Ever since breaking away from his longtime label and joining Griffin Entertainment in 2024, SHINee’s ONEW has been on a roll. The singer has been churning out music like candy while cultivating a solo career that marries his comforting and gentle timbre with an infectious energy that’s impossible to ignore. Less than a year after his last U.S. tour, ONEW returned to Chicago on January 14 with “ONEW The Live: Percent (%),” bringing an abundance of pearl aqua magic and a little more conversation with him.
Energy Levels
As fans gathered inside the Copernicus Center, the excitement of seeing ONEW again — or in my case, for the first time — coursed through the air, becoming more contagious with every interaction. Whether fans dressed up for the occasion, decked out in SHINee’s official pearl aqua color and other shades of blue, or decided to spread cheer through gifting freebies, the energy was nothing but positive, joyful, and electric — exactly the type of vibe I’ve come to expect at a K-pop concert.
At these types of shows, especially those featuring K-pop’s newer generation, the audience’s age range tends to skew more to teens and young adults. However, considering that ONEW is nearly 20 years into his career and many fans have followed his journey since SHINee’s debut in 2008, it’s worth noting that this is one of the few shows where you’ll find a majority of adults in their mid-to-late 20s, 30s, or even older. Some have started families, bringing their kids along for the experience and making what will probably become a core memory for both children and their parents. It’s times like these that I’m reminded of how expansive K-pop’s reach truly is, and how special it must be for ONEW to receive this generational love in real-time.
Welcome To the Show
As ONEW opened the show with “PERCENT (%),” an experimentally tempting B-side off of his album of the same name, the singer automatically set the tone for what fans could expect from this show. Something a little jazzy, a little loose, and overall intimate, ONEW’s aura comes simply from commanding the stage with nothing else but a mic, a mic stand, and his voice. While large movements aren’t necessarily required, especially given the reserved nature of his first few songs, the minimal actions he did take — like putting both hands in the pockets of his gray suit during “No Parachute” — ended up being that much more impactful, showcasing his silent yet gentle masculinity.
From there, the singer initiated the third song of the night, “Yeowoobi,” by holding up his hand and saying, “Lights,” signaling the audience to hold their diamond-shaped lightsticks high in the air. The moment itself feels like it’s ripped straight out of a movie, with hands softly waving back and forth as ONEW’s lush voice fills both the venue and hearts alike. “Your love takes me higher than I’ve ever been,” he sings longingly. The soothing moment doesn’t last long, though; before you know it, he’s already amping up the mood with “Far Away,” a 2000s-inspired alt-rock number that stands out from his other performances thus far. As light and breezy as the night’s been, it’s the section that follows these first four songs that truly captures ONEW’s endearing and playful personality.
Curiosity & Conversation in their purest forms
During K-pop concerts, it’s become standard practice for artists to have “ments” (shortened from “comments”) in between performance segments. During these ments, the idols will greet fans, delve deeper into the meaning of the tour, and casually chat with the audience about what they’ve been up to while on the road. While most groups tend to keep their ments more concise (especially the larger the group), soloists have the pleasure of letting the conversation flow a little more freely — a benefit ONEW takes full advantage of, considering he literally has a song called “Conversation.”
“I’m so happy that I can be back after such a short amount of time,” the singer said. “I told you I would keep coming back to see you under lots of different subtitles for ‘The Live.’” He continues to explain that “The Live” is a branding for his concerts, where he can showcase his various charms and live performances. So far, from 2025’s “ONEW The Live: Connection” to “ONEW The Live: Percent (%),” each subtitle has been derived from the names of his albums. Following his discussion of the tour’s meaning, ONEW does something that you don’t often see at other K-pop shows: celebrating his fans’ personal achievements.
When idols interact with their fans, it’s usually by reading handmade signs, responding to “I love you”s being shouted from across the venue, or asking which of their songs and performances fans liked best. But this time, ONEW specifically asks the audience what’s going on in their lives, and if there’s anything positive they want to share. It’s honestly such a refreshing change of pace. “I was here last April for ‘ONEW The Live: Connection — have you guys been well since then?” he asks genuinely. “Do you guys have any good news?”
The question barely left his mouth before fans started enthusiastically shouting, “Yes,” so he kindly took this opportunity to catch up with his Jjinggu (ONEW’s fandom name) and get to know his tour pen-pals on a personal level. One fan shouted they had passed their political science exams because of him, while another mentioned she got a new house. ONEW’s eyes widened as he congratulated both. The third and final fan he called on shared that she got a new job, and although he couldn’t quite understand the nature of the job, he was equally excited and applauded regardless.
It’s one thing to tell your fans that you love and care about them, but it’s another to actually show it. What ONEW demonstrated during his first ment is that he honestly cares about whether his fans are living happy lives, and he wants to celebrate their wins the same way they celebrate his. If that’s not a wholesome idol-fan relationship, then I don’t know what is.
Standout Performances
All Day: If you’re looking for a song that you can just lose yourself in while surrendering to the groove, look no further than “All Day,” a jazzy B-side from ONEW’s 2024 EP, Flow. Soaked in feel-good rhythms and an addictive bassline, “All Day” is a dream built to seep into the audience’s mind, body, and spirit as ONEW coasts along its ethereal hook, flitting from one end of the stage to the other as if he’s walking on air.
