Babymonster launches 2nd world tour with rock festival intensity

Babymonster performs during “Choom,” held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, Sunday. (YG Entertainment) Babymonster turned the stage of Jamsil Indoor Stadium into a full-fledged dance party over the weekend, opening its second world tour with the kind of powerful live vocals and high-intensity performance the group has become known for. The group kicked off its world tour, "Choom," with three shows in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, from June 26-28. Spanning 18 cities and 29 shows so far, the tour will reach five continents — including first-ever stops in Oceania, Europe and South America — with more dates expected to be added. It significantly expands on the group's first world tour, "Hello Monsters." The Seoul concerts marked Babymonster's return to the road for its first world tour in about a year and five months. With Rami on hiatus due to health concerns, the group performed as a six-member lineup comprising Ruka, Pharita, Asa, Ahyeon, Rora and Chiquita. Emerging on lifts surrounded by sharp lasers and red lighting, the group opened with “We Go Up,” before moving into its newest release “Choom” and continuing with “Batter Up” and “Drip.” Each member used handheld microphones, emphasizing the group’s confidence in its live delivery even while performing tightly synchronized choreography. The live band played a major role in amplifying the concert’s energy. Electric guitar, drums and heavy bass gave Babymonster’s already forceful tracks a rock-festival-like intensity, while instrumental breaks filled the stage during costume changes, preventing the momentum from falling flat. Babymonster enters the stage during “Choom,” held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, Sunday. (YG Entertainment) Ahyeon, in particular, drew some of the loudest reactions of the night, cutting through the band sound with her high notes. Her signature three-step climax in “Drip” prompted an immediate burst of cheers from the crowd. After the opening run, Babymonster shifted through “Moon,” “Clik Clak,” “Sheesh” and “Psycho,” using red, black and monochrome visuals to build a darker, more intense atmosphere. “Psycho” stood out as one of the songs best matched with the live band, especially as the arrangement swelled into a heavier sound toward the latter half of the track. Rora opened the solo sections with a swing-jazz reinterpretation of Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” while Asa followed with Baauer’s “Temple” delivering sharp rap skills. Pharita brought a brighter energy to Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass,” while Chiquita delivered a more mature and charismatic performance with “Buttons” and “Worth It” by The Pussycat Dolls and Fifth Harmony. Ruka then took on Skrillex, Missy Elliott and Mr. Oizo’s “Ratata,” adding a hip-hop edge with bold rap and dance, before Ahyeon closed the solo section with Ariana Grande’s “Problem.” The concert later softened with a ballad section made up of “Stuck in the Middle,” “Love, Maybe” and “Dream.” Without choreography, the members’ individual tones came into clearer focus, while fans slowly waved their red light sticks as the arena shifted into a blue-lit, more sentimental mood. Babymonster performs during “Choom,” held at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa-gu, southern Seoul, Sunday. (YG Entertainment) The concert soon returned to its familiar party atmosphere. “Really Like You,” which recently gained renewed attention online, drew one of the loudest singalongs of the night, while “Forever,” “Wild,” “Hot Sauce,” “I Like It” and “Sugar Honey Ice Tea” — the group’s newest single — pushed the show toward a high-energy finale. In their closing remarks, the members repeatedly thanked fans for helping them return to a world tour so quickly. Chiquita said she was moved by the fans’ loud singing, while Rora said the three days in Seoul reminded her that performing for fans “is never something to take for granted,” adding that the group has still so much to show. Ahyeon also reflected on how rehearsals had felt incomplete without fans in front of them. “I think what was missing was all of you,” she told the audience. “We missed you so much, and we’ll become Babymonster that can show you everything.” Following the Seoul concerts, Babymonster is set to bring “Choom” to Japan from July to September, starting with Kobe then going on to Fukuoka, Yokohama, Chiba, Nagoya and Osaka.