LEE JOON GI: The Hottest, Handsomest & Most Talented Global Actor, Action Star, Singer and Model: Lee Joon Gi Asia Tour Encore Delight For Us Seoul

LEE JOON GI

ASIA TOUR ENCORE

DELIGHT FOR US

SEOUL

ASIA’S EARTHSHAKING PARTY CONCERT

LEE JOON GI

ASIA TOUR ENCORE
DELIGHT FOR US

Multi-hyphenate Superstar. King of Dramas. Amazing Martial Artist. Gorgeous Supermodel. The Perfect Popstar. He has also been dubbed ‘The King of Historical Dramas’. Lee Joon Gi is many things to many people. He is one of the most influential Asians of our times. Unsurprisingly, at his earthshaking party concert ‘Asia Tour Encore Delight For Us’ in Seoul on 28^th April 2019, he cemented the public idea of him as Asia’s most talented, hottest and sexiest Actor-Popstar. A popstar sensation.

It was a huge concert with a difference. ‘Let’s party’ is Lee Joon Gi’s revolutionary party concert concept. The concert audience in Asia has always been quiet, reserved and restrained unlike that of the west. But the presence of the megastar has changed the Asian concert scene forever. He had left behind the conservative concert landscape. His concerts have always been different from the concerts of other Asian popstars, whose audience, for most part of the concerts, are always stuck to their seats. Lee’s audience is different, they’re always ready to party.

The International Audience. Though at every concert, there is bound to be the presence of international fans, this time round, the mix of international fans was more diverse. His opening talk started with Lee taking a roll call.

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Lee walked around the T-shaped stage to find out who were present at his concert. He elicited roaring responses from the crowd - the loudest cheers came from the South Koreans, who made up the majority of the audience since it was their home ground. His audience comprised those from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, USA, Italy, South Africa, China (including Hong Kong) and other countries from around the world. It seemed like the powerful presence of his global fans could be felt in the hall.

It is interesting to note that Lee is very much aware of his passionate Thai fans who form a united front with their JGThai Squad. One is envious of their happy and lively camaraderie as they seem to enjoy themselves whenever they gather together.

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The devotion of Lee’s fans can be deduced from the lively atmosphere on the Olympic Stadium grounds which were adorned with numerous display stands of ‘fans rice’ / ‘rice wreaths’, contributions of his global fans. More than 5,440 kgs of rice were contributed to charitable causes in Lee’s name. China (including Hong Kong), Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, Romania, USA, Singapore, Indonesia, The Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar are some of his strongest supporters. His fans have been doing this every year and they have put Lee Joon Gi at the top of the Asian showbusiness charity work. A remarkably influential superstar with a super passionate fandom.

The poster for Splendor Family Day

Lee's enthusiastic Chinese fans (Hong Kong and Mainland China) contributed 1,580 kgs of rice for the poor. The Japanese are the second highest contributors (1,400 kgs). They are in the process of organising a fan concert, ‘2019 Lee Joon Gi Splendor Family Day’ at the Pacifico Yokohama Convention Hall on 14 June this year*.

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The ‘For Us’ Encore concert marked the culmination of his ‘Delight’ concerts that spanned 6 cities and 5 countries. Seoul in South Korea, Osaka and Yokohama in Japan, Taipei in Taiwan, Bangkok in Thailand, Hong Kong in China and back to Seoul. But the ‘For Us’ concert, including the concert venue, was different from the earlier concerts in many ways.

The 2,452 seat Olympic Hall in the Olympic Park, a coveted concert venue, has the state-of-the-art facilities: a huge T-shaped stage, a camera crane for multi-camera productions, sophisticated LED screens for larger-than-life video displays, awesome sound and stage lighting system. The facilities are so superior that according to Lee, the venue was difficult to book.

During the concert, Lee and his dancers were bathed in a rainbow of colours. The audience, in open-mouth wonder, were awed by the visuals that flashed across the LED screen. There was a crazy quilt of designs and patterns: geometric shapes, outer space visuals, snazzy lines, intricate webs, interesting lettering styles and stunning words.

Fabric swatches. It seemed that the visual designers had been inspired by swatch samples garnered from the fashion industry. Perhaps, it’s my imagination running wild. But, it was certainly a spectacular visual and sound experience.

What the audience had not expected was the earthquaking introduction to the concert. It resembled a volcanic eruption of great magnitude with skull-splitting sounds that had probably nailed the audience momentarily. The concert exploded in a burst of colours. Though some have been used to concert noise, they were unprepared for the crashing sounds that accompanied the special effects. The sounds and visuals screamed boldness, diversity and creativity.

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Some segments of the concert were unforgettable.

FOR US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nDMuyZ_7wc

FOR US

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulV-HhQtKPw

The most memorable song from Lee Joon Gi’s thrilling new album is ‘For Us’. His song was accompanied by bluish colour visuals all the way. It was not just the song that could melt hearts. Lee's stage performance and presence was impressive.

