Image Courtesy: SM Entertainment
On the 18th, the 'KAION' solo concert tour by Kai was launched at the Handball Stadium located in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul.
The concert was structured into four distinct segments, each reflecting the emotional tone of the songs: 'The Stranger in the Mirror', 'The Many Selves Within Me', 'All Selves Unite', and 'A New Journey of Mine'. The stage setup was enhanced by Kai's English typography 'KAI', synchronized VCRs tailored to the song's moods, an expansive LED screen, and meticulously designed props, all contributing to a rich visual spectacle.
The performance commenced with 'Sinner' from Kai's third mini album. Dressed in a red blouse and pants, he greeted the audience with 'Mmmh' from his first mini album and the track 'Nothing On Me'. The venue resounded with fans chanting his real name, 'Kim Jongin'.
With a beaming smile, Kai appeared to relish the audience's cheers as he welcomed attendees to his inaugural solo concert 'KAION'. He engaged with the crowd in all areas of the venue, warmly inquiring, "Did you miss me?" and shared, "Today is the second day, and I'm a bit more nervous than yesterday. On the first day, it was the excitement of 'Can I do this?', but today, it's the thrill of wanting to do well and enjoy it."
The initial segment concluded with renditions of 'Hello Stranger' from his first mini album, 'Slidin'' from his third mini album, and 'Ride Or Die' from his first mini album.
The subsequent phase featured dance performances to EXO tracks 'My Lady', 'Baby Don't Cry', and 'Into Your World'. Adorned in a three-piece suit, Kai executed solo dances to these songs, with fans singing along to complete the atmosphere. During the performance of 'Come In' from his second mini album, Kai expressed his affection for fans with a heart gesture.
Reflecting on the medley, Kai remarked, "How was the EXO medley after a long time?" and conveyed, "Dancing while listening to EXO-L's chorus after so long was overwhelming. It brought back many old memories. It felt like a time to reminisce from debut until now with you all, and when 'Into Your World' played, I almost teared up."
He continued to elaborate, "I hope you enjoyed the opening and bridge videos. The response was great. It was about the process of filling in the new Kai. I wonder if you discovered a new side of me. It's been 14 years, and there's still so much to show. New things keep coming out," affirming a 'forever' promise with fans.
Kai, now wearing rimless glasses, performed 'Vanilla' from his second mini album, the title track 'Peaches', and 'Adult Swim' from his fourth mini album.
"I'll change the mood of the songs," Kai announced while putting on a suit jacket. The audience responded with enthusiastic cheers during performances of 'Wait On Me', the title track from his fourth mini album, 'Pressure', 'Walls Don't Talk', and 'Bomba' from his third mini album.
As the third segment unfolded, Kai emerged in a leather jacket and black cap. The stage performances of the unreleased solo song 'Confession' and 'Domino' from his second mini album elevated the concert to its zenith.
Breathing heavily, Kai remarked, "This is the death section," amidst the applause from EXO-Ls. He articulated, "Through this concert, I wanted to show you that I'm back. I wanted to ensure the time you waited and liked me wasn't regretted. And most of all, I hoped it would be a chance to rethink your feelings for me. 'That's why I like Kai', 'No one but Kai satisfies me', 'My true dopamine is Kai'—I wanted to reaffirm these thoughts."
He encouraged the audience with, "Let's go crazy today," proceeding to perform 'Reason' from his first mini album.
As the concert drew to a close, Kai expressed, "Today was truly a happy and enjoyable time. And I'm so thankful that our members came to watch the performance," mentioning Suho, Chanyeol, and D.O. He continued, "Thanks to the support from my brothers, I could hold this concert. Thank you. To the members and to you all for being part of my first solo concert 'KAION'. I'll return with a more impressive stage after growing further," promising to return. He then concluded the third segment with a performance of his highly beloved solo song 'Rover'.
Even after the official close of the stage, EXO-Ls persisted in chanting 'Kim Jongin'. In response, Kai delivered an encore performance of 'Blue' from his second mini album. Expressing gratitude, Kai said, "Thank you for the encore," and remarked, "This feels like the most breathless performance I've ever done. I used all my energy during 'Rover'." During photo-taking, EXO-Ls surprised him with a slogan event proclaiming "Jongin, we love you," moving him to tears.
Kai concluded with, "I'm so touched and happy. It was a time that made me feel many emotions. There was fear and many thoughts, but I always thought of you at those times. I think I could hold the concert by focusing only on you. When I'm on stage, I feel nothing but happiness. I realized again today that performing in front of you is what I love most. I will never forget today," and majestically closed the Seoul concert with 'To Be Honest' from his second mini album.