When it comes to K-Pop shows, after a while many of us come to expect a certain formula from the events we attend. Even as the genre has expanded in the west and more acts are coming to more venues, there’s often a blueprint on how a show is going to go. But with KINO, all of that was thrown out the window, in the best way possible.

Anyone that lives in Northern Virginia should be familiar with the venue of Jammin Java, a small indie venue tucked away in the historic town of Vienna. For a lot of us, it was a familiar hub for small indie shows we attended back in high school to socialize. So when it was announced that this was the venue KINO would be performing in, I was quite surprised. The venue is very small and intimate, so I immediately knew this would be a very different experience. 

The plus side to a small venue is that access to the performer is going to be much higher than what we consider standard. KINO’s show was very much different from even other soloist shows I’ve attended in the past–this felt much more like an indie rock show in comparison. The style is also much closer to the music KINO has released in his solo career, showcased by the guitarist and drummer that joined him on stage to perform. 

KINO did have a number of different genres of songs he performed from his discography, including his solo debut “POSE” and more recent releases like “Everglow.” What made this show really stand out was the accessibility and candid communication KINO had with the audience. In such an intimate venue, he was able to do things like call out a sign a fan brought and thank them, crack jokes such as “I think I know your Twitter and Instagram accounts,” and even jump into the audience, walk through, and hop up onto the bar to perform. It’s a stark contrast for someone like me, who remembers seeing him perform with PENTAGON at KCON. I’ve never seen such unfettered access to an idol, and it definitely stands out amongst other shows I’ve been to.

Much of the show also seemed more heartfelt, as KINO didn’t hold back in expressing his feelings or past mistakes he’s felt he’s made in his career. It presents a stark contrast from the talk we get at other shows, even if it is sincere, there’s certainly a formula. You won’t see idols admitting that perhaps they took their fans’ love for granted, though maybe subconsciously we know some of them may be that way behind their carefully crafted images. It just felt nice to get a different perspective and performance from an idol.

The encore of the show even contained a rock version of PENTAGON’s biggest hit track “Shine,” which was a nice surprise for an old head like me. Even without knowing KINO’s full discography, there were plenty of performances to enjoy. The indie feel of the show was super refreshing, and I’d highly recommend anyone to attend and enjoy KINO’s talent for performance.