At the end of his song, it rained 'confetti' from the ceiling. Those who were ignorant about the lyrics would have thought that the 'confetti' symbolised cosmic debris due to a blast in space. That 'confetti', which was scattered on the stage floor, in fact, represented virgin snow falling on a beautiful day.

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When Lee sang an acoustic version of the song, he might have knocked out many in the audience. Gentle. Slow. Melodious. Soulful. It would be unsurprising if he had wreaked havoc in the minds of the ladies in the audience.

FOR US

(Acoustic Version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kNYWIHSSsw

CAN’T BE SLOW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssfFUqUfwPQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzspg3ejjcE

The catchy and upbeat ‘Can’t Be Slow’ comes a close second. What was unforgettable about it was the song was accompanied by one of the best choreographed dances. Lee Joon Gi was spectacular. No doubt about it – Lee is a dynamic dancer and singer.

Lee looked like a man from outer space. The Man from the Moon. Surreal. Even the LED screen featured the galaxy, stars and moon in space. One has to be reminded that The Fourth Prince is the Moon (and the Sun).

The superstar was unabashed about asking his audience’s opinion of his style. As expected, the response was thunderous and enthusiastic.

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A Fan’s Perspective

Lee Joon Gi’s silver mop top made him look really amazing. Really cool. Space Age. He is more handsome and stylish than ‘The Beatles’.

Coincidentally, silver has been declared the hair colour of 2019. Clothed in his silvery jacket with a Mandarin collar and epaulettes with fine tassels, Lee resembled a man from outer space.

The jacket has 4 flap pockets which are lined with braided cords. Above the cuff of each sleeve are 3 of the same braided cords. He had layered his jacket over a colourful shirt. His tight-fitting white pants completed his fashionable and chic concert ensemble.

Everyone could feel his unbridled passion for singing and dancing in this performance. His dynamic singing and fancy dance moves including ‘flying’ and ‘leaping’ brought the spaceman to life. The dance moves were really hot, fluid, sensual and sexy. His body movements were matched by the modulations of the sounds. It seemed as if he had unleashed a fire within and the audience were transfixed.

One could feel the stage floor move under his feet. If his feet had pounded more heavily, the plaster from the ceiling would have fallen off.

The audience, the young and hip ones and the lively mature ones, shouted and screamed in sheer delight.

The dance moves for ‘Accepted’, the last of the trio of songs from his album, were awesome as well. The intricate web design visuals were stunning.

ACCEPTED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4llovu-2RRM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g43X5hs9vjA

Perhaps the most eye-catching LED visuals were for the American song, ‘Marry You’ by Bruno Mars. They were bright, joyful and colourful.

After the song, Lee Joon Gi threw heart-shaped plush toys into the audience. Those who caught them must have been beside themselves with joy.

The audience must have been thrilled when Lee, with ‘a cute bouquet of purple flowers’ in his hand, got down on one knee seemingly to propose marriage to them. Purple is a royal colour. Purple blooms symbolise admiration and adoration.

MARRY YOU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6k0G7aRdz0

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No one had the faintest idea that he would throw that bouquet into the audience. The girl who snatched it away from the others must have been delirious with joy!

It was a very creative stunt that matched the song lyrics.

Lee’s showmanship is always amazing. He has got entertaining his audience down to a fine art. It is clear that his interaction with fans is unmatched by anyone else in Asian showbusiness.

If there’s anything that we’ve learnt about Lee Joon Gi, it’s he is naturally charming. The charismatic star confided to his audience that they, his local and global fans, are an important part of his life. To him, they are part of his big ‘family’. They are his motivators. They, like oxygen, give him life and good energy to make him a better man, actor and artiste.

Come to think of it, theirs is a symbiotic relationship – a mutually beneficial one. He makes them happy and in turn, they make him happy.

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He then dedicated the song ‘The Meaning of You’ to them. It was a soul-stirring song.

THE MEANING OF YOU

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw0bwaspZ-F/

The ‘For Us Encore Concert’ song list was breath-taking in its scope; it was filled with songs about love, romance, life, loss, memories, joy and regret.

It was inevitable that Lee Joon Gi would blend the songs from his previous Delight Asia Tour concerts with his Encore concert songs. The songs which he sang in different languages include ‘The World’s Only Flower’ (Japanese), ‘Contentment’ & ‘Love Confession’ (Taiwan / Chinese), ‘Finn / Kae Chan Mee Ter’ (Thai), ‘Messy Hair’ & ‘In The Sentimental Past’ (Hong Kong / Cantonese) .

The 4-hour long concert was the reason for the huge and diverse repertoire of songs. It must have quite a feat for the musical hero, his band and dancers.

