Exo-plosive entertainment
K-pop act EXO wows 10,000 fans at the KL leg of its Planet #5 – Exploration concert.
WHILE Axiata Arena may be an indoor stadium, K-pop outfit EXO managed to make it a starry night at its EXO Planet #5 – Exploration concert in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday evening.
The main stage was lit by hundreds of moving lights simulating the myriad of different galaxies in the universe. It was as mesmerising as the boys’ fancy footwork and polished choreography during the two-and-a-half-hour show.
Even the rain did not dampen the spirits of EXO-LS (name of the group’s official fandom meaning EXO-LOVE), who turned out in full force.
The hordes of K-pop lovers pouring into the stadium were outfitted in all shades of beige, tan, cream, taupe, and khaki, in keeping with EXO’S official fan club colour – cosmic latte, which is the official term used by astronomers to describe the average colour of all the galaxies of the universe combined.
It’s the fourth time the boys have made a tour stop in Malaysia. EXO has staged shows in Malaysia every year since 2016.
During their previous show last year, the boys played here with eight members and was missing only their Chinese member Lay.
This time around EXO was reduced to six members – Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Chen, Kai, Sehun and Suho. Three members were missing from their lineup, since Xiumin and D.O. have been enlisted for South Korea’s mandatory draft service, while Lay is still caught up with his promotional activities in China.
With a third of the members away, the boys had to depend on extra backup dancers to make up the numbers for some of the choreography to work.
But that was not an issue with the 10,000 spectators who roared with fanchants and loud declarations of love as the boys performed tracks from EXO’S fifth full-length Korean album Don’t
Mess Up My Tempo (2018), which is its best-selling release.
The guys opened the show with a succession of upbeat hits including Tempo, Transformer ,and Gravity. And from then on, the group kept the upbeat vibe throughout the show.
EXO is one of the top-selling K-pop groups, and has been dubbed the quintuple million seller with five of their Korean albums, Don’t Mess Up My Tempo (2018), The War (2017), EX’ACT (2016), EXODUS (2015), XOXO (2013), selling more than a million copies each.
The six members also presented solo sets during the show: Baekhyun with his new song UN Village from his solo album City Lights (2019), Suho with Been
Through, Chen with Lights Out, and Kai with Confession.
Meanwhile, Chanyeol and Sehun, who are also known as one of the sub-units EXO-SC, did their double act performing What A Life and Closer To You.
There were some unexpected moments which fans found to be unintentionally amusing, one of which was when Baekhyun’s bleached hair stood on end due to static.
The boys sang and danced for two and a half hours with fans cheering on them every step of the way.
When it was time to say farewell, the boys wrapped up their show with Smile On My Face ... which, of course, put a smile on the faces of every fan present.
It is just goodbye for now as the boys vowed to be back to Malaysia soon.
Chanyeol said that even if the others couldn’t make it, he would do it himself even if he had to come to Malaysia alone and sing EXO songs.
Kai said that it was time for EXO to extend their current one-night show in Malaysia to a three-day gig.
Suho hoped for fans to wait for them as he promised to be back with a new album.
And the fans all screamed in agreement.