BoA, CIX, and WINNER Takeover NYC

Photos by Jean Libert

New York City has seen its share of iconic K-Pop groups this year, but no one was prepared for who would take the stage at Pier 17. Announced mere days before the event, groups CIX and WINNER along with solo artist BoA would be putting on a once-in-a-lifetime set on September 20 and 21.

Hosted by KOREA-U.S. SMEs go TOGETHER, those interested in Korean beauty, fashion, cuisine, music, and culture had access to two full days of panels and giveaways. The undeniable highlight of the event were the two mini-concerts to close out both days.

Opening up the show for day one, co-ed K-Pop group LALARY performed a few of the latest K-Pop tracks such as “Pink Venom” by BLACKPINK and “Step Back” by GOT the beat, even performing their own tracks “Fireball” and debut single “LALARY.” As their set came to a close, LALARY, along with host Sam Kim, got the crowd excited for who would soon take the stage.

Excitement coursed through the crowd as FIX, their fandom name, realized CIX were minutes away from taking the stage. That day’s mini-concert was dedicated to CIX, and fans of the group were even given the opportunity to not only witness a live performance, but to meet the members before the show. I had the opportunity to be a part of the lucky fans who met the boys and I can confirm they are as handsome and polite as you see on screen. The meet and greet proceeded in normal hi-touch fashion, with just enough time to say a few words to each member and get a heart or two from your favorite. As the meet and greet session came to a close, fans bid the group a farewell until they would come back for their performance.

A short time after, the host came back out to hype the audience up for the show. Seconds later, the boys walked out and the crowd erupted in screams, rightfully so. As per usual, CIX put on an absolutely amazing stage, performing their latest single “458” for the very first time for U.S. FIX. They also performed tracks “Without You,” “Bend the Rules,” “Drown in Luv,” and my K-Pop track of the decade, “Cinema.” For fans who had not taken part in their tour a few months ago, this was a perfect chance for them to experience CIX live and witness their immense stage presence. The show ended and as we all left you could hear chatters from the audience about how excited they were for day two.

Continuing into the next day, the show started with a bang with another performance from group LALARY, and with an even larger crowd, the excitement bubbled throughout the venue. As fans would get to witness not only CIX but WINNER and BoA’s performance, it was no shock that there were many multi fans in attendance.

As the sun began to set, the queen of K-Pop BoA made her entrance and the crowd went wild. After nearly 10 years of not being stateside, for many fans this was their first time ever seeing her live. BoA herself even noted how long it had been since she's been in New York and that she hoped to return soon and give fans an even longer performance. BoA looked absolutely stunning performing her latest single “Better,” followed by “Only One,” “Girls On Top,” “My Name,” and “No.1.”

Following BoA, CIX came back to the stage, performing the set from the previous night, but the response and love from the crowd was through the roof. Even with the same set, the group came with the same energy and drive that they did the first night.

It was now time for the show to come to a close, but that didn't mean the energy had to die. WINNER took to the stage opening with “REALLY REALLY” and I, along with the people around me, instantly began belting the lyrics the second the beat kicked in. The group also did hit track “MILLIONS,” their debut track, “공허해 empty,” and latest release, “I LOVE U.” If the crowd thought the show was over, we could not have been more wrong. With a fake-out encore, the group returned to give the audience one more track of “EVERYDAY (REMIX),” and it truly felt like we had walked into a club. With a smoke machine, light show, intense bass, and the crowd jumping, it was truly an amazing way to end an amazing concert.

Even though the show lasted an hour and a half tops, the performers did their absolute best to give us the night of our lives. I know myself and many other fans appreciated the opportunity to see our favorite groups for free and hope in the future we get this opportunity more often.

Edited by Kelly Sipko