HIGHLIGHT celebrates their 15th anniversary with a live report from their first Japan tour in 1 year and 9 months, where the past and present intersect

HIGHLIGHT LIVE 2024(LIGHTS GO ON, AGAIN) in JAPAN

©️Around US ENTERTAINMENT

K-pop group HIGHLIGHT, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, held their Asia tour Japan leg, “HIGHLIGHT LIVE 2024 (LIGHTS GO ON, AGAIN) in JAPAN,” at Zepp Haneda in Tokyo for two days on July 19th and 20th. This performance was their first in about 1 year and 9 months since their last live performance in Japan, and this article will report on the first day, July 19th.

When the lights went out at the start of the show, cheers rose from the many LIGHTs (fans’ name) who had been waiting for this moment. As the opening VCR of the four members gathered under one light built up anticipation, the venue suddenly changed and red and blue lights and lasers flew around, and a heartbeat-like beat rang out as the four members appeared from behind the LEDs on the bright red stage. Dressed in monochrome classical costumes, they started the main part of the show with a heavy start to “Switch On”. They continued without a pause into “PRIVACY”, and the dance break of “PAPER CUT” drew cheers that sounded like screams.

After finishing the three songs, they greeted in Japanese, “Hello! We are HIGHLIGHT!”, and the audience responded with loud cheers. “Everyone is so pretty right now!” (Lee Gi-kwang) and “I’ve decided not to use Korean today!” (Son Dong-woon) greeted in their own way, and then Yoon Doo-joon called out, “Shall we go to the next song?” and they moved on to “Feel Your Love” and “Give You My All”. It was an exhilarating performance, as if the season was changing from spring to summer, and silver streamers flew, raising the tension in the venue. “Everyone together!” started the song “CALLING YOU”, and the audience sang “CALLING YOU” in unison, and the four of them made hearts with LIGHT from the stage and exchanged glances, enjoying the closeness that can only be achieved at a venue like Zepp.

In the following MC, LIGHT asked, “What should you do in your free time in Japan?” and asked for ideas. When Gikwang promised, “Let’s all go to SHIBUYA SKY together!”, he threw autographed balls into the audience during “Plz Don’t Be Sad”, heating up the venue even more. Then, as the stylish beat of their latest song “BODY” rang out, the four of them performed enthusiastically in response to LIGHT’s perfect sing-along and calls, creating the greatest sense of unity so far.

A VCR was shown, which seemed to represent the feelings of the fans who had been watching their activities, and the audience watched quietly as the familiar intro was heard and “Bad Girl” began! It was the very song that started their 15-year journey, BEAST’s debut song. Their appearance when they appeared in white outfits from top to bottom was also linked to their appearance at the time. The LIGHTs in the venue also instantly returned to BEAUTY (the name for BEAST fans) and responded with a perfectly synchronized shout. As the excitement in the venue continued with BEAST’s representative songs “Shock (Japanese Ver.)” and “Special”, the venue was filled with cheers when Doojun called out “So BEAST! Hello, we are BEAST!” (in Korean). It was a moment when we realized that the agreement to use the trademark rights of “BEAST” with their former agency had been concluded, as reported the other day. “Thank you so much for being with us as BEAST and HIGHLIGHT for so long,” Dongwoon said. As a sign of gratitude to the fans, the MC shared tips on how to survive the summer. The mood changed completely, and the group performed “Shadow,” Yang Yoseop’s emotional vocal solo led to “Good Luck,” and then the overwhelming performance of “Breath” captivated the audience. Yoseop looked back on the BEAST song section so far, saying, “While singing, my memory of my activities in Japan came to mind. So many different feelings came to mind.” The four members switched to stand microphones and delivered “On a Rainy Day (비가 오는 날엔 (JPN ver.))” and “Ribbon” to the audience with expressive and expansive vocals, followed by an emotional performance of “Fiction (JPN ver.),” a ballad arrangement with impressive strings. Every song performed by BEAST on this day had evolved into an expression that only they could express after 15 years of walking this path. There, I strongly felt that “BEAST” is not a thing of the past, but something that will continue to live on with them forever.

After the VCR, the four of them appeared in denim outfits, illuminated by orange lights from behind the LEDs as if bathed in the setting sun. From here, they went back to HIGHLIGHT’s songs. The audience swayed to the comfortable beat of “불어온다 (NOT THE END)”, and the sight of confetti flying was full of euphoria. The performance was coming to an end. “Thank you so much for coming out on such a hot day and making the venue shine. If you continue to support us like this, HIGHLIGHT will be able to keep singing forever” (Yoseop). “It’s been a while since we’ve been to Zepp, and I wasn’t used to this distance at the opening, but I’m getting used to it. Are you all okay with your knees and hips?” Gi Kwang was concerned about the standing area. “Only Japanese LIGHT flashes their light sticks during “On a Rainy Day”, so when I saw that scene for the first time in a while, I remembered, ‘Ah! This is it!’ I felt that Japanese LIGHT members were by my side” (Dongwoon). Doojoon said, “I’m sorry we can’t meet up more often. (In Japanese) It’s almost over. My heart aches… I’m lonely!”, exuding loneliness as the group gave their final farewell, and then they moved on to “In My Head”. As if to cherish the little time they had left, the four of them communicated with LIGHT by smiling gently at every corner of the venue and waving their hands, and the main part of the show ended with the venue being united in applause for “Don’t Leave”. The four of them left the stage waving their hands and saying, “Thank you very much!”

The four members appeared on stage for the encore, wearing tour T-shirts, denim pants, and cute fluffy hats, and performed BEAST songs “Beautiful” and “VIU (Very Important You)”. As colored tape flew around, the four members and the audience sang and jumped together, enjoying the moment with their whole bodies and reaching a grand finale. But then, in response to the never-ending calls for an encore, the four members appeared on stage again, and performed “How to Love” from HIGHLIGHT’s latest mini-album, followed by “How to Love” from BEAST, for a double encore. At the end of the song, Yoseop was holding back tears that were about to overflow, and Doojun reached out his hand to him, which made the hearts of the LIGHT members who had gathered at the venue that day warm. At the end, they concluded with a greeting of “That was the highlight! Thank you!”, and when the four members disappeared, the venue erupted in warm applause.

For 15 years, HIGHLIGHT have kept their light burning no matter how harsh the circumstances, and now that they have regained the light that is BEAST, their activities in their 16th year and beyond will shine even more brightly, and it was a performance that gave the impression that even more “highlights” await.

Writer: Moe Nakamura

Photographer: Hiroshi Miyata

Photo credit: ©️Around US ENTERTAINMENT

PROFILE

HIGHLIGHT

BEAST is a Korean boy group that debuted in 2009 and is comprised of members Yoon Doo-joon, Yang Yoseop, Lee Gi-kwang, and Son Dong-woon.
In January 2017, the group changed their name from BEAST to “HIGHLIGHT”, and in March 2017, they released their re-debut album, “CAN YOU FEEL IT?”.

He is not only active in group activities, but also in a wide range of fields, including solo music and acting.

This year, in March 2024, HIGHLIGHT will release their 5th MINI ALBUM (Switch On). It has been making waves on music charts in Korea and abroad, and the title song “BODY” won first place on a Korean music show.

In addition, their three-day solo concert held in Korea in May sold out all seats, proving that their popularity remains unchanged even as they celebrate their 15th debut anniversary this year.