2023 was a busy year for the K-pop industry, and that also means it was a crazy year for me. Not only as a fan, but also as a professional, I experienced K-pop in many different ways this year; I attended more than ten K-pop concerts, visited tons of pop-up stores to celebrate comebacks and debuts, went to K-pop festivals, and covered numerous showcases. Among all of these activities, attending concerts was definitely my favorite, and even though all the events I attended were amazing and special in their own ways, some concerts were just too much for me to keep for myself! Therefore, I want to share with you guys my TOP 3 concerts I attended in 2023!

# 3 – SHINee World VI: Perfect Illumination

This concert was just epic from beginning to end. Starting with the fact that it was SHINee's first offline concert in over six years, the anticipation and excitement from the fans and the media were all over the place even before it started.

Its opening was the second-best opening I've ever seen at a K-pop concert. The members came down from the ceiling in a spaceship-shaped stage, singing "Chemistry" (2018) while wearing princely blue outfits that made the whole scene majestic.

The setlist was perfect, including hits like "Sherlock" (2013), "Everybody" (2013) and "Replay" (2008) and beautiful ballads like "Selene 6.23" (2013) and "An Encore" (2015). SHINee even performed unreleased songs from their new album last year, like "Juice" and the lead track "Hard." It was a combination of songs that could satisfy any fan regardless of how long they'd been fans of SHINee.

Finally, what I enjoyed the most about the concert, and what is one of the most difficult aspects to fulfill as a group, was the chemistry among the members during the performances and speech time. The whole event flowed naturally, and nothing felt scripted. The members were all charismatic, and they all shone in their own ways.

# 2 – TAEMIN SOLO CONCERT: METAMORPH

The opening for SHINee's concert was my second favorite because my top choice belongs to "the idol of idols," SHINee's Taemin. He opened the concert standing upside-down while singing "Rizzness," a powerful song from his new album "Guilty." I still get goosebumps whenever I see clips of his entrance at the concert with its impressive red lights, beats and Taemin's rap.

What impressed me the most about this concert was that Taemin didn't even need to rest and could perform for almost two hours straight, with only one segment in between dedicated to a three-minute performance video of the song "Rizzness." The vocals, the elegance of the dance, and the charisma he displayed while interacting with the fans made me add this concert to my list of concerts I would go to and pay for again and again.

# 1 – Stray Kids 3RD FANMEETING ‘PILOT : FOR ★★★★★’

Everything was right with this event. First of all, it was held at the KSPO Dome, one of Korea's best concert venues, as you get a good view of the stage wherever you sit. Second, the tickets, with the official membership, were priced at 77,000 won ($58.7). Finally, the combination of games, performances and challenges was very well-balanced. It was impressive, fun, cute and emotional at the same time. The event's running time of four hours also made me feel as if I paid too little for such a high-quality event.

What I liked the most about this fan meeting, and what catches my attention every time I go to a Stray Kids concert, is the connection between the members and the fans, STAY. It was easy to see how each member tried to make eye contact and interact with as many STAY as possible, whether they were on the first row, second floor or the blind spot of the venue.

That's it! Those were the three best K-pop concerts I attended in 2023.

What about you guys? What would be your top three? Or which artists would you like to see in person in 2024? Share your list with us in the comment section below!

Thanks for reading! :)

BY DANIELA GONZALEZ PEREZ [gp.daniela@joongang.co.kr]