‘I saw Itzy in London – one member had the OVO Arena Wembley barking like dogs’

K-pop sensations Itzy made their long awaited debut performance at London’s OVO Arena Wembley – and while I was grinning for the whole show, one moment made me laugh.

The South Korean girl group, who debuted in 2019 with Dalla Dalla, had been due to perform in the UK for the first time last September at KPOP Lux, however the event was cancelled with not enough tickets sold. But the only fear Itzy fans – known as Midzy – had with their solo show was getting hold of a ticket, cause the venue was completely packed.

Members Yeji, Ryujin, Chaeryeong and Yuna hit the stage with a live band and troupe of dancers, kicking things off with Born To Be. They powered through the first part of the set, moving into Racer and Kidding Me.

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It was a powerful start to the two-and-a-half hour show, with the members each in red and black outfits. Between songs, they spoke in English to the audience, speaking of their excitement of being in the UK for the first time.

Almost every K-Pop show I’ve been too has a moment where the group asks for a cup of tea in an English accent, and as a 31-year-old fan it does make me cringe slightly. Admittedly, I’m there to enjoy the performance so the fan interactions don’t matter too much to me, but the audience always seems to enjoy it.

However with Itzy, there was none of that, with the girls instead talking about how they were enjoying the UK. Ryujin explained she was a huge Harry Potter fan, so wanted to try out a line from the movies, and she also dropped in some Gen Z slang here and there.

As soon as Ryujin started speaking, the cheers and screams that the other members received turns into the arena barking like dogs. It’s a phenomenon that has spread across K-Pop concerts over the past few years, and while it goes over my Millennial head, it still makes me laugh.

But it was great to hear the members sharing their thoughts rather than following the trend of seemingly suddenly being parched for a cup of tea. Yuna said she’d had pizza the day before, and that her server had been lovely – and someone in the audience (who may or may not have been said server) shouted out that it had been them.

Back to the music, the group rounded out the first set with Mr Vampire, Swipe and fan-favourite Wannabe. As my personal favourite of their title tracks, I was excited that Wannabe got an extended version.

Next, each member showcased their individual style as they performed their solo tracks, taken from their latest album Born To Be. As a whole, the group is usually known for its “girl crush” concept, but they proved their versatility on stage.

Chaeryeong, my Itzy bias (or favourite, for those not down with K-Pop lingo), showed her elegance and incredible dancing with her song Mine. In a white ensemble and with choreography involving mirrors, she really shone with the spotlight on her.

Ryujin completely changed up the mood with her badass song Run Away. She explained the rock-inspired track is her saying if you are too scared to run away, she’ll play the villain to make you feel better.

Switching things up yet again was Yuna, who came out on stage perched on a diamond. Her solo stage outfit was the best of the night for me, with the soft purple crystals catching every light in the arena.

Her song Yet, But showed a cuter side – though the meaning was very touching. She sings of a person who might not feel like they’re shining yet, but one day they will feel like a diamond.

Yeji rounded out the solo stages with Crown On My Head. Her performance was incredible, never missing a move in the energetic choreography.

The four of them reunited again for Untouchable, their latest title track, then Gas Me Up, Dynamite, Psychic Lover, Don’t Give A What and Loco. The group has been around for five years so has a strong back catalogue of songs, and the mix of title tracks and B-sides showed their impressive range.

The only Korean title tracks they didn’t perform were Icy, In The Morning and Cheshire. I can take or leave the latter two, but I couldn’t help be slightly disappointed that Icy wasn’t on the set list – especially because I’d been dying to see their iconic neck-breaker move in the choreography.

Hopefully on their next stop in the UK – as they promised they’d be back, this time with member Lia who is currently on hiatus due to anxiety issues – it could make a return to the set list. However I didn’t feel short-changed in the slightest.

Another of my favourite Itzy songs was next with Not Shy, with the group making great use of the stage and getting into the middle of the crowd. They followed up with Cake and Sneakers, before their “final” songs Kill Shot and Escalator.

Returning to the stage for the encore, they showed their love for fans with Love Is and Be In Love, before bringing the energy back up with Chillin’ Chillin’ in time for their last song of the night – the one everyone had been waiting for.

Dalla Dalla, the group’s debut single, is all about being a bit different from other people, and loving yourself because of it. And that message shone throughout the night, from the solo stages to the range of discography performed – Itzy are loved by their fans BECAUSE of what sets them apart.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk