After COVID-19 hit the world in late 2019, concerts and many other events were cancelled. To our big disappointment one of the bands affected by this was the South Korean Indie Rock band HYUKOH. It’s safe to say that the Indie entertainment industry took a big hit financially as concerts and tours were their biggest form of revenue.
The world tour ‘through love‘ by HYUKOH scheduled for 2020 was postponed, rescheduled and eventually cancelled. We were looking forward to their London gig but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
A few weeks ago, their new company Dooroo Dooroo announced their streaming concert and we knew we had to get tickets to watch the performance we had been longing to see. Online concerts in general are a good way to keep your listeners engaged and a stream of revenue coming in. The fact that we can bridge that gap between continents to celebrate music is beautiful.
HYUKOH
The aesthetics of the concert were very much in line with HYUKOH’s vibe. It was carefully thought and crafted, they were alternative and unique in their own way.
The production had set up a stage in Samneung Pine Forest. That in itself was already pretty interesting, but the lighting team really took it up a notch and installed several sets of lighting that when switched, it simply transformed the entire stage. The lighting team really deserves all the praise. The same goes for the editing team. Footage of the concert had been edited into an engaging watch.
Of course, the lighting wasn’t the only thing we paid attention to. It was impossible not to notice the outfits created by designer Virgil Abloh from the brand OFF WHITE. We genuinely enjoyed the gender fluidity with some of the members wearing long skirts while others were wearing pants. They changed outfits three times but Abloh played with the same silhouette in different interpretations.
We were a bit baffled by the masks though. We weren’t quite sure where it was going or what it stood for. In the third and final part of the concert, the wolf hat was kind of cool with the lighting and the fog. It reminded us of Red Riding Hood, but we weren’t sure if that was the original goal.
There are a couple of minor points though. We really wish that the band had been a bit more engaging with a greeting and an introduction of the band. We also really wish they had brought in a live flute player for the song ‘Help’. Though that might have to do more with the COVID restrictions.
The Set List
The concert started off with ‘through love’, the latest album released by HYUKOH. Fans got to hear the new music, a must say is that we would have loved seeing that set list live. The acoustics were amazing and Oh Hyuk’s echoey vocals were a nice touch.
The transitions between tracks were super smooth. They carefully planned how the tracks would blend in each set and they made it feel seamless. As always the guitar play was excellent and it legit felt next level.
Half an hour in with the set change to the afternoon meadow, they played a fan favourite ‘LOVE YAH!’ and continued on with their more indie rock vibe. The pre-recorded meadow felt like an interlude while they had a small break and costume change in the night time forest.
Final Thoughts
The concert felt rather short. It clocked in at exactly one hour. HYUKOH’s discography is loaded with well-known and loved tracks, and we just wish it had been a bit longer.
Online concerts are an amazing way to support your favorite artists while staying safe from COVID-19. However, it is no replacement for an actual live concert where you can feel the music in your bones and get proper interaction with the artists. It feels closer and more intimate.
Fingers crossed that we can all come together to vibe to HYUKOH’s music live. In the meantime, stream ‘through love‘ by HYUKOH on Spotify here.