[Gallery] Boyfriend Rouses K-Pop Mania in Chicago During First US Tour

Mar 13, 2014

On March 11, boy group Boyfriend stirred a K-Pop frenzy in downtown Chicago, captivating the hearts and minds of fans during the first stop of their first US showcase organized by Jazzy Group US.

The six boys, who officially made their US debut on the Chicago stage, conveyed their excitement by giving fans a memorable night filled with unforgettable performances and fanservice! Be sure to click through the gallery to see highlights & set list of the concert, and stay on the lookout for Soompi’s exclusive interview with the boys themselves!

Thanks to Jazzy Group US for inviting Soompi to cover Boyfriend’s US tour, and a special thank-you goes out to Rachel, aka rarapop, for contributing her amazing photos! Rachel’s K-pop and K-drama blog Rara-Pop is full of good information any fan of Korean entertainment will enjoy. Be sure to check out her great blog!

Boyfriend performs crowd-favorites “Janus,” “I Yah,” and of course, “Boyfriend”

These three songs had the audience on their feet, clapping and dancing along to the familiar melodies! During “Boyfriend,” an unison chorus could be heard echoing around the venue as fans chanted along to Boyfriend’s flagship song.

Boyfriend transforms the concert experience to so much more

Besides giving live renditions of their songs, Boyfriend revamps the idea of a showcase by adding in various fan interaction and interview segments to enhance the concert experience. Sprinkled between the charismatic dancing and singing of are more lighthearted moments in which Boyfriend displayed their quick-witted variety charms. Through a Q&A session with the group onstage, fans learned that Boyfriend’s first impression of Chicago was that it’s “cold,” they think their Chicago Best Friends are so “hot” (Kwangmin), “ so beautiful” (Jeongmin), and “so sexy” (Minwoo), and Hyunseong is the best at aegyo and gwiyomi (which he then meekly performed at the urging of the crowd).

Boyfriend transforms the concert experience to so much more (cont)

Audience members also got a chance to interact with their idols – Donghyun serenaded a fan on stage during his solo stage (with a bouquet of flowers and his mesmerizing voice), six random fans competed in a game of charades with the members (Minwoo won). The concert felt like a fanmeeting where Boyfriend focused on giving fans a great time.

Boyfriend’s solo stages had them singing American classics

Most of the members’ solo stages brought about English covers to well-known American songs. Hyunseong presented a powerful rendering of Adam Lambert’s “Whataya Want From Me,” while Jeongmin did Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” justice. Following that, Minwoo, Kwangmin, and Youngmin energetically danced a mashup of Justin Timberlake’s “Love Stoned” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby.”

Boyfriend’s recurring references to “Frozen” keeps audience laughing

Yes yes, it seems like Boyfriend is also on board with the “Frozen” mania! The boys re-enacted a part of the famed “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” scene, song and all (they knew all the lines!), with Jeongmin even belting out “Let it Go” during the charades game. Hilarity ensued as the members called out in their best animation voice: “Anna?” “Elsa?”

Boyfriend’s encores filled to the brim with fanservice

Overall, Boyfriend’s first US showcase can be summed up in one word: Fanservice! They made sure to pose for all of the cameras while throwing out hearts and kisses, and even reached into the audience to take selcas!