen. The stage setup was amazing as well, with the screens, amazing lighting, props, and so much more. As the clock hit 8:00pm, the group arrived on stage and the arena lit up with cheers and excitement. An introduction video played on the center screen and each member stepped out from behind it.
To kick off the show, the group performed one of their hits, “Drama.” While they played, I quickly realized how amazing the show would be, as their music echoed through the arena with unmatched energy, with choreography and backup dancers throughout the entire show. A few songs later, they played “Supernova,” which impressed me even more. The whole crowd was super energetic and excited, myself included. I typically go to shows in smaller venues only, so experiencing a show with such high production value blew me away completely.
Another highlight of the show was “Spicy,” which amazed me once again with its incredible production value. Since the song is so high-energy, I had high hopes, but they blew my expectations out of the water. As the song kicked off, the graphics on the screens immediately captured my attention, as each member was displayed close-up with lyrics flashing over them. The energy in the arena was high, with the crowd getting super excited for the chorus and breakdown.
Leaving this show, I felt as if this experience changed me, genuinely feeling shocked at how good this show was. As a long time K-pop fan that has never seen a show of this level, the performance was amazingly captivating, and I would recommend anyone to see aespa live on their SYNK: PARALLEL LINE tour or any future tours.