20th Anniversary Kim Jaejoong X Kim Junsu, TVXQ ‘Mirotic’→‘Love In A’… Emotional Reunion (Comprehensive) [DA:On-site]
After waiting for 20 years, this is it. A TVXQ stage that Kim Jaejoong and Kim Junsu present and show. Kim Jae-joong and Kim Jun-su, who were part of representative second-generation K-POP idol groups TVXQ and JYJ, and have since been active as solo artists in their own fields, have completed a touching stage with their historic reunion.
On the afternoon of the 9th, Kim Jae-joong and Kim Jun-su‘s 20th debut anniversary solo concert, ‘JX 2024 CONCERT [IDENTITY] in SEOUL’ (Identity in Seoul, hereinafter referred to as [IDENTITY]), was held at KSPO DOME (formerly the Gymnastics Arena) in Songpa-gu, Seoul.
On this day, Jaejoong Kim and Junsu Kim first summoned fans back to the days of TVXQ, where the two started. They opened with ‘Rising Sun’ and continued with ‘Purple Line’ and ‘“O”-正.反.合.’. After the opening stage, Junsu Kim said, “I was really nervous yesterday. Since we were singing songs that we hadn‘t sung in almost 20 years, of course I was worried about whether we could do well, but I was also half excited and half worried about whether you guys would like it. “Yesterday ended safely, so let’s take it easy today and enjoy ourselves to the end,” he said.
Kim Jaejoong, who had visited the hospital that morning, said, “After messaging Junsu in the morning, I took some medicine and fell asleep right away. But when I tried to turn my head, it wouldn’t turn. My neck wouldn’t turn in the morning, so I got acupuncture. When I went up on stage, it was completely better. It’s so amazing.” Kim Junsu said, “Your support gives me strength. Thank you.”
Following the sweet ballads ‘Whatever They Say’ and ‘Believe’, ‘SKY’ ‘You Always’, the fans went on a time travel, singing along to TVXQ’s nostalgic songs and shouting out the two people’s names. Kim Jaejoong and Kim Junsu, as befitting the two main vocalists of TVXQ, impressed fans with their splendid performances and perfect live performances.
Kim Junsu asked, “Are you guys listening to and singing after a long time?” and said, “While preparing for these songs, I was reminded of the old days, and I cried and cried many times while practicing the songs. Today, I feel like I’m finally seeing the images I’ve dreamed of. I think we’ve done well without giving up. I thought that yesterday, and I feel the same way today.”
Kim Jaejoong said, “I think we’ve done really well. There have been ups and downs, but if it’s short, it’s short, and if it’s long, it’s been a very long time, but we’ve been able to come this far thanks to the fans who have always been with us.” He continued, “There are people who have walked the entire path with us, but I think there are also people who have waited silently behind and came here today.” Junsu Kim said, “I know that there are many people who have been busy with their lives, working and loving, and have forgotten about us for a while, but came to this concert.” He added, “I’m touched just by being able to see you after so long. Since you‘ve seen us like this, I hope you’ll show some love to me and Jaejoong too.”
Kim Jaejoong and Junsu Kim, who have received much love not only as a group but also as solo artists, also showed off their own solo stages. Kim Jaejoong showed off his own colors with stages of ‘Devotion’, ‘Summer J’, ‘Glorious Day’, and Kim Junsu showed off his own colors with stages of ‘Tarantallegra’, ‘Flower’, ‘ROCK THE WORLD’.
Following popular Japanese songs such as ‘Stand By U’ and ‘Begin’, TVXQ‘s legendary stages were summoned once again. Kim Junsu said, “I rarely had a chance to sing Japanese songs in Korea, but this is my first time in a while and I don’t know when I‘ll get to do it again, so I prepared for it. Aren’t you performing in Japan this time too? The language isn‘t important, whether it’s Korean or Japanese, but the heart is important. Korean fans probably listened to a lot of Japanese songs, and Japanese fans probably listened to Korean songs, so I wanted to give them good songs, so I decorated the stage with songs I sang in Japan.”
Kim Jaejoong said, “I was nervous yesterday, but today my heart was like that while singing. The two of them are together, and they are singing songs that they couldn‘t sing before in front of you, but there are still many stories that they couldn’t tell. The stories that couldn‘t be told are melted into this music, and when I feel the music and sing, I feel like my frustration is relieved,” he said. “When Junsu sings, strange thoughts just come to me. Thank you.”
Kim Junsu said, “I get emotional when I sing while looking at the fans, but I especially couldn’t look Jaejoong hyung in the eye. I was usually in the leftmost seat and Jaejoong hyung was in the middle, and I remembered the seats and the composition. I couldn‘t look him in the eye. It felt like I went back to that time,” he said. “They are complicated and subtle memories that are both painful and honorable. Because of that time, you came to hear that song, and I’m honored and happy that I‘m singing in front of you. I’m really happy today. He said, ”Thank you.“
The ‘Vocal Power Show’ that lasted a full 3 hours was moving, and the taste of the authenticity was thrilling. Kim Jae-joong and Kim Jun-su filled the stage with TVXQ‘s famous songs ‘The Way U Are’ and ‘MIROTIC’, as well as encore songs like ‘HUG’ and ‘Balloons’, drawing cheers from fans. The encore stages that followed were JYJ’s ‘Empty’ and ‘Love In The Ice‘, also known as ‘러브인아’. The two proved through this concert why they are the legends representing the second generation of K-POP and the artists who have been at the top for 20 years with their ’stage‘.
In particular, on this day, Kim Jae-joong and Kim Jun-su were seen tearing up after hearing the fans sing ‘Don‘t Say Goodbye’.9
Kim Jae-joong said, “I wanted to smile so much while watching you all shed tears when I saw you on the screen. Rather than feeling missed, sad, and lonely, aren‘t we all together in the end? I felt grateful for this moment when we were together, and I felt happy even when I saw you all shed tears. I’m so grateful.”. Kim Jun-su said, “This song made me cry so much that it was really hard for us to sing”.”It might be because it was the last song we sang in Korea before we broke up, but it was a song with a special meaning. I heard it in the waiting room, but it felt even better when I heard it in your voices. Thank you.”
Following the Seoul concert, Jaejoong Kim and Junsu Kim will also meet global fans with [IDENTITY] at the Veruna Dome in Saitama, Japan on December 14th and 15th.
Jung Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com
