NEXZ Stack Human Towers and Step Into a Boxing Ring at Seoul Opener of First Asia Tour

NEXZ played 28 songs to open their first Asia tour at Olympic Hall in Seoul, and Yuki said it was the most songs the group has done in a show. The seven members filled the stage themselves, with no dancers from the opening number onward.

Tomoya, YU, Haru, SO GEON, Seita, Hyui and Yuki held "NEXZ First Asia Tour: Saucing the World" in Songpa-gu on the 18th, and the show ran for two days from the 17th. It is the group's first Asia tour since their global debut in May 2024. It was also their first chance in about a year to meet domestic fans, since "NEXZ Special Concert: One Beat" last October. Last month, NEXZ took part in STRAYCITY in Latin America, in Colombia and Argentina, and also played Rock in Rio, the large music festival in Brazil. The Seoul show opened the Asia tour after those stages in different regions, and the group presented songs and performances prepared after that experience.

Lasers, ropes and a boxing ring

NEXZ started with "MmchK" and "NALLINA," then moved through hard-hitting songs such as "O-RLY?", "One Bite" and "BURNING BLACK." The members sang live through high-intensity choreography. "MmchK" combined strong performance with live vocals, and in "NALLINA" the members urged the audience to respond and lifted the mood. "O-RLY?" paired laser effects with acrobatics, and the members piled onto one another to build a human tower. The choreography put all seven members' movements into a single frame of difficult moves.

"One Bite" changed the atmosphere. The members were blindfolded and worked with ropes, using restrained expressions and delicate movements to convey the song's sensual mood. In "BURNING BLACK," Tomoya's high notes stood out. Fans' chants and cheering routines joined the "HARD" stage, and the members used the whole stage to perform toward the audience.

The range of dance was broad. NEXZ showed house, locking, jazz dance, hip-hop, popping and breaking, and went beyond group choreography to acrobatics and breaking moves for individual members. Different styles were placed throughout the set, and the expressions and movements changed from song to song. The show also included solo stages to show each member's individual ability alongside the team performance.

Fresh songs, solos and an air-gun return

After the intense numbers came the lighter songs. In "ALIENS," which used desks, fresh vocals filled the stage. In "Ride the Vibe" and "Starlight," the members performed close to the fans, and staging reminiscent of a starlit night created a different mood from the earlier numbers. When a bridge video ended, the members returned carrying air guns, and fans' chants joined the upbeat Eurodance sound of "SAUCIN." Depending on the song, the members showed strong choreography, delicate movement or bright vocals.

After "SAUCIN," "Next Zeneration" followed, and cries of "NEXZ, NEXZ" rose from the seats. "LOCO" was built around precise group choreography, and "I'm Him" brought another forceful performance. "Beat-Boxer" was staged to evoke a boxing ring, with a dance break by Tomoya and breaking by YU.

The solo segment showed how differently the seven members express themselves on stage. YU presented a piece reminiscent of contemporary dance, a different side from his usual b-boying. Seita filled the stage alone in "Want More? One More!" Hyui rapped a cappella in "Hands up, Yo!" SO GEON performed a solo in the bridge of "Co-Star," and Yuki took a dance break in "Next Zeneration."

A 28-song night ends with thanks to fans

For the encore, which involved fan participation, the members took hand microphones for "20 NOW." Fans in the audience held up a slogan reading "Draw tomorrow in our own language." In the closing comments, each member thanked fans and spoke about the Asia tour. YU said he felt more confident than at his debut. "I've gained more confidence than when I debuted. NEX2Y (the fandom name) always told me 'have confidence,' and I've finally gained confidence on stage. It's thanks to NEX2Y," he said.

Tomoya said, "We're starting the Asia tour now. We'll go to meet NEX2Y all over the world." Seita said, "Just being able to see NEX2Y makes me so happy and glad," and added, "Please stay with me to the end. I hate goodbyes. Please hold our hands and run with us to the end." Yuki mentioned the pressure of preparing 28 songs, saying it was "the most of any show we've done so far." He added: "Throughout the show, I saw NEX2Y having a great time, smiling, and there were people crying here and there. Seeing that made me so happy that I feel this time passed in an instant."

After the 28 songs and the encore, the members greeted fans. NEXZ have kept performing at home and abroad since their global debut in May 2024.

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