Concert review
The five members of LE SSERAFIM — an anagram of “I’M FEARLESS” — held a magnifying aura that lit up the crowd at Climate Pledge Arena. As the K-pop girl group danced in sync to the Latin pop rhythm of U.S.-fan-favorite “Fire in the Belly,” the venue reached the volume of the World Cup, concertgoers yelling a flurry of earsplitting “olés” and “wows” from the song’s bridge.
LE SSERAFIM, consisting of Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha and Hong Eunchae, maintained this energy for over two and a half hours on Wednesday as part of their first-ever North American tour supporting their EP trilogy “EASY,” “CRAZY” and “HOT,” with the final installment released in March.
In 2024, the group braved a storm of online hate, spurred by a Coachella debut that critics said featured unstable vocals amid strenuous choreography. A year later, LE SSERAFIM has undeniably returned with a glowing confidence that propelled their 28-song set list.
“Every city we visit, we receive so much love and energy,” said Chaewon, the group’s leader. “And it truly makes us stronger.”
Although the quintet only celebrated its third anniversary this year, the concert captured the artists’ versatility — not just in music genres but also in dance styles, from the lyrical turns in “Ash” to the precise tutting angles in “Burn the Bridge.” Kazuha, a trained ballet dancer, particularly stood out with her flexibility and effortless spotting while spinning.
Dressed in all-white streetwear and using handheld mics, the group hit sharp hip-hop moves to a more dynamic rock arrangement of “EASY” — and they truly made it look easy, seemingly unfazed by changes in choreography for each chorus. And in case netizens on the LE SSERAFIM hate train still keep tabs on them, yes, their vocals improved tremendously without compromising the intense dance performances they’re known for. More melodic tracks highlighted the members’ agility and resonance, from the airy verses of “Sour Grapes” to the belting in “The Great Mermaid.”
Upon hearing the addictive, pulsating EDM-house beats of “CRAZY,” the crowd became electrified, shouting the song’s Korean and English lyrics and waving color-changing lightsticks. LE SSERAFIM made constant efforts to engage with fans, whom they call “FEARNOT,” and acknowledged them throughout the arena. In “1-800-hot-n-fun,” the members looked for a lucky FEARNOT sitting on the “Saki Seat” — a nod to the song’s lyrics, “Where the heck is Saki?” — and gave them the spotlight to dance for about 10 seconds. The modified choreography in “UNFORGIVEN” also allowed them to face fans on each side of the venue.
“You guys are also onstage with us,” said Yunjin, who asked the crowd to put away their phones to live in the moment.
For the encore, the quintet appeared in mostly purple and gold apparel from the University of Washington. Before setting off into their final three songs, the members went down the line to express their gratitude. Yunjin reflected on what kind of influence she wanted LE SSERAFIM to impart. Before the show, she read a Reddit post by a fan who shared their experience at the group’s Newark concert, mentioning how LE SSERAFIM helped them fear less and make new friends.
Likewise, this support system helped the group burn even brighter, especially in the past year, and leave a blazing trail of empowerment.
“If you have something that you want to go for but are scared, just know that we’re in it together,” Yunjin said. “And we are always rooting for you to make that leap.”
By Angela Lim
Seattle Times staff reporter
