Onew has a voice so unique that it became one of the defining characteristics of SHINee’s music. His distinctive vocals help set the group apart from their contemporaries and build a legacy that crosses entertainment agencies, K-pop generations and platforms.
But he’s also just Lee Jin-ki. A goofball who once gave a nickname to a crocheted pineapple bag as PINee while on vacation. He’s been referred to as the dubu (tofu) leader of SHINee because of his soft personality and overall squishiness.
Onew goes by another title bestowed on him by Key which Jonghyun, Minho, and Taemin quickly adopted. He is called “yeonggam” or old man, because he is the oldest member and leader of the group. Old women refer to their husbands as yeonggam, which shows the familiarity and love between group’s members.
Onew brought all of these when he came onstage for the fan meeting “Guess!” at the New Frontier Theater on July 4. He was witty, good-humored and a vocal powerhouse.
He met with select members of the press backstage to conduct a quick photo call under the supervision of promoter L-Squared Productions PH. The artist went straight to the stage right after, wearing black pants and a cardigan over a shirt and tie.
First solo performance
“I’m excited to have my first solo performance here in the Philippines and to create a passionate stage with so many fans. I hope to visit the Philippines more often in the future and enjoy more moments like this together. Thank you,” he told the press, waving at them and flashing his famous smile.
After the first part of the show, he changed into a loose white long-sleeved shirt and shorts, before changing into a white shirt for the encore. He chose comfortable clothes that allowed him to move around the stage freely.
The easygoing approach translated into a more relaxed atmosphere for the show. Onew went straight to business by opening the fan concert with a performance of “O (Circle),” followed by the more upbeat song “Sign.”
As his voice filled the theater, the fan chants of Jjingus (Onew’s fans) and Shawols (SHINee’s fandom) accompanied him. “Kamusta kayo? I really missed you guys. Your energy is amazing. I’m surprised every time … Let’s stay happy, okay?” he told the fans.
The event marked many firsts. This was his first trip to the Philippines since SHINee performed at the One Korea festival in 2017. It was also the first time for him to come as a solo artist under Griffin Entertainment, and the first time for him to see that pearl aqua ocean light up only for him in the Philippines.
Live music
The guitar accompaniment was provided by Zairo. It was a night for live music and live vocals. Of course, he sang live and he sounded exactly like he does in his CDs (or whatever platform you use to listen to his songs).
Onew included Zairo in the conversation, telling the audience how handsome he is, but forbidding his Jjingus from considering him as another option (as their boyfriend) that night. SHINee’s charm as a group has always been their bond as a family, through which we get a sense of who they are because they are most relaxed with each other.
Like Oxygen
Onew made Jjingus feel they were part of that circle. He joked a lot and responded to prompts humorously. Like the way he started flapping his arms at the mention of a butterfly, or the way he gamely said phrases such as “Kinikilig ako,” “Jojowain mo ba ako?” and “Pa-kiss naman. ”When he was told to say “Pogi ako,” he did it but quickly dropped to his knees in sheer embarrassment.
He explained that the fan con was titled “Guess!” because he wanted his fans to guess what he would do next. That’s why he went to different places to meet with his fans, including those in the Philippines. The show was designed for fans to get to know him better as an artist. He named the songs “As It Was” by Harry Styles and “Love Like An Oxygen” by SHINee as his favorites.
From his own albums, he chose “Always,” “Caramel” and “Paradise” from the “Circle” album, “In the Whale” from “Dice” and “Sign” from “Voice” as the songs his fans should listen to, because he said those songs would comfort them. He was supposed to choose the best song among the five that will lift his fans up. But because everyone was happy, there was no need to choose.
About “Sign,” he said he didn’t think the song was a showcase song. “There are songs that I sing a lot, right? Among the songs, ‘Sign’ was always out of the list. I thought if I had the opportunity I would sing this song for you.”
And so he did in this fan meeting, giving his fans the chance to watch him perform it live.
Local flavors
There were a lot of local flavors, too.
He drew the Chocolate Hills and asked a lot of questions about what they look like. When it was explained that the hills are not always brown, he replied that they must look like matcha. He was also asked to draw the Banaue Rice Terraces, the concept of which he said he was familiar with because they have something similar back home.
After he released his inner Picasso and showed the audience the artwork, he joked that there’s a reason he’s a singer. His artworks were given away to fans. When he was made to try dried mango, he said “it tasted like … mango.” There were games he had to do like stacking cups and rolling tissue, but he quickly finished them. “Is it supposed to be this easy?” he asked, confused.
Onew is sunshine
Perhaps it is easy for him because he grew up playing similar games with four men who are unbelievably competitive (or maybe it’s just Minho). He ended the fan con with “Dice” and the unreleased song “All Day.” The latter will probably be included in his upcoming album, which will be released in September.
It’s industry practice to assign personalities to idols in their rookie years. Onew was the equivalent of sunshine back then. He is still a ray of sunshine until now, proving that he naturally cheer people up with his presence.
He’s not just a celebrity you’ve watched on your tiny screen, but also a companion you’ve spent your youth with as you watched fan-translated shows. From then till now, he has stayed real.
The leader of SHINee is still as funny and talented even as a solo act. In one of their many group interviews, Onew said it was okay to like their group for their music, but it was also okay to like them for their personality.
Well, it’s easy to like all of them, and individually, too. Onew, Lee Jin-ki, dubu, yeonggam, the Voice of SHINee—Mr. Sunshine promised to return to Manila soon.
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