The Supreme Diva IU: Tears of Emotion Flow Unstoppably at Her First Japan Concert in 12 Years! A Live Experience Report of the '2024 IU H.E.R. WORLD TOUR CONCERT IN YOKOHAMA' - K-POP Named Youth Vol. 179

IU was, as expected, in a league of her own.

There were moments that went beyond mere emotion.

And for my wife and me,

it became the most tear-filled and blissfully fulfilling

live concert experience we will never forget for the rest of our lives.

IU, a representative diva of South Korea who is also active as an actress in works like 'My Mister,' 'Broker,' and 'Hotel Del Luna,' held the Japanese leg of her world tour, which kicked off in Seoul on March 2nd, titled '2024 IU H.E.R. WORLD TOUR CONCERT IN YOKOHAMA' at the Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa on March 23rd and 24th. The concert was a success, and she delivered an unforgettable stage to her Japanese UAENA (the name of her fans).

This performance followed her solo concert in Seoul that opened the world tour. All tickets were sold out, proving IU's incredible popularity despite it being her first concert in Japan in 12 years.

My wife and I went on the 24th!

How I had dreamed of this day. When I went to see IU's movie last year, I never dreamed she would come here half a year later! (Click here for that article ↓)

Now, let's look back at that day.

That day, I went to a chiropractor in the morning and visited my father, who has Parkinson's disease,

and after eating Shin Ramyun for lunch, my wife and I finally set off for Shin-Yokohama!

It was my first time inside Yokohama Arena, and I was glad we had good seats!

And finally, the long-awaited IU concert began!

Here is the setlist for the 24th (the second day)! ↓

I created a playlist of the setlist on SPOTIFY! Please give it a listen.

Before the eyes of the packed fans and us, who had been waiting for the moment to meet IU, the diva IU finally appeared with a live band, enveloped in the dazzling light of glow sticks throughout the venue!

The live show started with 'Holssi,' the title track of her 6th mini-album 'The Winning' released on February 20th! Cheers were flying from the very beginning! The child dancers were also adorable, and as they rode on IU's light, airy vocals, the venue was filled with euphoria!

The song 'Holssi' uses the metaphor of a dandelion seed flying high and blooming in the sky to convey the message of moving forward even when facing difficulties and walking one's own path, giving courage to the audience.

I felt that her singing this song again in the second half was deeply rooted in IU's wish for the seeds of hope to bloom in many people.

After that, during "Jam Jam," her clear, soaring voice resonated throughout the venue, and my wife was already teary-eyed.

It continued with "Ah puh," which is packed with her cuteness, and I love the hit song "BBIBBI," with its over 260 million MV views, for being so pop and catchy!

After that, I was surprised by how fluent IU's Japanese was during the MC!

Since her Japanese debut in March 2012, it's hard to believe this was her first concert in Japan in 12 years. She spoke in such fluent Japanese, saying, "It's been a really long time. I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting. I've missed you so much," and she incorporated a lot of Japanese into her talk that day.

She also mentioned the gifts (sonmul) of photo cards, a photo card holder, and a keychain that her mother had prepared, charmingly drawing laughter by saying, "In Korea, it was a floor cushion, but since it was difficult to transport to Japan, it became this, but the cost is actually higher!" It was interesting that every time IU crouched down to drink water, cheers would erupt.

Then the atmosphere shifted completely; for the bossa nova-style "Obliviate," her voice changed to something sultry, and it was amazing to feel intoxicated by her exquisite vocals...

And for "Celebrity," which I also love, I was moved not only by her singing but also by the production. A Japanese child actress (who was great at acting!) walked from one end of the stage to the other waving cutely, and after the audience responded warmly, rays of light stretched from the girl's feet, and IU appeared—I got goosebumps! She sang "Celebrity" as if putting a message into every single word, and the next song, "Blueming," was a blast with the whole venue singing along. Then, "Eight," which makes me tear up just by listening to it, was wonderful and seemed to soak deep, deep into my heart.

The next song, "Hold My Hand," is also a favorite of mine for its gentle tone and melody, but IU's clear, high-pitched long tones were also too beautiful. During "I stan U," which she sang as if talking to the audience, we held up the surprise slogans that had been distributed, and the venue felt united and happy. This song, too, had IU's voice and melody blending together, and it was truly powerful and dramatic!

In the middle, we enjoyed "HAVANA," which makes you want to dance, and the stylish atmosphere of "Friday," which makes you want to relax in a cafe. Afterward, she sat on a chair and performed the acoustic version of "strawberry moon" and the great ballad "Through the Night." Both were songs that soaked into the heart, and I deeply wondered why such wonderful songs kept coming one after another. She sang each song in the series as if speaking to us with great care and emotion, and we were wrapped in deep emotion.

Then, after performing "Shopper" from her latest album, which changed the atmosphere to something fresh and boosted our excitement, the chorus of "Above the time," starting with "Kidaryeo~♪," felt like it was truly washing my heart clean.

Furthermore, when the intro to "You & I," which can be called IU's signature song and whose Japanese version became her 2nd Japanese single 12 years ago, began to play, the loudest cheers of the day went up. This is truly a masterpiece that brings back those heart-fluttering feelings I had almost forgotten! The last song of the main set was "Love wins all," a ballad that also became a hot topic for its collaboration with V and its moving MV, which she sang softly after sending a loving message: "I hope your life becomes one where you can focus on love rather than hatred." It was a moment to be completely immersed.

Even so, since Japanese furigana were displayed on the screen throughout the entire show, many in the audience, including us, were able to sing along to the Korean lyrics, and the sense of unity was wonderful.

The first encore started with a moody performance of "Shh.." from her latest album, which left us intoxicated, and then she performed "Twenty-three," which is packed with moments from when IU was 23, and the upbeat chorus raised the excitement even further. And the second "Holssi" hit home with its message even more deeply.

And during the MC, she shared her thoughts on the performance: "I already miss the sound of your applause and your 'Eh~?' voices. I spent a weekend better than a dream with such lovely audience members. I am truly grateful. I will be back soon. I love you!"

After she left once, the applause didn't stop, and after the audience sang "Give You My Heart" (the key was high, so most people gave up halfway (bitter laugh); the persistent women kept trying their best to sing. Thank you), she appeared for a double encore and said, "It's time for the after-party following the main performance," and even allowed photography!

Her hairstyle was also cute, reminiscent of Himiko, and she said, "The Japanese staff said they 'wanted to do it,' so I gathered my courage and tried it."

Even so, I was deeply impressed by just how much of a goddess IU is, overflowing with a spirit of service. Once again, she sang the emotion-filled "Give You My Heart" while seated, as if exchanging words with the venue one by one.

*From here on, I will share a video from someone who filmed it much better than I did.

Then, after singing a phrase of the gem of a ballad "My Sea" a cappella, she sang "Someday" with a big smile, as requested by many in the audience.

And for "EVERY END OF THE DAY," with its grand melody and soaring vocals that heightened the excitement of the finale, I felt truly refreshed. Her vocal power didn't fade until the very end; it was truly amazing... A real climax! Please take a look!

Finally, she sang "Epilogue" beautifully, as if whispering...

Leaving a sense of reluctance and a deep lingering impression throughout the entire venue,

the concert, which lasted over three hours, came to a close.

It was truly, truly wonderful,

and I was wrapped in such deep emotion that my vocabulary was almost completely exhausted.

My wife was shedding tears repeatedly from the beginning to the end of this concert.

I also had many moments in the second half where I was choked up and had to hold back tears.

We left the venue with a truly deep lingering impression in our hearts and promised each other that we would definitely go again.

I hope that all of you will also make the trip to experience it once when IU holds a concert in Japan again.

In the long yet short life of a person, it will undoubtedly become one beautiful memory.

She will be touring Asia and coming to Osaka in July, but I want to look forward to our reunion, keeping in my heart her words that she "will definitely come back to Japan!"

To the "life of choosing love" that she spoke of, from here on as well.

Fighting!