EXID: Asia Tour Recap

Earlier in the summer, Banana Entertainment announced that EXID would hold an Asian tour (simply titled 2017 EXID Asia Tour) with stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Korea. EXID’s popularity was further proven when tickets for all shows sold out in an astounding 40 seconds. With three out of the four stops held in July, Korea (Seoul) was the big finale, and the concerts were held there on the 12th and 13th of August. I personally enjoy watching these types of concerts, as special stages are showcased throughout the performance. Though the concert was over in an hour and a half, I want to highlight the stages that truly captured EXID’s versatility as both individuals and as a group.

Night Rather Than Day

What I most enjoyed about this stage was that it held so much significance, being the first song sung with Solji upon her return to the stage (which we will talk about later). As a standalone track, it doesn't have a strong impact to it, so I found it unusual that EXID would use it as one of their concert songs. This time around, the male back-up dancers didn't perform, leaving the female dancers to take over the stage. This meant that parts of the choreography were changed, making the performance refreshing to watch.

Hani’s “Hello” & “우유”

Hani slowed things down with her rendition of “Hello” and “우유,” allowing her vocals to shine through. What I particularly enjoyed was the fact that Hani wasn't afraid to sing a ballad on stage, seeing as most EXID songs take quite the opposite route. Since Hani’s “sexy” viral video, many people naturally expect to see that single side of the member, so I admire the fact she took this opportunity to allow people to engage with her as a totally different artist. Accompanied by an acoustic guitar and dressed like an angel, Hani captured the audience (with literal complete silence throughout the entire performance), making sure everyone had their eyes (and ears) on her.

LE’s “Velvet”

LE is truly a one-of-a-kind artist, composing and producing nearly all of EXID’s songs. LE performed the song “Velvet,” which has a sensual, alluring vibe to it. It caught me by surprise to hear LE singing at the start of the song, as she is purely known for her rapping. It was a risky move, but the performance only proved how unique LE’s voice is. The entire set exuded sexuality, confidence, and style, which are three words that describe LE’s persona while performing. The lights were dimmed red, with LE’s stage presence lighting up the arena.

Hyerin and Junghwa’s “Are you Hungry?”

You can always depend on Hyerin and Junghwa to brighten up a room, so if they were ever a sub-unit, they would only naturally prove successful. This song is full of energy, with the members singing and dancing their hearts out. It’s full of aegyo, which is always a plus for Korean audiences. Looking into the lyrics of the song, they seem to be about food, with the members repeating “yum yum” throughout the chorus. You can’t really go wrong with food, so it was a good concept to choose. As mentioned, this was also the introduction to a potential future sub-unit, which would be great to see. It’s a possibility the members used their concert as an experiment to see how the audience would react, with the results shown being quite positive.

“Up and Down”

Is it truly an EXID concert without “Up and Down”? The song skyrocketed the group to fame, kicking up a storm on the charts and winning music shows. The reason this song is even better live is because of the crowd’s participation. “Up and Down” is extremely catchy and easy to follow along to, and the fanchants are just as fun to learn. Everywhere on this tour—whether it was China or Singapore—the crowds have confirmed just how popular this song is worldwide. Regarding their live performance, EXID was finally able to perform their famous pelvic thrusts on stage, which were banned on music shows during promotions. It’s a song that will never get old, and it will forever hold a place in the hearts of LEGGOs.

“Every Night”

This pick may be a little biased, but this is one of the first songs I listened to that truly highlighted EXID’s ability as a group. It has a sensual feel to it, with each member displaying her individual vocals and appearance. It’s a slower song compared to EXID’s previous title tracks, but that’s what makes it stand out among the rest. When EXID was promoting “Every Night,” they wore white see-through tops and high waisted black shorts. On this tour, the members swapped the casual top and shorts for glittery jackets, which worked perfectly with the stage lights. EXID’s vocals have improved since then, proven by Hyerin covering Solji’s high notes this time around. It’s a proud moment witnessing the final result of a group’s improvement over the years, with the members performing the songs that led me to initially follow the group.

“Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring”—Solji’s Return

Wrapping up the tour, EXID performed their album track “Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring,” which is a thank-you song for LEGGOs. While EXID performed, the song cut out mid-way, much to the surprise of both the group and audience. Fortunately, it was all planned by the staff, with Solji making a surprise appearance at the back of the venue, performing her part of the song. LEGGOs were overwhelmed with happiness, as it had been over eight months since the member had made a public appearance. Seeing as this was supposedly Solji’s present to both EXID and fans, the member tried her best and successfully performed on stage. This led to the shedding of happy tears by all members, which was truly an unforgettable moment for everyone. Seeing EXID as five again was a sight that many fans had hoped to experience again one day, though they didn't expect the day to come so soon. It was a beautiful way to end the tour—completing it with all members standing together onstage.