One might have heard of Crush, the R&B, hip-hop artist who has taken the Korean music scene by storm. Coming into contact with hip-hop at the age of 14, he taught himself how to produce and write music. The early forms of his music did not see the light of day till he met a fellow artist Zion.T at a performance, who later contacted Crush back to work with him further after listening to his music. Various sources provided an impetus to Crush’s mainstream debut; he formed a crew called “VV:D” with now-popular hip-hop artists Zion T., Gray, Loco, and Elo, and signed a contract with “Amoeba Culture” — a company led by Dynamic Duo. He then gained popularity through his participation in the albums of other artists, and debuted in 2012 with the song “Red Dress”. His breakthrough arrived with the release of songs “Crush On You” and “Hug Me”, and he has since been known for his trendy tunes in the genre of alternative R&B.

     His most recent album Wonderlust was released on October 14, and preceded the announcement of his second solo concert of the same name. The concert was impressive in its realization of the ideal atmosphere and sound; scenic videos shot at various locations and a full-house live band backed up Crush’s charming vocals. The first video that showed a panoramic view of the serene Han River played an especially significant role in establishing a dreamy mood for the concert, and was aided by double screens that layered two scenes to give a three-dimensional feel. The concert then started with Crush singing the intro of his most recent album, "Wanderlust", followed by the songs “2411” and “In the Air”. After these songs, the dreamy mood of the concert was boosted with realistic clouds that floated above the stage. The crowd quickly warmed up, so much that by the time Crush reached his hit song “Oasis”, he had to calm down the crowd.

     The concert then took the fans back to his early works. He introduced this section with a doubtful comment, suggesting that “some may not recognize these songs” as they were produced at an early stage of his career. He went on to sing his debut song, “Red Dress”, followed by “You and I”, “You Can Stay That Way”, and “The Moment When Our Eyes Meet”. Following the multitude of songs, he introduced his concert properly to the audience, and talked about how he intended the visual effects and the sound to be a stimulating experience of the maximum quality. He went on to mention that he wanted to contain the daily sounds of the busy lives that we lead in the city, and the calmness within it as well.

     The concert continued on with songs “Crush On You”, “Whatever You Do”, “Ooh Ah”, and “It’s Friday”. Newly embellished with a mirror ball, this next part of the concert featured upbeat songs that everybody could sing along and dance to. Then, the concert took a turn in its mood, with its presentation of a grand piano, red curtains, and a single guitar player. Crush took the stage again to sing the soothing and moody song “How Are You”, his most recent hit. He then introduced and encouraged his audiences to listen to his favorite jazz artist Chet Baker before performing a cover of his song “I’ve Never Been In Love before”. This was one of the calmest moments of the concert, with everyone focused purely on his vocals and the sounds from the instruments.

     The next part of the concert offered a chance for the audience to go all out and enjoy the music. Crush’s rendition of his hit song “Sofa”, and the appearance of Rhythm Power — a hip-hop trio from Amoeba Culture — was more than enough to bring up the excitement level to its maximum. This continued on with the arrival of Dynamic Duo on stage, with performances of “Hug Me”, and “9 to 5”, delivered with the featured rapper Gaeko from Dynamic Duo. The artists of Amoeba Culture performed their hit songs together to celebrate the concert further, and the audience was able to immerse themselves in the hit songs “Attendance Check”, “Fireworks”, and “Hifive”.

     The last part of the concert was probably one that many found most memorable. After sending off his guests, he took the stage alone again to sing the “Like My Dad”, a track from his new album. His warm vocals, together with the song’s emotional lyrics, immediately convinced the audience to focus on the song. The last song of the concert was “Don’t Forget”. Crush made it clear that he wished everyone could remember this moment as one of many memorable ones in life, and that he was extremely thankful for everything he was able to do with the support of his fans and those who helped him. He delivered his heartfelt message to always be grateful and burst into tears mid-song.

     Crush’s second concert Wonderlust offered so much more than just music. It stood out among concerts of a similar nature by delivering a distinct message — to be aware and grateful for what is around you. It managed to capture daily sounds with beautiful cinematography of cities and bodies of water, deliver full and diverse sounds from a live band, and offer insights to his attitude towards music and the way he leads his life. By offering so much more than what the audience expected, it is bound to be fondly remembered for a long time.