“Hello, we are Purple Kiss!” The six-member Korean girl group introduces themselves amidst the cheers of the crowd, raising their hands over their heads to form the group’s hand symbol.
“Hello, Plorys!” Na Goeun, the eldest and leader of the group, addresses the fandom of the group. “Welcome to Purple Kiss’s first US Tour!”
Purple Kiss debuted in March 2021 with “Ponzona,” a song with a fresh take on the dark concept. The group also had two pre-release singles: “My Heart Skip a Beat” with a fierce choreography and rock-leaning sound and the ballad “Can We Talk Again?” showcasing the group’s vocals. The group has had several comebacks since then, dabbling in a variety of concepts. They tend to alternate between darker, gothic releases and quirky, energetic ones.
The concert opens in the dark as Purple Kiss launches into their first segment consisting of “Intro: Bye Bye Bully” and “Nerdy,” both tracks from their 2022 release Geekyland. Like the dichotomy in their discography, “Intro: Bye Bye Bully” has an eerie sound and intricate choreography to match. “Nerdy,” on the other hand, has a fun, quirky energy to it.
Each of their 20 songs performed has an accompanying choreography. Despite the intensity, the girls never miss a beat — or a note. “memeM” is beyond powerful in person, with Goeun and Swan hitting high notes with ease before the beat drop and the crowd a wall of cheers at the outro. Yuki, despite being sick, absolutely glows during her center parts. “Zombie” capitalizes off its fun nature as the members engage with the audience during the song. Chaein screams “Oh my gosh!” during her usual “ai kkamjjagiya!” part and the crowd loses it after.
My favorite performance was the “Intro: Save Me” and “Sweet Juice” segment, the title track and its respective intro from Purple Kiss’s 2023 release Cabin Fever. “Intro: Save Me” is dark and powerful, even more so in person, really highlighting the group’s performance prowess. “Sweet Juice,” with its swelling strings and almost haunted production, is a wonder to watch.
A standout for me this concert was Dosie. Her presence on stage is unmatched, and she has a really captivating quality. She doesn’t back off on energy, and her dance style evolves to suit the varying genres of Purple Kiss perfectly.
Aside from the group’s discography, there are also several covers highlighting the strengths of the members. Chaein and Ireh cover “We Don’t Talk Anymore (feat. Selena Gomez)” by Charlie Puth, a softer duo choreography, and “Sway” by Michael Buble, with stronger, sexier choreography. Goeun, Swan, and Dosie cover “Light Switch” by Charlie Puth and “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, showcasing stable vocals and energetic dance. Later, there’s a full group cover of “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I, which the group uses to really interact and enjoy with the crowd.
The energy is high. The crowd screams, laughs, and declares love several times. During a talking break, the group attempts the “Slick Back Challenge,” though to no avail.
The ending segments of the concert feature more of the group’s earlier works — “Ponzona” and “My Heart Skip a Beat.” Standing amidst the crowd of fans, shouting the group’s catchphrase “Purple on the top!” those two performances brought me back to the beginning of my journey with Purple Kiss and evoked a bit of nostalgia seeing how far they’ve come.
When the group returns for their encore, the energy is still through the roof. Swan, the youngest, donning a pair of pigtails and a Kirby bucket hat, a gift from the preceding concert, shines with positive energy. Yuki is teased for the cat ears she is wearing. Dosie attaches a plush cat wearing a shark hat (her representative animal) onto her shoulder. Ireh and Chaein match bunny-eared beanies as they dance and hype the group onstage.
And that’s really the best part of the concert: the girls really have fun with each other on stage. That energy gets the crowd going, and it’s a great night. Purple Kiss on bloody top!
