PLAVE
A wild night with PLAVE and PLLI!
The motion-capture group PLAVE kicks off the first of its two final concert nights for the “DASH QUANTUM LEAP” tour at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. This marks the grand closing of an Asian tour by this uniquely unconventional K-pop act that constantly breaks industry norms. Since the tour began in August, the group has visited cities such as Taipei, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bangkok, Tokyo, and of course, Seoul.
The group consists of five members: YEJUN, NOAH, BAMBY, EUNHO, and HAMIN. They debuted on March 12, 2023, with the single “ASTERUM.” Each member is designed with distinct physical traits: NOAH, the handsome blond; YEJUN, the sexy leader; BAMBY, known for his pink hair; EUNHO, the mysterious vampire; and HAMIN, the youngest. The concert is divided into four acts, with the first beginning with a video titled “Zero Gravity.”
At the first notes of the opening song, the stadium lights up in turquoise blue, enhanced by dumbbell-shaped lightsticks. The concert begins with “Watch me woo!”, and the crowd erupts. The group uses motion-capture technology, which faithfully reproduces real-life movements and facial expressions. PLAVE is therefore not a purely virtual group, but a group whose real-life performances are mirrored in real time on the concert screens.
The group makes a powerful entrance, shown jumping out of a spaceship and landing in the stadium to start the show. The boys’ microphones are clearly on behind the screen, and dancers appear on stage beside their virtual counterparts to bring the performance to life. Fans scream, shake their lightsticks, and film their favorite member.
“Are you ready? Then let me hear your voice!” – BAMBY
After this introduction, the members introduce themselves and greet the audience. Fans go even wilder when YEJUN decides to shake his hips as he says hello and celebrates their sold-out shows at the legendary Gocheok Sky Dome. One by one, the boys express how meaningful it is to perform there — a dream come true — and ask fans to shout as loudly as possible to make the moment real. They also promise an unforgettable show, teasing brand-new performances and even previewing a few dance moves.
For such a young group to already fill Gocheok is a remarkable achievement, especially considering that some much older groups have yet to reach that milestone. PLAVE is unquestionably a group to watch, especially since their faces are seen all over Seoul in various brand endorsements. Fans spot BAMBY blushing more than usual, a detail that seems to highlight just how excited he is for that night’s show.
The next stage song is “Virtual idol,” which embodies the group’s identity. The five boys switch from elegant black-and-white outfits to red emo-style costumes. The spaceship motif remains in the background as a reminder of their origin story. Another outfit change follows for “RIZZ,” transitioning into black jumpsuits and t-shirts.
During some choreography moments, the crowd goes wild when the members get particularly close to one another. Heart-shaped visuals fill the screens — a message to their fanbase, the PLLI. PLAVE then “leaves” the stage, and a VCR begins, this time depicting the members underwater. A piano starts playing as HAMIN opens the next song, “Island,” marking the beginning of Act II.
“Island” is a soft ballad, allowing the boys’ gentle vocals to resonate through the dome. EUNHO and BAMBY harmonize beautifully, NOAH and YEJUN shine with their visuals, and HAMIN moves fans with his emotional delivery. Glitter sprinkles down into the turquoise ocean of lightsticks, mimicking waves. The performance ends with the members saying “I love you.”
They return dressed in all white to perform “A to T.” The members encourage the audience to sing along, and the atmosphere grows emotional. Upon speaking again, one of the first comments is HAMIN joking about not being afraid of his piano performance, despite being depicted at the top of a mountain in the background, before adding that he was more worried about fans seated high up in the venue.
PLAVE takes a moment to compliment one another. BAMBY praises YEJUN’s beautiful smile while holding his hand. YEJUN then compliments NOAH’s vocals, saying he sounds especially good today. He encourages him to eat well, joking about NOAH’s strict high-protein diet, especially his love for chicken breast. NOAH then compliments HAMIN’s hairstyle.
To close out this act and begin the next, three songs follow: “The 6th summer,” “From,” and “Dear.PLLI.” This act focuses on softness and poetry, warming fans’ hearts. Occasionally, small motion-capture glitches occur, but nothing that affects the mood. Earlier, the members had chosen their favorite song, each selecting:
EUNHO : « Virtual idol, YEJUN : “Way4luv”, NOAH : “Wait”, and both HAMIN, andBAMBY selected “The 6th summer” to announce this performance. During this performance, five tall white curtains rise in the center of the pit, each displaying one member as he sings.
The group’s powerful vocals fill Gocheok, particularly NOAH’s high notes. Confetti rains down as the boys switch into school uniforms. Bubbles float around them, evoking the sea, and fish swim across the screen. Leaving the ocean behind, they reappear in snowy scenery, creating snowmen with their bodies.
EUNHO showcases his whistling talent during “Dear.PLLI,” and more confetti fills the air. The boys remind everyone to be careful with the weather outside and avoid catching a cold. Act III begins with a more serious video, followed by the highly anticipated “Way4luv.” The stadium screams echo powerfully. A live band made of drums, electric guitar, bass and synthesizer joins them on stage, giving this act a more rock-oriented, energetic feel.
