Reticent and cool, the melody made by the Sungha Jung’s flexible fingers on his Lakewood guitar has mesmerized the lucky 500 audience who got a ticket to the sold-out concert in Bandung, Indonesia on a rainy evening (18/11). Let us get it clear: who’s calling Sungha Jung, an oppa in his concert? We heard you, and we’re here to show that you might be still in dazed how he is a 16-year-old young guitarist with a simple strum on his classic guitar. No matter how you call him however, just to let you know that he is pleased by it. “
The Indonesian crowd is awesome, I really love the screams and cheer!” as he said in his Press Conference. The talented guitarist has indeed successfully held his first concert in Indonesia, where Korea.com previously met him several times in Singapore.
He who has captivated 1000 fans in Jakarta for his opening Indonesia Tour continued on to create a mesmerising and intimate atmosphere in the town located in surrounding mountains. The fans were in palettable feast of 18 songs ranging from “K-pop, American pop, and my original compositions,” as disclosed by the singer. He also shared who he wanted to collaborate in the future, and that is not far away from making it happen.
With fake alerts when background music started to cue in some plays, the MC announcing the audience terms, and lights to go off – bombs of screams were pulled off and ended with a laugh because it wasn’t the time yet. As stated in all tickets and posters, 7PM was the exact time where lights came off and with a quick introduction by the MC, the young musician finally appeared to give a bow and greet with a frenzied shrieks and wailing hands in the air. “
Saranghae, Sungha Jung!” heard from a group of girls to repetitively say.
His props are considered minimal; a chair and a mic stand. He came in with his guitar, positioned himself comfortably before properly saying his hello in the native language of the country: “Apa Kabar? Kumaha damang? I’m Sungha Jung. I thank you for everyone here to come tonight. I hope you enjoy my show.”
Cheers erupted in excitement as he tried his best to speak the local dialect, which meant “Hello, how are you all?”
“I will introduce my first song, which is an originally composed song by me from my previous album, “Irony”. It continued on with the musician’s “favourite song from Maroon 5, here is Payphone. I hope you guys will like it.”
Suddenly, not even waiting for a climax, the guitarist hinted the next few songs. “Do you like K-pop? I have songs here I will play for you; here is my collaboration with 2NE1, Lonely.” Without further ado, he picked each strings fast to the ballad, and progressed to BIGBANG’s Monster.
“I love you, baby I’m not a monster!” sang along the fans in fervor once the chorus came along.
Jung was in tune and in charge with his solo stage with his English introductions. He would be saying the exact same greeting each time, we do not expect Jung to have many different kinds of interaction and response; which most teenage girls would not except. His “thank you” remark on each song’s end gathered giggles, and fans wanted him to say more by triggering questions out of silence. That sparked his cue as an honest musician to chide the audience gently – even though the positive reaction of screams from his fans he what he loves the most – to add within his simple introduction of each song: “Please keep your voices down for there are the other audiences who woule like to listen to the music.”
When he attended to a 15-minute intermission, the MC came out to give a chance for the fans present to win Jung’s previous two albums for ones who answered the questions correctly. Upon returning up on stage, Jung immediately builded up his ‘cool’ factor to play Gotye’s “Somebody I Used To Know.”
His acts continued to be in perfect harmony with the rainy weather by hitting the right sentimenal notes for his original song, “Nostalgia”, it is a simple, and sad melody that fits perfectly for autumn leaves going through the cold winds. It felt like all was reminiscing like an OST for an autumn drama.
Among many others, as Japanese musicians are known to arrange their own improvisation through scores, and extemporisation on stage, it is not of wonder if Sungha has recently visited Japan for his tour, and meeting other musicians in which, he presented a few of Akiro Tanaka’s songs, a guitarist he met in Japan, to be performed that tonight called “Lupin 3rd.” The main soundtrack from Broadway’s “Phantom of the Opera” also gave a dramatic finish. His new arrangements will be available in his upcoming third album.
He has been known since his early days back on Youtube and has traveled to 20 countries so far, but his Hallyu benchmark was earlier this year as he collaborated with 2NE1 for a song and G-Dragon’s acoustic solo track, “That XX”. Working together with the biggest international K-pop idol groups could not give a better name for the guitarist – and that made a new following from idol fans. The confusion starts as he is not an idol but a true music concert, and that did not disappoint any of the attendees that night. The encore swept the crowd away in admiration for he puts his swift fingers through six strings to play “Guitar Boogie”.
Jung’s concert always ends with his fansigning event. Rows of audience who strapped their guitar on their backs and albums - “I also am selling my albums outside, so please help me,” so the musician say, and it made the audience laugh to his frank announcement. The night could not be closed with a better moment as fans will cherish this debut live concert of the singer as a musical history for Sungha’s journey and his fans in Indonesia.
Special thanks to Mahana Live for the invitation. We hope you enjoyed the full coverage of Sungha Jung in Bandung
- Source Korea.com
