What's Happening in Indonesia: Xia Junsu's 1st Asia Tour Concert, Jakarta, June 16, 2012 (Live Raving)

The news about Xia Junsu would start his 1st Asia Tour Concert and have Indonesia as one of the stops was reached my ears first before I had listened to his 1st full length solo album. At that time attending his concert was in my list of considerated concerts. I like Get Out, but In Heaven album is just so so, and Ayy Girl is..... *rolling eyes*, not to forget its crapcastic MV. But just try to ask people around about JYJ/DBSK members as a performer, their answer will be range from good to great performer. For that last thing only, enough to include Junsu’s concert into the list.

Then I got the chance to listen the whole Tarantallegra, Xia Junsu’s first solo album, and suddenly the concert was no longer in the list. I’m nearly broke right now from how many concerts I have attended in this year. And to be honest Tarantalegra album is mediocre at best. It is not because the auto tune and “why up beat songs, they waste Junsu’s voice” is not even in consideration, dude listen first before make comment. Tarantalegra album is consisted More ballad songs than upbeat songs. No voice is being wasted here. And agree JYJ are better in producing ballad than producing up beat full of auto tune songs. Simply said I’m not a fan of their upbeat songs. It is just something lack in that album. I tried to give it more listen as preparation to go to concert, I just couldn’t bring myself. Boohwal’s Purple Wave is on repeat in my current playlist. See there must be some reasons for that right? More over Junsu’s voice is good, no doubt about it. But my favorite voice among JYJ (DBSK)  member belongs to Micky. Don’t ask why :D That raspy voice comes from his throat just sexy. Rawr.  So I dropped the concert from my list.

Like out from no K pop universe, came Tarantallegra MV. Wow. I LIKE that MV. Not to put less respect to people who have so much brevity to choose to be open about they being gay, that MV will shut up any comment about a boy with guyliner, pink lips, and skinny jeans is a gay if that ever becomes a reason for someone avoiding certain kind of music. Man find better reason, be open minded won’t hurt. That is what I called androgyny, artistically androgyny. Androgyny boys earn a soft spot in me, Asian to the core, for always giving away some mysterious vibe. I like K pop for its Korean-ness, I will never require my pretty boys to be more “western” just to suit anybody’s music taste. Use guyliner as they like, wear skinny jeans as they want, appear with colorful outfit like a rainbow when they feel like to, I still like them as ever.  No need to be drastically changed, and try to be more “manly”, because I believe many fans out there are just like me, fall in love with the boy with guyliner. Just do a bit of tweak, give these boys more personality and ehm originality, while keep them “flowery”. It will give them better chance to win “western” audience that those K idol companies dream about. Tarantallegra MV has just served Junsu its best showing everything the best from him. The dance is so slick.That MV were all things behind, here I wrote about the awesomeness of Xia Junsu  1st solo concert in Indonesia is. Because without it, I would not be able to, since I probably didn’t go to the concert. Never under estimate the power of MV *look to one of K pop idol companies*. I was hooked by Tarantalegra MV, I went to the concert, and viola I knew I would miss a big thing if I ever missed it. Saved by the MV!

The concert

The concert was held on Saturday, June 16, 2012 in Jitec Mangga Dua Square, Jakarta. With capacity around 6500 people (?), it was filled around 90-95% from its capacity based on my calculation. It is such a loss for fans who didn’t get to watch the concert. The audience, itself, was more homogeneous than the last Super Junior concert that I felt like a family outing. The audience was mostly teenage girls, as expected. As far as I could see, a group of audience consists of dad, mom, and toddlers had yet to be seen.

The concert was schedule starting on 19.00 Indonesia western times. I would let pass a concert that started 10-15 minutes late. I would try to tolerate a concert that started 30 minutes late. But if a concert that was late almost 2 hours from schedule: Junsu-yah did you leave your watch in Korea and didn’t know whether Jakarta is 2 hours ahead or 2 hours behind from Seoul? *nagging* At 20:40 the concert finally kicked out. Junsu was suddenly there on stage after the light went off for seconds. Kh lack of grand entrance effect.

The concert was warming up on me. It began with Junsu’s songs those are more popular like Intoxication. Yes “Taste and Touch me, baby. Let me feel your naughtiness” :D Rather than grouping the songs to ballad and up tempo song. He went back and forth from ballad and up tempo songs. It worked well honestly. But then it didn’t matter anymore, I sang along when the ballad songs played and danced, jumped up and down following the upbeat tempo. 

