Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Charlie Puth excites sold-out Seoul crowd
U.S. singer Charlie Puth performs during his “Voicenotes Tour” concert at Jamsil Arena in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Live Nation Korea
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth brought his sold-out “Voicenotes Tour” to Jamsil Arena in southern Seoul on Nov. 7 and 8, drawing more than 17,000 fans over two nights. Nearly 2,000 fans attended his one-day concert in Korea two years ago.
“It's an absolute pleasure to be here. If you told me two years ago when I came here, doing promo for hours and appearing on radio talks, that I'd be performing with BTS and selling out two-night concerts, I wouldn't have believed you. I feel so lucky,” Puth told fans during the gig, Wednesday.
Because this tour is devoted to his sophomore album “Voicenotes,” the singer-songwriter, 26, sang all but two tracks from it. But he also included a few older favorites, including “We Don't Talk Anymore,” “Marvin Gaye,” “Suffer” and “One Call Away.”
Puth's vocals were solid throughout the show, from the show-opening “The Way I Am” to an encore of “See You Again.”While performing one song after another _ “How Long,” “LA Girls,” Change” “We Don't Talk Anymore” and “BOY” _ Puth's impressive vocals were complemented with short commentary.
The singer-songwriter mostly shared when and where he wrote the songs, but also shared an episode in Seoul, which he found interesting. Before Puth sang “Marvin Gaye,” he said, “I have big windows at my hotel, so I was looking out the road. I noticed there are only white, black and grey cars here.” His handful of hits all featured enormous sing-a-longs.
U.S. singer Charlie Puth performs during his “Voicenotes Tour” concert at Jamsil Arena in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Live Nation Korea
A talented piano man, Puth carried a keyboard on stage with him. Along with jamming on his keytar for his own songs with his band, Puth gave his keyboard rendition of “Can't Help Falling in Love” by Frank Sinatra.
By the end of the show as he sang “Done for Me,” Puth took his shirt off to excite the crowd. His fans, especially those standing close to the stage, gave a rapturous reception.
The singer beamed with delight when the massive screens showed the audience putting on their lights, holding up his photos and fan signs. When a person from the standing crowd threw him a Pickachu hat near the end of the show, Puth bent down, picked the hat up and wore it to amuse his fans.
Puth left the stage after performing “BOY,” but wild applause and shouts beckoned the star back for one more song. “See You Again.” Puth said, thanking the audience for being there, “Thank you for the amazing energy. It was one of my favorite times in the tour.”
One fan, who said only that her surname was Ahn, said, “I missed hearing Charlie Puth's 'Up All Night' during the concert, but the show was a good time regardless. I heard Charlie's past live performances have been inconsistent, but tonight was absolutely amazing.”