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[Herald Review] Lim Hyunsik takes fans for a musical dive into ocean

By Hong Yoo

Published : Oct. 16, 2023 - 13:48

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Lim Hyunsik's Lim Hyunsik's "Dive Into You" concert held in Seoul from Friday to Sunday in Seoul. (Cube Entertainment)

Sounds of waves hitting the shores of a beach rippled through the dark blue-colored venue in which Lim Hyunsik kicked off his three-day solo concert “Dive Into You" on Friday night in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Lim Hyunsik’s solo concert, held in Seoul from Friday to Sunday, kicked off with the placid instrumental sounds of a live band accompanied by the sound of waves in the background.

Then the artist appeared on a lift, playing his guitar.

He began with his digital single “Swimming” to complete the otherworldly atmosphere.

Fan lights carried by almost every audience member turned into a deep blue, which made it feel as if the artist was taking everyone at the concert deep down into the ocean.

Soon, a thin sheet-like screen that projected bubbles came down, veiling the artist and his band, making them appear as if performing underwater.

“The concept of my last concert was space, and now it is the ocean. I love the ocean as much as I like space, so I wanted my concert to feel like a dive into the ocean,” Lim said.

Lim Hyunsik's Lim Hyunsik's "Dive Into You" concert held in Seoul from Friday to Sunday in Seoul. (Cube Entertainment)

He also performed some unreleased songs, “Tide” and “Lonely Sea,” that he had been preparing for his next album.

“I produced the single ‘Lonely Sea,’ with the aim of making it the title track of my next album. The song is about making myself lonelier to shine brighter in the future. I always put my genuine feelings and thoughts into the songs I make. I’m not sure when my next album will be released, but I will try my best to make it happen sometime this year,” Lim said.

The artist not only performed his own singles, but also covered famous songs of other artists.

He performed YB’s “Blue Whale,” after which the screens showed a rocket launching inside the ocean into space.

His first performance after reaching space was “Rendez-vous,” for which he also played the guitar.

The audience sang along to his next performance of “Docking,” for which Lim expressed gratitude by making a heart shape with his hands on stage.

“So we are now in space as we left the ocean on a rocket. I love unknown spaces such as the universe and the ocean. For me, Melodies (fandom name) are space, ocean, light and gravity,” he said.

After performing a few more songs, Lim Hyunsik dove back into the ocean with his fans.

He took a couple of minutes behind the stage and came back up as a mermaid to cover a “Part of Your World,” an original soundtrack of the Disney movie "The Little Mermaid."

Dressed as a merman, he performed inside a big shell.

He even put a bit of acting into his performance, giving it the feel of a musical.

“Now let’s leave the mermaid, take a break and continue with the romantic vibe. You loved the jazz parts in my last concert, so I've brought more to this one as well,” the singer said.

Lim Hyunsik's Lim Hyunsik's "Dive Into You" concert held in Seoul from Fri. to Sun. (Cube Entertainment)

The stage then became a jazz bar as Lim performed covers of “Kissing A Fool,” “When October Goes,” and “Shallow.”

They accentuated the singer's deep voice and clear high-pitched tones, as well as his guitar skills.

Due to the small venue, the artist could converse with the audience in a cozy environment. His conversation in between songs revealed the profound closeness between Lim and his fans.

“I made a song called ‘Sunshine’ for this concert. I had a hard time composing this song, but once I started to think about Melodies, it came so easily. If you pay attention to the lyrics, you will see that it’s a song that I made for you,” Lim told his fans.

Lim, who is a member of the K-pop boy group BTOB, did not forget to include the group’s famous tracks such as “Only One For Me” and “Wind And Wish.”

“I miss my members when I perform alone because it’s just so quiet when I work alone. I want you to know that my love for you is always the same, when I am working alone and when I am working as BTOB,” the artist said.