Then it came about the interactive part of the concert. Accompanied by interpreter, Junsu had initiative to grant three requests from audience. At first the audience shouted off “JYJ, JYJ, JYJ, JYJ”. Junsu looked like a bit annoyed. Tee hee whatelsedoowedoo. JYJ still owe us a concert in Jakarta that failed to realize last year. I think his reaction is because he wants to be well-established solo artist in future, recedes slowly from his image as a member of an idol group, since it will give him more prolong career. Hey, who prints: “Xia Junsu, member of JYJ” on his 1^st solo concert ticket and on a huge billboard advertising his concert.  Just sayin’. 

So the request were cut from three to two. Aish. First one was Junsu did a cutesy expression. Boy, that was just strike potent! After watching him that sang Intoxication trying to seduce me, his cutesy expression followed by innocent shy look, my mind couldn’t comprehend. Next was second request, I didn’t know from which part of audience the request came from. For awhile the interpreter leaning his head toward Junsu, whispering. Junsu seemed not hearing clearly what the interpreter was saying, and he went saying: “Sex dance??” wrinkled on his forehead. LMAO, I was laughing, rocking my belly. So he showed us the Tarantallegra dance. Kh. But but but I swear I clearly heard it was SEX dance that you said, not sexY dance. *disappointed look* :D

Next part was he played out songs from his musical Elizabeth and Mozart. Wow. If I visit Korea someday beside going to Hongdae for watching indie bands do their gig, the next thing I want to do is…. Stalking SM dormitory? Hell no. Staying all day long on Music Bank studio and wishing a chance to meet idol boys in and out the building? Just no. Going to a musical? Yes, yes, yes! Though it gives me shiver just imagining the ticket price. I might not understand the lyric, but Junsu’s voice was just overflowing with emotion. That was enough for me to send him my loudest applause. Great performer he is. Who need lyric translation showed on big background screen if that only make sad ballad song sounds silly? When his sincere emotion wrapped voice alone is enough.

The concert was near its end. I thought he would close his concert with the title song from his album, Tarantallegra but he didn’t. He chose to send us off with ehmm ehmm some ballad songs. I recognized the melody, in fact I sang along with him. I didn’t know the titles. Sorry the album was new and like I said before I didn’t feel the urge to listen to it over and over again even when the concert date was approaching.  But don’t worry he is a good singer, the emotion in his voice was palpable. I couldn’t help feel sad along with him. Boo why just an hour and a half, it was not enough. The energy transfer of the concert was good at the end, instead of being tired after all the jumping, dancing, and shouting , I felt more alert and full of energy like somebody had been charging me with more power. So there I was with adrenaline surge in my head shouting “encore, tto hanbeonman, encore, tto hanbeonman, encore, hanbeonman, chincarooo”, jumping, and waving my red light stick. He he he. Dorawa yeppeun neol….Gomawoyo, gomapseumida nan *standing ovation*

The conclusion

Goodness. I really enjoyed the concert. I was so carried that I lost count how many songs he has been singing. He sang all songs from his solo album (10 songs), he sang songs from his musicals (around 3-4 songs? The interlude between the songs were not too clear, and I haven’t heard the song before), he sang one SKKS OST (Too Love), he sang one Scent of Woman OST (You’re So Beautiful), he sang Mission and Fallen Leaves from In Heaven album. So it was around 17 songs less or more (?). There was a dancing performance from Junsu back up dancers with Be My Girl song. Ahh those mob moves! I wish he did some modification to some of the songs so it will be felt more live, though not like it has not already been.

The venue might be smaller, the stage might be less sophisticated, definitely less crowd, and of course less crazy fans (Elf is just sheer CRAZY period), and it started almost two hours late from the schedule, but I felt way more satisfaction from this concert compared to the last idol concert I have attended.  Hah you know what concert I’ve been talking about. It was just felt more “live”. I never thought I would ever feel this satisfied toward an Idol concerts for the lack of their live-ness. Junsu proved me wrong. When the live version of the song is felt much more fun than their studio version, you know you have a great performer. When you can hear your artist’ breath in between the lines during concert, you know the concert you attend is worth a price.

And I more and more don’t understand with all blocking actions toward JYJ members activities. It looks way more irrational now. I mean speaking about authorized parties who have proved themselves that they can do such actions, if they want to. JYJ boys are good performer and artist since they make their own music. But they just waste them away instead of supporting them. If they want to make K idol music, the icon of K pop music, more appealing to people whose music tendency leaning away from idol’s music, they at least can start looking up to JYJ model, despite shut it off. I can say that because Junsu ‘s concert can be entertaining even if the audience is not under K pop fandom. They should see the bigger goal ahead: “Spreading Hallyu Wave” to larger population. Tsk.  Not doing petty actions blocking some idol boys’ activities those only puts hinderer to the achievement of a bigger goal. Am I right? And you, JYJ blockers, just stop your childish acts, grow up and grow some balls.

