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| The Canadian R&B star The Weeknd performs during "The Weeknd Asia Tour Live in Korea" held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of Hyundai Card |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Canadian pop/R&B artist The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, held his first ever concert in Seoul at the Gocheok Sky Dome, Saturday, playing an effortless set, showing off his incredible vocal skills before an estimated crowd of 24,000.
The musician performed for just under 90 minutes made up of 25 songs handpicked from three of his award-winning albums, "Beauty Behind the Madness," "Starboy" and "My Dear Melancholy."
Tesfaye raced from one end of the stage to another during the entire show so that by the time he left the stage, the R&B star was drenched in sweat. He powered through his set list, leaving little room for interaction with the band or crowd.
The 28-year-old singer officially debuted in 2011 with a self-released mixtape "House of Balloons," before being spotted by and collaborating with Canadian megastar Drake.
Since then, he has won three Grammy awards, eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards and has been nominated for one Academy Award.
The musician became a household name due to his raw talent his creating a PBR&B genre, an alternative rhythm and blues genre which is a rising trend in popular music worldwide.
Dressed in classic black jeans and jacket, Tesfaye appeared on the stage 20 minutes later than initially planned. Photo ID was required at the entrance because the show was X-rated. Thus, it took some time for the audience to get inside the venue.
The R&B star opened the stage with a powerful "Pray for Me" from the soundtrack of this year's superhero movie "Black Panther." By the time he belted out "Die for You," "Starboy," "Party Monster," "Reminder" and "Six Feet Under," the show was in full swing.
"Thank you Seoul. This is my first time in Korea and you guys are so beautiful," he shouted out to the crowd.
Tesfaye encouraged his fans to sing along to his hits "Can't Feel My Face" and "Earned It" saying "C'mon. You know the words!" To entertain the crowd, he also showcased a brief sexy dance when singing "I Feel It Coming."
Despite the howls of delight, Tesfaye's lesser-known songs were met with a quieter reception. Only when the singer changed the lyrics to shout "Korea!" or "Seoul!" in the midst of singing "Often" and "Wasted Times" did the crowd hype up for brief moments.
During "The Morning," the dome filled with a sea of lights, and after ending with his 2015 single "The Hills," fans chanted for an encore. But he finished the night without one.
The 90-minutes-long performance mostly relied on the R&B star's voice, while the video images and colored lights played out across the surface of the stage and smoke and fire, which erupted from the sides of the stage, supplemented the show.
Tesfaye will be performing in Tokyo, Dec. 18, as the last stop on his Asia tour.
