Infinite exceeds fans' hopes in 'Comeback Again' concert

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Infinite exceeds fans' hopes in 'Comeback Again' concert

Published: 21 Aug. 2023, 16:15

CHO YONG-JUN
cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr

YIM SEUNG-HYE
yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

Fans had high expectations as Infinite held its first concert in seven years, with the boy band managing to fully fulfill and exceed its fans' long-awaited anticipation with its 2023 concert “Comeback Again," held over the weekend.

The Olympic Park in Songpa District, southern Seoul, started filling with excited Infinite fans from all around Asia hours before the concert began at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The fans, also known by the fandom name Inspirit, were busy taking photos, queuing up for freebies and some, the chance to buy a ticket on-site after failing to purchase one online.

“I’m here for the concert but unfortunately didn’t get a ticket today,” said Fitri, who traveled from Indonesia to see the boy band’s concert but was unable to grab a ticket due to the high demand.

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

Tickets for “Comeback Again” held at the KSPO Dome, one of the largest indoor music-performance-oriented stadiums in Korea, sold out merely hours after ticket sales began back in July. While leftover tickets were sold on-site, Fitri, who queued for more than three hours, was unable to grab one.

A lot of the fans at the venue, including Fitri, were long-time fans and while they may all have different favorite members, they had high hopes for the concert.

“I can’t pick a specific stage I want to see because I’m looking forward to all of them,” Park Hye-ri, a 24-year-old Infinite fan who started following the boy band as a fifth grader.

Other fans also said that it was hard to pick a favorite song or stage among the many hit songs released by the boy band over the past years.

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

Infinite, which debuted back in 2010, is a six-member boy band that dominated the fierce competition among the 2.5 generation of K-pop boy bands alongside SHINee, Teen Top, B2ST and more. Some of the boy band's hits include “Be Mine” (2011), “The Chaser” (2012) and “Bad” (2016), all of which were performed at Saturday’s concert.

Since holding its last concert in 2017, Infinite decreased its group activities as members focused on their individual careers and completed their mandatory military service. Its’ seventh EP “13egin” dropped in July and the concert tour marks Infinite’s new chapter.

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

As the concert opened with Infinite’s debut track “Come Back Again” (2010) and early hit tracks “The Chaser” and “BTD” (2013), the members of the boy band greeted fans with its catchphrase, “Hello, we are Infinite,” to which some 10,000 fans responded with “Hello, we are Inspirit,” just like seven years ago.

“It’s been such a long time,” Jang Dong-woo, the boy band’s dancer and rapper, said as he held back his tears.

“We began the concert by promising each other not to tear up, but I could barely start our first song because I was already tearing up. I’m sorry to have made you guys wait for so long,” Jang said with emotion.

“My hands are still shaky,” leader and lead vocalist Kim Sung-kyu said.

“We were so used to group performances back then, yet it feels so welcoming and fresh as we are performing together after such a long time,” he added.

Kim, as the leader of the band, was undoubtedly the centerpiece of Infinite’s “Comeback Again” as he is responsible for the founding of Infinite Company which is in charge of the band’s group activities and bringing the naming rights to Infinite from its original agency, Woollim Entertainment.

“We matched the concert’s name with our debut track, as this is an emotional moment where we are starting our concert again,” Kim explained.

Infinite and its fans filled the stadium for 3-plus hours, with the boy band performing a total of 25 tracks spanning the band’s 13-year-long discography, backed by live band instrumentals. Some of the notable performances included the rock-arranged stages of “Bad,” “Last Romeo” (2015) and “I Hate” (2018).

“We’ve rearranged some of our songs to make it more special for you, our fans,” Kim said.

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

“You might never see the ‘Rock Version’ of these songs in the near future,” member Nam Woo-hyun added.

The band also performed “New Emotions” and “Time Difference” from its latest album, performing “Time Difference” live for the first time.

“We had way too many songs to choose from,” Jang said. “From the 100-or-so tracks, we voted for and handpicked these songs. We didn't just pick the popular tracks but also the ones that our fans wanted to hear.”

Following the two-day Seoul concert, the tour will head to Japan on Aug. 27, Taiwan on Sept. 2 and 3 and Macau on Sept. 9.

“We are going to leave you for a bit after the Seoul concert,” Nam said.

“It’s not a farewell, let’s call it a business trip. Isn’t it cool to see Infinite working so hard?” he said with a laugh.

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

“When we took a break from our group activities, many — at least some — people were saying realistically Infinite wouldn't be able to come back,” Kim said, as the concert came to an end with the band performing the befitting tracks “As Good As It Gets” (2013) and “Begin Again” (2019).

“I want our concert to tell those people loud and clear. Over the last five years, we never told our fans that we disbanded or anything like that, and I’m just happy to have our concert today prove that point.”

To find out more about Infinite, visit Celeb Confirmed!

Boy band Infinite held its ″Comeback Again″ concert on Saturday and Sunday at the KSPO Dome, Songpa District, southern Seoul. It was the boy band's first concert in seven years [INFINITE COMPANY]

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]