시아 준수: Set Me Free
Xia Junsu : Set Me Free

Oh! Set me free set me free free
미련도 타버린 슬픔의
Miryeondo thabeorin seulpheume love song
불안의 벗겨진 절망의 Love song
Burane beotgyejin jeolmange Love song
시련의 시작인 아픔의 연속
Siryeone sijakan apheume yeonseok
이리봐도 저리 봐도
Iribwado jeoribwado
내 가슴만 찢어져 가
Nae gaseuman jjijeojyeo ga

Take take take it on
Make make make it on
피할 수 없는걸
Phihalsu eoneun geol
내 내 내가 널 왜 왜 왜 이리도
Nae nae nae ga neol whae whae whae irido
휘둘려 사는거야
Hwidullyeo saneun geoya

니가 하고 싶은 대로해
Niga hago sipheun daero hae
화도 내고울어봐
Hwado naego ureobwa
시련도 미련도 나따위 없잖아
Siryeondo miryeondo nattawi eopjana
더이상 나에게강요따윈 집어쳐
Deoisang naege gangyottawon jibeochyeo
함께한 추억들 까짓 다 버릴거야
Hamkkehan chueodeul kkajit da beorilgeoya
Oh! Set me free set me free free Oh!
Set me free set me free free

So many time난 언제나 잃었어
So many time nan eonjena ireosseo
또 meaning of love 넌 언제나 버렸어
Tto meaning of love neon eonjena beoryeosseo

I get so serious, guess i’m just a curious
잠시 나 시간을 넘어서 giddy-up 들리는 소문이 사실이건
Jamsi na siganeul neomeoseo giddy-up deullineun somuni sasirigeon
맘대로 헛소문 퍼트리던
Mamdaero heotsomun pheotheurideon
네 맘만 남고 내 맘은 탔으니
Ne mamman namgo nae mameun thasseuni
사소한 일까지 전부 내 탓이니 전부 내 탓을 해
Sasohan ilkkaji jeonbu nae thasini jeonbu nae thaseul hae
Take it away now

Fake fake fake it oh
왜 왜 또 부족해
Whae whae tto bujokhae
끝없는 욕심은
Kkeuteopneun yoksimeun

Oh yeah kill kill kill me
이젠 날 조여오는
Ijen nal joyeoeoneun
지독한 칼날 같아
Jidokhan khalnal gatha

니가 하고 싶은 대로 해
Niga hago sipheun daero hae
화도 내고 울어봐
Hwado naego ureobwa
시련도 미련도 나따위 없잖아
Siryeondo mireyondo nattawi eopjana
더이상 나에게 강요따윈 집어쳐
Deoisang naege gangyottawon jibeochyeo
함께한 추억들 까짓 다 버릴거야
Hamkkehan chueokdeul kkajit da beorilgeoya
Oh! Set me free set me free free Oh!
Set me free set me free free

Oh baby baby baby이젠 날 놓아줘
Oh baby baby baby ijen nal noajwo
그 욕망의 그늘에서 (이젠 나를 보내줘
Geu yokmangui geu neureseo (ijen nareul bonaejwo)
Oh lady lady lady 짓밟아 주겠어
Oh lady lady lady jitbalba jugesseo
함께 했던 기억도 (깨끗이 날 지워줘)
Hamkkehaetdeon gieokdo (Kkaekkeusi nal jiwojwo)
남김없이 지울께
Nam gimeopsi jiulkke

니가 하고 싶은대로 해
Niga hago sipheun daero hae
화도 내고 울어봐
Hwado naego ureobwa
시련도 미련도 나따위 없잖아
Siryeondo miryeondo nattawi eopjana
더이상 나에게 강요따윈 집어쳐
Deoisang naege gangyottawon jibeochyeo
함께한 추억들까짓 다 버릴 거야
Hamkkehan chueokdeul kkajit da beoril geoya
Oh! Set me free set me free free (X2) Bye!
Oh! Set me free Set me free free Bye!

PS:

Jeez Indonesia fans can you be cleaner? Your habit throwing garbage everywhere as you like irks me so much. Concert venue ain’t junk yard, put some shame on yourself.

And how could you still take pictures and videos when Junsu gave you “Fever”, sent you under “Taratallegra” and took your “Breath” away? Didn’t you feel intoxicated? I would rather dance my butt off. Dolpin Dance!

EO thanks for let us bring our cameras inside the concert hall, but then you did swapping us up. Boo I take my thank back :P

JYJ come to Indonesia!! It will be amazing to see three of you singing in front of my eyes. Though be together five will be more mind blowing but if that means put you three back into the “box”, I oppose “keep the faith”. 


Thanks To:
CJESJYJ,  KpopCzechForum for videos