DON'T KNOW LOVE / SARANG MOLLA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOZn65-m2DE

His Korean fans must have felt lucky that Lee had also added wonderful Korean songs like ‘Don’t Know Love’ / ‘Sarang Molla’ and ‘One Word’ / ‘Hanmadiman’, which he had popularised during his younger days. The haunting and soul-stirring songs probably brought back sweet memories for those fans who had been with him since his first concert.

Updated

21 May 2006

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8AO7lEkh8g

THEN

NOW

Lee also entertained his audience with his other unforgettable songs like 'Now' and 'For A While'. He did a wonderful rendition of Jackie Cheung's 'Messy Hair'.

NOW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gov2-aM8Is&list=PLv9suAHHJ9bSfP14vtmVvgtStXvHBrvez

FOR A WHILE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyp8NfUwBvU&feature=youtu.be

MESSY HAIR

(CANTONESE)

https://www.facebook.com/leejoongifansphilippines/videos/666679623787578/

At the beginning of the concert, Lee Joon Gi had reminded the audience not to be overly absorbed in taking videos of his concert but to party with him. He even conducted a short briefing on how to party for those who were new to his concerts.

He wanted them to have fun and an unforgettable time. The warmth, the enthusiasm and the excitement in his voice were unmistakable.

Suffice to say that the man’s a good talker, a real charmer. His engagement with his fans and his interaction with them have always been superb. Lively. Dynamic. Meaningful. There’s nothing awkward about it.

So, nobody was shocked when Lee Joon Gi was able to draw his audience out of their comfort zones to party with him. His passionately strong and vibrant fandom needed no further persuasion. They put on their dancing shoes to dance and sing along with him. Both popstar and audience made the ‘For Us’ musical event a fun and magical party concert.

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One of the highlights was the cake-cutting ceremony. His South Korean fan club, Hanjunse, presented him with a birthday cake. A red-clad figurine in Lee’s image had been placed at the top of the five-tier cake.

Lee divulged that his birthday wish was to work on a great project that would make his fans happy and proud of him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKDLCs1-Q08

The Red Thread / String of Fate

Ancient Chinese Proverb: An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstances. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break.”

After the cake-cutting, to the amusement of his audience, the playful and fun-loving Lee shot imaginary hearts at them.

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At one point during the concert, Lee Joon Gi wore a huge white rose given by a fan. He stuck the stalk in his black T-shirt. He did the unexpected. He ‘interviewed’ the man who helmed the Vlack dance team.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw0i5ROJ5Gg/

Lee posed the question about how the lead dancer felt about the ‘For Us’ concert. The prompt answer was it was the best performance that he had been involved in so far. He added that there were elements in Lee’s concert that were impossible to be imitated by other performers. Lee Joon Gi's natural talent, all-consuming passion, sheer athleticism and sensual physicality come to mind. What he also meant was Lee Joon Gi has taken the concert experience to a new level.

The fact that Lee is a pioneer in party concerts must have cemented the public’s opinion that other popstars, especially actor-popstars, are no match for him. It hardly needs saying that everyone pales into insignificance when compared to him. Lee Joon Gi leaves all competition far behind.

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The party concert was stupendous. It was a world class act. That is because of Lee Joon Gi’s vast preparations for the concert. The long process did not drain his energy, it had infused him with even more energy.

Lee Joon Gi's concert planning has been well-chronicled. Lee had conducted meeting after meeting to prepare for the concert ahead.

There was also dance practice after dance practice. The dance choreography was amazing. Lee had perfected his dance moves. Sometimes, they were polished, smooth, graceful and sensual. At times, they were indisputably hot and sexy. Soft and sensual snake arms. Provocative shimmies. Sensual hip movements. Seductive swagger. And then, there were those earth-quaking leaps and jumps.

REHEARSAL

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw03Q7cBOcp/

With endless hours in voice training, Lee could effectively perform a wide-ranging mix of songs to mesmerise his audience.

The fact that Lee Joon Gi had even taken up temporary residence near the studio just to perfect his dance moves and vocals proves the superstar’s all-consuming dedication and his voracious ambition for success.

Thanks to the presence of his live band and team of dancers, the atmosphere was even livelier.

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Lee Joon Gi, the fun, playful and humorous extrovert onstage and off is the cream of Asia’s entertainment industry. It seemed like he had gone all out for battle – the battle for the hearts and minds of his audience and he had emerged victorious. The conclusion is that he is a first echelon performer.

It’s not a secret that many fans embraced his concerts enthusiastically. They always have a whopper of a good time at his electrifying and fun party concerts. So, when the party drew to a close, many were reluctant to leave.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUteYlB0dyA

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By now, the Asian public is aware that Lee Joon Gi has morphed into an international superstar with far-reaching appeal. There is no room in doubt that his appeal is enduring across generations and the globe. But, is he going to step out of the Asian concert scene and call out ‘The RoW*, Here I Come!’?