The month of May hit off a lot warmer in Europe than expected, with K-Pop fans experiencing an even more heated time with concerts finally coming back to our continent. The sunny air was once again filled with cheers and venue lines in Germany as Ahgases got ready to meet Yugyeom for his first solo concert, his first solo tour, and his first time meeting fans in almost three years. Two of our writers, Nicole and Bettina, were there to experience the tour in person in Berlin and Oberhausen. 

Ahgase’s forever maknae kicked off the #YUGYEOMmeetsEurope tour in Germany with his first-ever solo concert on May 5 and we couldn’t have imagined a more perfect way to get back to concerting, with Jin Entertainment in charge of the three Germany stops in Berlin, Munich, and Oberhausen. This tour served as the company’s first concert, but despite the many firsts, the several sold-out shows across the full tour prove that this is only the beginning of something great. While in line for both the Berlin and Oberhausen shows, the excitement from fans who traveled from all over could be felt. Fans from the U.K, Italy, and even Thailand all gathered outside of the venues, collecting green glow sticks and signs for a special fan project during “Falling In Love”.

With the crowd chanting “KIM YUGYEOM” for the first time in years, the first stop in Berlin was full of emotions. We talked to some V.I.P. ticket holders in the first row who mentioned how shy Yugyeom was during the group photos—it was his first time back on stage and his first time doing it solo. He even talked about his nervousness on stage, coming across as pretty humble, but the cheering crowd pumped him up and let his performance skills take over not just the stage, not just the Berlin audience, but the whole European tour and the cities they follow. It’s unmatchable to experience his vocals, his personality, amazing performance, and dance skills in person. 

As a surprise, he performed an unreleased song “Always Ready.” Despite this being the first time hearing the song, the hype he created did not stifle—everyone felt the song, showing that we indeed are always ready for new music from him. That being said, we are also always ready to hear some OG bops, which Yugyeom was definitely aware of as he also performed a few GOT7 songs during his encore, including “Hard Carry,” “1+1,” and “Thank You, Sorry.” 

DJ Wegun

As an opening act, the crowd got to party to DJ Wegun’s setlist. One thing that stood out to us the most was the incorporation of GOT7 songs. We thought it was essential to highlight because it meant he completely understood the assignment and the audience he was playing for. 

Most times when it comes to idols and their music, the general public will only know their title tracks once they become popular. Among many tracks, DJ Wegun played “My Home,” “Boom x3,” “Teenager,” “내게 (To Me),” and various others which are typically only tracks that fans would know. With Yugyeom and fellow member and leader Jay B joining K-Hip-Hop companies AOMG and H1GHR MUSIC respectively, they’re exposing their work as GOT7 to this other industry and their audiences. It creates that connection for both artists and fans to gain exposure to each side's different styles of music.

DJ Wegun knew who his audience was and was able to cater to them while still incorporating hip-hop, R&B, and Latin Pop tracks (shout out to Rosalia’s “Chicken Teriyaki” that got everyone hyped). He was able to create an exciting atmosphere through his mixes of various talented artists, helping gear the crowd up without letting us forget who we were there to see. His talent and effort should not go unnoticed.

KyumCrew

Throughout Yugyeom’s career, he has shown how much he values dance through all aspects of his work. The two dancers who Yugyeom performed with are part of KyumCrew. KyumCrew was officially formed in 2021 when Yugyeom made his solo debut, performing with a team of people who all specialize in hip-hop dancing. 

The dancers’ energies, hype, and skills bounced off each other and Yugyeom so well throughout the whole show. What stood out to us the most was the dance break section to “Chingiz Khan” by Woo, when both dancers plus Yugyeom took turns freestyling and showing off each of their abilities. It served as a reminder that the people on stage aren’t just back-up dancers, but actual performers who specialize in dance—making the stage fuller while showcasing their skills on the same stage as the main performer.

An Experience We’ll Never Forget

During the show, Yugyeom mentioned that it had been nearly three years since he last met fans in Europe, which had been his last time on a worldwide tour. It went without fail that he felt nervous speaking this to the crowd, as he prepared a lot for his first solo tour. GOT7’s 2019 world tour Keep Spinning was also the last time Nicole had seen him, making both the excitement and nerves relatable. Yugyeom made it a point to relay his messages in English, wanting to eliminate the use of having a translator present and be more connected with fans.

That connection was unbreakable during the performances. He began the show with his first solo single “I Want You Around” with a deep blue sea as a background. Although DeVita wasn’t there to perform her verse on the track, the crowd filled that void by singing along and Yugyeom looked up and toward the crowd with a smile on his face. His nervousness didn't show when he was being playful with the crowd, feigning a cover of Jay Park’s “MOMMAE,” lifting his shirt, and showing the dandelion tattoo on his side, or actually performing “All I Wanna Do” which showed his vocal color well.

As a fan, all you can wish for is to see your favorite artist performing songs that they're proud of, and that was certainly felt throughout both shows. This will be a tour that we will remember for a long time, cherishing every memory. Thank you for letting us join, Jin Entertainment! See you on the next tour!

Edited by Erin Rupprecht