Tension in the aftermath of martial law still lingered in the air on Wednesday night as the crowd gathered for pop star Dua Lipa's Seoul concert as part of her "Radical Optimism Tour."

As soon as the artist stepped on stage, however, the tension faded away. "I'm so happy to be here dancing and singing with you," the pop sensation told the crowd, with some 20,000 people gathered at western Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome for the first of two concerts set for Wednesday and Thursday. Lipa's two Korean shows are her first Korean live performances in six years, the last being in 2018.


"It's been a while since I've been here, but tonight, we are going to have a party," Lipa said, bringing the audience to a thunderous cheer.

Uncertainty over whether the artist would be able to hold her Korean shows continued all the way up until the moment the concert started on Wednesday at 8 p.m. The country was still recovering from President Yoon Suk Yeol's emergency martial law declaration, which was made late Tuesday evening to eradicate "antistate forces." It was lifted only six hours later but aroused a sense of fear from the public that hasn't been felt in recent years.

Lipa said the night would be a “party,” filled with “dancing and fun,” in an email interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily held before the concert.

A party she promised, and a party she delivered.

Just minutes before the show began, an electronic voice instructed fans to wave their hands in the air. The atmosphere grew even more electric as the lights dimmed and another voice said, “We are gonna have a party.” With that, the first notes of the opening song played, and the stage exploded with life as Lipa appeared in a sleek black outfit, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

The pop sensation kicked off the concert with “Training Season,” a dance-friendly track from her latest album, “Radical Optimism," released on May 3.

Pulling off a live performance with even more power than her studio recordings, Lipa dominated the stage with her breathtaking vocals complemented by the top-notch sounds of her live band. She also performed her iconic dance moves without a single hiccup.

Of the 20 songs on her set list for the night, Lipa pulled eight from "Radical Optimism," including “End of an Era,” “These Walls,” “Illusion,” “Watcha Doing,” “Anything for Love” and “Houdini."

The live rendition of “These Walls” was an emotional masterpiece. Lipa's live band, with its soulful backing vocals, accentuated the piano melody and deep bass line, creating a symphonic experience. Lipa changed into a country-inspired look and further highlighted her vocal depth, leaving the audience captivated.

Midway through the concert, Lipa expressed her gratitude to the Korean fans. “It’s been a while since I was here in 2018,” she said. “Thank you for your patience, support and love. I wish I could have come for my last world tour.”

Lipa first performed in Korea at the 2017 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, followed by a solo concert in 2018 for an intimate crowd of 2,000.

The singer’s interactions with fans their met peak when she sang “New Rules” (2017), the breakout hit that skyrocketed Lipa to global fame. She playfully instructed the audience to “get low, get down,” before commanding them to jump as the song’s climax hit, turning the arena into a dance floor.

Despite being held after one of the most intense moments in Korean history, Lipa's music helped the audience — even if only for a moment — forget about the tension they had been feeling over the past 24 hours.

“Nothing else matters,” Lipa told the crowd. “Tonight, it’s just me and you — us.”

To balance her high-energy performances, Lipa slowed things down with tracks that highlighted her vocal range, including “Anything for You” and “Happy for You.” Despite performing over 15 songs without a break, her voice only grew stronger, effortlessly filling the venue.

Nearing the end of the night, Lipa encouraged her fans to dance one last time, performing "Physical" (2020), "Dance the Night" (2023) from the movie "Barbie" (2023). She concluded with "Houdini."

Born in 1995, the English and Albanian singer started out with YouTube covers. In 2017, she debuted with her first album "Dua Lipa," and the singer shot to stardom with blockbuster hit "New Rules." She made a name for herself with dance-friendly and catchy tracks, winning seven Brit Awards and three Grammy Awards. Earlier this year, she headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, alongside Coldplay.

Thursday marks the final night of the Korean leg of her tour, which also concludes the Asian leg, which featured stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand. The world tour, which began on June 5 in Berlin, will resume next year, covering Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America before concluding in October.

A special merchandise pop-up store for fans as part of promotions for the “Radical Optimism Tour” opened on Nov. 30 in eastern Seoul’s trendy Seongsu-dong neighborhood, offering fans a chance to buy exclusive merchandise, albums and accessories. The store will be open until Saturday.

To find out more about Dua Lipa, visit Celeb Confirmed!


BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]