By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Superstar Beyonce once again proved she's currently one of the best stage performers in the world, as she hit Seoul, Tuesday, for the first of two concerts.
Whether she was dancing with a fiery attitude or singing soulfully on stage, she captivated the crowd from start to finish.
Never mind if the show started 30 minutes later than the 8:30 p.m. start time, the crowd roared with approval as the lights dimmed and Beyonce appeared on stage, looking like a golden goddess in a sexy costume.
The pop icon started the "Beyonce I AM" concert brimming with high energy as she performed "Deja vu/ Crazy in Love."
"Welcome, Seoul, Korea! Are you ready to dance," she asked, as the crowd responded with deafening screams. She showed her seductive Sasha Fierce side with strong and sexy dance moves with "Naughty Girl," "Freakum Dress" and "Get Me Bodied."
The concert transitioned to a much slower pace, when the Texan native, who was wearing a white leotard and cape, performed the ballad "Smash Into You."
For "Ave Maria," she donned a stiff white skirt and veil, making her look like an angelic bride. In the middle of the song, she switched to Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" and Schubert's classical version of "Ave Maria."
Beyonce once again changed costumes, this time wearing a tough-looking black leather outfit for "If I Were a Boy," which included lyrics from Alanis Morrisette's "You Oughta Know."
Fans were treated to home video clips of a five-year-old Beyonce singing and dancing for her family during "Radio." Her old clips were shown on the screen side-by-side with live images at the concert.
Then, she appeared on a small stage in the middle of the concert hall, delighting fans in the standing section. She cajoled the crowd into singing "Irreplaceable," and also performed a medley of Destiny's Child hits, "Bootylicous," "Bug A Boo" and "Jumpin Jumpin." No matter how complicated or strenuous the dance moves seemed, she always made it look effortless.
One lucky male fan got the chance of a lifetime, when Beyonce approached him and asked for his name. The fan looked obviously thrilled at the fact that the singer had just said his name.
Once again changing into a body-hugging sparkling gown, she reappeared to sing the Etta James classic "At Last," followed by another crowd favorite, "Listen."
For the finale, the crowd was treated to a montage of YouTube clips of people dancing to the monster hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." Then the 28-year-old, wearing a beaded black leotard, recreated the iconic dance choreography she made famous in the music video as the crowd screamed.
The concert stage was simple, with a glass mini-stage for the all-female band, stairs and a LED screen that showed impressive visual effects and videos. But it was renowned designer Thierry Mugler's glamorous costumes that showed off Beyonce's hourglass figure and long legs, which certainly caught everyone's attention.
For the encore, she dedicated "Halo" to the late pop icon Michael Jackson, who she had always admired.
By the end of the show, Beyonce graciously thanked her Korean fans. "Thanks for being a beautiful audience tonight. It's been so much fun. Every time I go on tour, I always look forward to being in Korea. Thank you," she said, flashing a brilliant smile.