This is also the longest act. The boys appear dressed as princes, wearing masks reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera. “Dash” follows, with dancers running across the stage as if escaping danger. The choreography is intense, with jumps and flips, leading to a performance set in what looks like a ruined castle. The musical tone is decisively rock.
PLAVE pauses to speak again, hoping the fans enjoyed the performances so far. They thank the live band for accompanying them. NOAH then instructs fans to stretch mid-concert, and the entire venue follows along, raising their arms, stretching their necks, and even pretending to work out using the dumbbell-shaped lightstick. A stadium-wide wave follows.
EUNHO expresses concern that fans might not have eaten before the show, but HAMIN reassures them, recommending the sweet potatoes sold near the venue. Returning to the stage, PLAVE performs “Chroma drift,” shown lounging in a convertible under palm trees. Their outfits become more casual, perfectly matching the retro-futuristic vibe. Then, to everyone’s surprise, the legendary TVXQ hit “Mirotic” begins, and PLAVE performs a full cover in sleek suits.
Taking a brief break afterward, the members explain that they worked extremely hard on this cover and didn’t want to disappoint the fans or the original artists. A nostalgic rehearsal video plays behind them.
“I still can’t believe these moments, our debut, our first concert, our first tour, and now this moment at Gocheok Stadium.” — EUNHO
To celebrate once more, the stage transforms to mimic Gocheok itself, along with the group’s outfits. The boys sit down while BAMBY performs a solo cover of JUNGKEY’s “Emotion,” hitting impressive high notes that earn loud applause. The others shower him with praise, joking about how hard they’ll have to work to match his performance.
HAMIN then takes center stage with “Hello” by HUHGAK. YEJUN prepares his own ballad next, although the others tease him about sounding nervous. NOAH briefly sings “Energetic” by WANNA ONE before performing his own (more rock-oriented) ballad. EUNHO closes the section with a powerful rap.
Most of these songs were ones they had performed during busking in the past, as the group explainsn busking being part of their shows where they cover songs. EUNHO once again thanks fans for coming today, and for tomorrow’s concert, reminding everyone that PLAVE owes everything to the PLLI. HAMIN laughs, admitting that covering other artists’ songs is even more stressful than the rest of the concert.
The group resumes their own discography, starting the end of Act III with “I just love ya.” They shout “Let’s go!” and the fun resumes. They change back into their opening outfits and clap with the audience. Next comes “Pump the volume,” with each member shown in a themed room:, EUNHO in an art studio, HAMIN in a locker room, NOAH in a classroom, BAMBY in a library, et YEJUN in an office.
The following song is “숨바꼭질,” which carries the nostalgic vibe of Japanese school dramas. The boys wear school uniforms again, and their characters sport star-shaped freckles and rosy cheeks for a cuter style. The second-to-last song, “Wait,” begins. Their outfits and the stage visuals become cyber-futuristic, signaling that the end is near. The finale is “Pixel world,” during which PLAVE thanks the live band. The group is shown leaving a galaxy to return to the real world, keeping the space theme intact. Fans wave their arms in rhythm, already chanting for an encore.
After a few minutes, the wish is granted, “Bbuu!” echoes through the dome. The crowd’s chanting and heart-shaped lightstick formations successfully brought them back. Each member enters wearing roller skates, gliding across the stage before performing “Why?” Fans raise slogan banners handed out at the entrance, proclaiming that they will always stand by the group and walk the path destined for PLAVE and the PLLI. For this stage, the members appear in cat costumes, joined by plush dolls representing each member.
The plushies are then escorted offstage, and the group thanks the fans for singing “From.” They invite everyone to dance with them to the chorus of “Bbuu!”, with BAMBY once again demonstrating the key choreography movements. A photo is taken with the audience, and the members shout “I love you” in Korean. PLAVE considers this the perfect ending to its Asian tour and thanks everyone who made it possible.
“I’m simply grateful to be in such a big place filled with PLLI by my side.” — EUNHO
BAMBY also expresses gratitude for all the love and support the group receives and says they have many things planned for the future. They hope fans will stay with them for a long time and promise to give back the love they receive. HAMIN adds that performing at Gocheok was a dream he never allowed himself to have and that he will never forget this moment.
For all the trainees working hard in practice rooms, and for all the newly debuting groups, PLAVE hopes to become a guiding light. The concert closes with the final three songs: “붕숭아” in a camping-themed setting, “Merry PLLIstmas” for the upcoming holidays and “Our movie,” a perfect curtain call for the night, with promises of an even better show the following day.
What stood out throughout the show was the incredible audience response. The screams and lightsticks never dimmed, and fans reacted to every interaction with enthusiasm. Despite a couple of minor technical issues, the finale, where the boys dressed as Santa Claus, perfectly highlighted the gift-like nature of this performance. In the final VCR aboard the “Plave Express,” the group reminisces about their journey and offers their heartfelt thanks one last time.
Our reporter’s words: “I was curious to see how a motion-capture concert would unfold, and I truly appreciated the attention to detail in the costumes and sets for each song. No doubt about it, they’re real singers!”
Journalist: Pillet Anaïs
Photos: VLAST
Source: KSTATION TV
