Kpop concert movies have made these music festivals and extravagant presentations more accessible to the fans worldwide. Although re-cut and edited versions of the live happenings in a huge arena filled with oceans of fans’ light-sticks representing their favourite artists can only capture a limited vision, now we get to witness this footage cinematically or even in the comfort of our homes. While live shows and the grand festivities associated with these massive gatherings, and their intrinsically linked euphoric exhilaration can’t be replicated, these films offer us pocket-friendly chances to engage in such fan-fests.
On November 9, 2023, K-pop fans were delighted to see the premiere of BTS Yet to Come on Amazon Prime Video, reconnecting them with all seven members of the group in the same frame after a long time due to their ongoing military service period. It serves as an ebullient addition to the long list of BTS concert movies or exclusives like Love Yourself in Seoul, Break The Silence: The Movie, Bring the Soul: The Movie, Burn the Stage: The Movie and more.
Listed below are some more Kpop concert films featuring other big names of the magnificent entertainment industry. While some of them were released in theatres, others were released in the DVD format eventually, and some of these even highlight the long road to success undertaken by these artists as they speak out openly in exclusive interviews stitched along with the long series of performances from their concerts.
Kpop Concert Movies to Watch After BTS Yet to Come
1. MONSTA X We Are Here Tour in Seoul
We Are Here was MONSTA X’s third worldwide tour. It kicked off in April 2019 in Seoul, South Korea, and one of the shows’ footage eventually made it to the DVD coverage of the concert that was released for audiences who couldn’t attend these shows otherwise. Back then, Wonho was still a member of the group alongside Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney and IM, and the septet shook the stadium with their raving experimental sound. The setlist included major hard-hitting tracks like Play It Cool, Part Time, No Reason, Alligator and more from their second Korean studio album Take 2 We Are Here.
Also showcasing vocally brilliant performances of songs on the softer side, the group surprised the world with their delicate B-sides. The setlist also included special stages with Hyungwon taking over as DJ H.One, the 93z trio of Kihyun, Minhyuk and Hyungwon covering Bazzi’s Myself, the rapline consisting of Joohoney and IM breaking out with the ferocious showcase of their unreleased original track Sambakja, and Shownu and Wonho winning over the audience with their lyrical performance of yet another unreleased original song Mirror. A re-worked OT7 version of this song was later released as part of their 7th EP Follow: Find You.
This breathtaking show is a follow-up to their equally successful The Connect World Tour of 2018. Both these shows also feature special VCRs that resume the group’s musical storyline as told through their music videos over the years. You can watch them on YouTube.
2. SEVENTEEN Power of Love The Movie
Streaming on Viki for standard pass subscribers, this 2022 concert film also documents the members’ words of gratitude extended to their fanbase, CARAT. It has been directed by Oh Yoon-dong, the same filmmaker as that of BTS Yet to Come OTT release. All 13 members of the PLEDIS Entertainment boy group – S.Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino – engage in an in-depth conversation and comment on the kind of legacy they wish to leave behind for their fans.
Bridging the gap between their past, present and future through these talks, the members also showcase their powerful performances of songs like Crush, Anyone, Clap, Ready to Love, Mingyu and Wonwoo’s Bittersweet, Hoshi’s Spider, Dino’s unreleased track Last Order. Other special unit songs also made it to the list, but ultimately the movie made for a heartwarming account of the members’ accomplishments. It was also their first-ever concert film.
3. NCT DREAM The Movie: In a Dream
Making for a fairly loveable mess, NCT DREAM is already well known as a sub-unit always up to some shenanigans owing to the members’ profound friendship with each other. Taking a step ahead, this film didn’t just feature the members – Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung – divulge their deep feelings of gratitude to their fans, but their individual interviews also dish on the members’ quirks. With each of them taking turns to talk about what they think of the other, the NCT DREAM concert movie again reveals the fun-tastic depths of septet’s bond.
This movie released in theatres in 2022, and has also been directed Oh Yoon-dong, whose camera also catches the band’s second solo concert ‘NCT DREAM TOUR “THE DREAM SHOW 2 : In A DREAM’ at the Olympic Stadium in South Korea. All 7 members present their musical evolution by performing hits from their debut albums, from back when they were just teenagers, and then move on to showcase their record-breaking songs from their first studio album Hot Sauce and first repackage album Hello Future.
Additionally, in December 2023, NCT Nation: To the World in Cinemas will be presenting NCT’s first-ever offline concert as a full group (with all subunits). It’s slated to be released in select theatres worldwide exclusively.
4. IU Concert The Golden Hour
This special cinematic cut of IU’s 2022 concert marks the singer’s first ever global cinema release. It also celebrates her as the first Korean female singer to have performed at the Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul, which is deemed the largest South Korean stadium. The cinematic footage of the show captures the unforgettable glory of her performance that also featured a stellar stage production with a strawberry moon balloon, fireworks and drone show. Having released in September 2023, the spellbinding show kicks off with an A cappella stage, followed by some the most memorable tracks of her musical career, including Good Day, Celebrity and more, all bringing the total tally of tracks on the setlist to 25.
5. BLACKPINK The Movie
Starring all four members of the group – Jisoo, Jenni, Lisa and Rose – the BLACKPINK concert movie has been directed by Su Yee-jung and Oh Yoon-dong. In addition to featuring the concert footage of the K-pop quartet, this film also features exclusive interviews of the members. The cinematic footage brings forth live performances from two concert series – ‘The Show’ and ‘In Your Area World Tour’. This movie, releasing in August 2021, commemorated the group completing five years of showbiz following their debut in August 2016. In addition to directly reaching out to their fans, their 5th anniversary film also celebrates the group’s unity and strength when they’re onstage together.
6. EXO PLANET 3 The EXOrDIUM in Japan
Named after the group’s second live album, “EXO PLANET #3” was the third concert tour and second world tour presented by the boy group, initially having debuted under SM Entertainment. Now playing on YouTube, this concert DVD is a high quality testament to EXO’s power and unbelievable stage presence. This show is proof enough as to why the group bagged the Best Concert Award at the Edaily Culture Awards in 2017. What makes the movie version of the concert a must-watch is the fact that it was masterfully captured on camera in a way that it brings alive memories of the extraordinary live performance production as it was yesterday’s affair.
7. IM HERO The Final (아임 히어로 더 파이널)
The 2023 Lim Young-woong concert movie was again also directed by Oh Yoon-dong, and it cinematically capturing the South Korean singer’s encore concert ‘IM HERO’ that took place at the Gocheok Sky Dome in the winter of 2022. Taking after Young-woong’s debut studio album that released in May 2022, the concert film features Lim’s moving live performances. Mirroring the live show’s experience on camera, the film also puts forth the singer’s genuine thoughts of winning people’s love with his art.
With his sincere artistic expression, Young-woong affectionately reaches out to his fans and hopes to become a guiding light for them in the dark. Through an additional interview series interlinked with the live stage production, he not only moves his fanbase, Hero Generation, through his music, but also with a heartfelt expression lending a look inside his heart.
Which of these Kpop concert films have you watched so far? Let us know your favourite experience in the comments section below.
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