I simply love travelling to Vietnam and having it in Hanoi, is certainly the icing on the cake for me. This is my first experience going to a K-pop concert in Vietnam and I am super impressed !!! I’m so glad to see that the audience is mainly Vietnamese, which indirectly implies that everyone had a fair chance of obtaining the tickets (unlike Malaysia, where the crowd consists of only 20% Malaysians and the rest are Mainland Chinese !!!) . The ticket redemption flow is pretty hi-tech, in addition to orderly queue system at the merchandise booths. When collecting the wrist band before the concert, each ticket holder must have their photo taken on the spot. Entry to the venue is strictly via facial recognition. Although this might not entirely quashed tickets scalping, it does made it harder for scalpers to sell the tickets. Hats off to the Vietnamese organize (8Wonder). I was also skeptical about the vast venue but my worries were quickly put to rest. I had a decent view of the stage and another thing worth mentioning is the organizer (8Wonder) actually build the tiered seats and stage from scratch. The venue is capable of hosting 60,000 fans and GD’s two night sold out performance accommodated more than 100K attendees !! The local fans are extremely enthusiastic and it greatly elevated the concert vibes – everyone was so pumped during the whole 2.5 hours duration. The local fan club also had a fan project at Vincom mall, whereby fans had the opportunity take photos at several makeshift GD photo booths. So much fun ! It looks like a huge party seeing scores of fans dressed-up like GD or holding the much-coveted Daisy Bong.
As for GD, his comeback is astonishing. If I had to compare with his last concert titled ‘Act III: M.O.T.T.E,’ (before he enlisted in the mandatory army service), it really pales in comparison with “Übermensch”. After a 7 year break, he came back stronger and really cemented his status as the king of pop. I am not exaggerating when I say everyone wants a piece of him. His fan base seems to have gotten younger and younger, proving that his charisma appeals to all generation. Prior to the concert, GD’s heart-warming message dedicated to the Vietnames appeared on the LED screen. GD wished everyone safety and good health for those affected by the tropical storm and flood. The show began with the dynamic opening track “Power”, with GD donning a crown and in a striking red jacket adorned with 99 red roses. When GD belted the crowd favourite, “Home Sweet Home”, I was both excited and “nervous” coz the seats were shaking soooooo violently coz every fans were singing and rocking in unison ! Vietnamese fans are one of the best I have seen – so stoked and you couldn’t help but be absorbed by their energy. GD delivered a truly immaculate performance. Frankly, GD may not have powerful vocal like Taeyang but he is definitely a phenomenal performer, fashion icon and a gifted composer. Fans were treated to a visual feast that incorporated A.I. and real time visuals, drones and fireworks during the finale. After “Home Sweet Home”, he continues to command the stage with a succession of his past hit songs such as “Crooked”, “Crayon” and “Heartbreaker” …eliciting deafening roars and karaoke sing along from the appreciate crowd. G-Drgaon also attempted beatboxing during “Too Bad” and the iconic zombie-like dance movement with Kwon Twins when performing “Too Bad”. GD also used a custom daisy decorated carriage to move around the concert venue to interact with the audience and some lucky audience even caught the freebies distributed during this segment. Seated on a silver GD Ubermensch throne, GD enthralled the audience with his sentimental persona by singing “Bonamana” and “Butterfly”. The crowd went wild again when GD talked about the highly anticipated Big Bang reunion concert, which I am pretty sure Hanoi will be on the list coz I could really feel GD’s fervent love for Vietnam. In the past, I used to have the impression that GD is better in upbeat tracks but lately, I changed my mind. His recent balad, the raw and brooding “Drama” really stirs my emotions. He ended the night with “Untitled, 2014”, followed by a remarkable display of fireworks, played to the tune of “Home Sweet Home” as credits roll. Yes, the King is back !!! Can’t wait for Big Bang’s 20th Anniversary !
GD
concert rundown:-
Power
Home Sweet Home
Super Star
MichiGO
One of A kind
Crayon
Bonamana
Butterfly
I love it
Who You?
Today
Crooked
Heartbreaker
Bullshit X Not Like Us
Take Me
Too Bad
Drama
Encore
I belong2u
Untitled 2014
