Six Standout Moments From SuperM’s Sold-Out Show at the Forum

Kristine Kwak
·5 min read

Click here to read the full article.

SuperM, dubbed “the Avengers of K-pop,” performed a sold out show at The Forum in Los Angeles on Feb 1. The seven members from SHINee, EXO, NCT, and WayV, four groups under the SM Entertainment banner, released an eponymous EP last October that caters to the American audience and have been touring North America since November.

For those who are unfamiliar, the group consists of Baekhyun, Taemin, Kai, Taeyong, Ten, Lucas and Mark. Baekhyun is the leader and a vocalist from popular boy group EXO. Kai also hails from EXO and is the main dancer, lead rapper, and a vocalist. He also has experience acting and is Korea’s first global ambassador for Gucci. Taemin, who entered the industry at age 14 as part SHINee, acts as a main vocalist and main dancer. Taeyong, Ten, Lucas, and Mark are members of NCT 127 and WayV, units under SM’s new group concept NCT.

More from Variety

SuperM’s show at the Forum was a super-sized debut for the group and included these standout moments:

Shoutouts to Los Angeles

It was a special night for SuperM fans in Los Angeles, also known as the birthplace of the group after its debut performance at the Capitol Records Building. Members repeatedly showed their love for the city, shouting out L.A. and the iconic Forum throughout the night. Lucas let his love for The Boiling Crab be known, while Taemin, who has been in the industry the longest, noted that performing in L.A. felt different compared to the other cities.

All fan armies welcome

Lightsticks are the norm at any K-pop event, and most groups have their own official stick that fans use to cheer on their group of choice. Some are able to sync with the music via Bluetooth, filling the stadium with synchronized lights. The designated SuperM glowstick stood out against the sea of lights as fans showed up in droves, but an honorable mention goes to the fans who brought NCT, EXO, and SHINee lightsticks along with their SuperM merch. The array of colors, denoting different fan bases, created a rainbow effect in the arena and exemplified why the group is considered K-pop’s Avengers.

A mix of unreleased and classic tracks

SuperM’s setlist included two unreleased tracks, “Dangerous Woman” and “With You.” The lyrics to “With You” are sung in English from start to finish, while others feature Korean. Other artists in SM Entertainment have released songs that were previously live-only, so fans can hope for a studio release of these tracks soon.

Taeyong and Ten also performed “Baby Don’t Stop,” which was released back in 2018, and Taeyong was happy that it proved to be a crowd favorite. Taemin’s solo performance of “Danger” was also a surprise as it was first released back in 2014 and he has since released new solo music. The mix of unreleased tracks and older classic tracks made SuperM’s show truly unforgettable and unique.

Solo performances for each member

Each SuperM member had a chance to shine as a solo star. Taemin was the first to showcase his songs, “Danger” and “Goodbye,” followed by Taeyong hyping up the crowd with the unreleased track “GTA,” which stands for Grand Trouble Artist. Ten performed “Dream in a Dream” and “New Heroes,” showcasing incredible choreography. Lucas brought unique energy to the stage with the unreleased all-English track “Bass Go Boom.” Baekhyun then performed two tracks from his R&B EP “City Lights,” “Betcha” and “UN Village.” Mark, the native English speaker who, at 20, is also the youngest member, performed “Talk About,” and Kai was the last to perform solo with “Confession.” Kai’s steamy solo turn elicited cheers with his every move, but all of the solo performances demonstrated a dynamic talent while showcasing individuality.

Lee Soo-man’s appearance

When the members thanked staff members and the audience at the end of the show, LCD screens lit up with SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man waving his SuperM light stick, cheering the members on and congratulating them on a great show. Fans love to see him interact with his artists and many jokes were made about asking him to release some unreleased tracks.

Jopping

SuperM capped off the night with lead single “Jopping,” the tune that drove the group to the top of the album chart in October. Fan chants echoed throughout the arena and the audience was screaming along with Mark’s rap verse in the song, making it a highlight for sure. It was the perfect track to close out the show and everyone left the venue with high energy.

SuperM promised to return to LA and it looks like there is a lot more to look forward to from Baekhyun, Taemin, Kai, Taeyong, Ten, Lucas, and Mark in 2020.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.