Is the absence of signature songs leaving Woods (Cho Seung-yeon, WOODZ) and his fans with a sense of melancholy? The 'WOODZ World Tour 'OO-LI' FINALE,' held at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 19th, turned out to be an event tinged with regret rather than celebration.
Disappointing Setlist and Hasty Preparations Before Enlistment
Despite being Woods' first world tour under his own name since his debut in May last year, the finale concert, occurring three months after the Encore World Tour in October, left much to be desired.
With only two additional tracks released between the encore and finale concert, the lack of a robust set list became apparent. The disappointment in the 'Finale' performance is further highlighted by the fact that Woods will commence his military service on the 22nd, just three days later.
A Fan Meeting Disguised as a Concert
The choice of a 'Finale' concert raises questions, especially considering the sparse set list. Had Woods released an album with more tracks, the purpose of the finale concert might have been clearer.
However, given the lackluster set list from the beginning, the performance felt more like a hurried attempt to connect with fans before enlistment rather than a thoughtfully planned conclusion to a world tour.
Unusual Fan Interaction and Celebrity Collaboration
During the performance, Woods surprised the audience with an unexpected segment where he engaged in dance collaborations with fans. While the fan interaction was undoubtedly special, incorporating a choreography session disrupted the flow of the 120-minute performance.
Even the involvement of GOT7's Yugyeom did little to alleviate the regret, leaving fans pondering whether a more intimate fan meeting might have been a more fitting choice.
Venue Expansion vs. Utilization
Woods' concern about the scale of the concert hall echoed his sentiments about the growing venue size over the past year. Despite the progression from Jangchung Gymnasium to SK Olympic Handball Stadium and finally to Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, the increased seating capacity wasn't fully utilized.
Although Jamsil Indoor Stadium can accommodate approximately 11,000 spectators, the actual audience size remained comparable to previous venues, raising questions about the substantial growth in essence.
Regretful Departure into Military Service
Expressing worries about the expanding scale of the concert halls, Woods left the 'OO-LI' finale concert with a sense of regret. As he entered the Army Training Center on the 22nd, embarking on basic military training before fulfilling his national defense duties as a member of the Army Band, fans were left reflecting on a concert that fell short of expectations.
For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.
KpopStarz owns this article.
Written by Cassidy Jones.