The track itself doesn’t even reach the three-minute mark, but the SHINee leader manages to extend his performance by looping the chorus. It’s something I didn’t even know I needed, but I found myself wanting it to never end — mesmerized by the pink-tinted lights from above as ONEW submerged the crowd in a sonic symbiosis. Even after returning home that night, the “All Day” experience continued playing on a loop in my head (and on my phone).
MAESTRO: Staying within the Flow album, ONEW’s stage led straight into another B-side, “MAESTRO,” a retro funk track with a bit of ‘70s influence. This is where we see ONEW the most energetic so far, reveling in the swing of it all as he hoists his mic stand high in the air during the pre-chorus. He struck a pose right as the newly added synth beats hit, singing, “ 손을 저어 휘적휘적 (I am the maestro under the ocean).”
The new synths added so much star power to the moment, as if ONEW wasn’t just simply stating he’s the maestro, but declaring it. The crowd became his symphony, and it made the buildup to the chorus that much more rewarding in a way that may not have hit as hard without the extra instrumental push. The change clearly resonated, though — fans erupted into a sea of cheers and continued to do so long after the song had ended, leaving the singer blissfully dumbfounded by the response.
Winner: Even before making his solo debut back in 2018 with Voice, ONEW was no stranger to the power of a ballad — it’s what he has become known for outside of SHINee’s more colorful works. Knowing that, fans were in for a treat when the singer decided to slow it down with “Starry Night” and “Winner.” The latter song holds so much more weight when you realize it’s about knowing your worth and standing strong in it. ONEW’s performance starts soft, almost feather-like, in the first half, before gradually building into this wave of warmth and reassurance, mirroring the journey of self-doubt into self-confidence.
“I wrote this song thinking that, as you guys live your day-to-day lives, you go through life thinking, ‘I am a winner,’” ONEW explains following his performance. “You guys are doing an amazing job just surviving […].”
It may not feel like much to some, but regardless of what someone has gone through or is still going through, I’m willing to bet there’s at least one person in the crowd that night who needed to hear that. And sometimes, that’s all it takes.
Silky: If anyone needed any more convincing that ONEW’s range is a godsend, “Silky” appears right in the nick of time. With its languid and almost sensual allure, the Percent (%) B-side feels even more intimate than it lets on. While the singer stated it’s about those lazy days when he just wants to sleep in and relax in his bed, there’s something inherently sexy about the production and the way his voice savors each note.
Objectively, though, it is an impressive performance, considering ONEW spends most of it in his head voice (or higher register) and does so effortlessly while sitting down. If you’ve ever taken vocal lessons, you’ll know this is a skill in itself, as standing while singing is usually the preferred technique for many vocalists. However, ONEW takes it all in stride, expertly switching from his head to chest voice and delivering velvety riffs he could probably do in his sleep.
MAD: There’s something about when ONEW stays in the pocket of a song that’s just effortlessly cool. Sure, he can belt for days and bring listeners to tears with a single note, but it’s so fascinating and captivating when he doesn’t have to — and that’s “MAD” in a nutshell. With its easy-listening R&B tone and sleek production, it’s the type of performance you can just vibe to without giving it a second thought. It also helps that it’s his first all-English track, making it that much easier for English-speaking fans to grasp and sing along to. As one of the songs I was most excited to hear live, “MAD” did not disappoint.
ANIMALS: In the final leg of the show (at least, before the encore), ONEW unleashes his wild side with the funky synth-pop track, “ANIMALS.” With this performance, he serves us theatrics, drama, and intensity as he throws his head back and commits to the animalistic nature of the track. By the time we got to the bridge, the SHINee member delivered one of the most ferocious belts I’ve ever heard, thrashing around the stage and providing the final blow of an explosive final chorus. Like art imitates life, ONEW is finally free to create, experiment, and rediscover music in a way that is both liberating and fulfilling.
Yay: At this point in a K-pop concert, the artist would’ve already gone through at least two or three breaks in between sets, with wardrobe changes, before the final encore stage. ONEW, on the other hand, doesn’t take a single break to recoup or change backstage until the encore. Mind you, that means he had been on stage either singing or talking for an entire hour and a half straight — that usually never happens. Of course, circumstances would be much different if he were executing intense choreography this whole time. However, it’s still a testament to his vocal and mental stamina that he’s able to preserve that much energy without strain.
With that said, “Yay” was easily one of the most fun and infectious numbers of the night as ONEW bounced around the stage like a bunny on Easter Sunday. With most of his other U.S. stops, the singer would come down the aisles during this performance and interact with the fans up close — it’s become one of his favorite things to do. Unfortunately, due to the venue’s policy that night, ONEW was unable to fulfill that ritual for Chicago. Regardless, the singer is not one to have fans going home empty-handed, so he prepared and signed little stuffed animals and stress balls to toss into the crowd.
I’m convinced ONEW’s motto must be, “No fan gets left behind,” because after he gently tossed stuffed animals to fans on the floor, he chucked those stress balls all the way to the upper balcony like it was nothing. After the video went viral on TikTok, even the MLB couldn’t help but chime in. ONEW for the first pitch at a U.S. baseball game, anyone? Never say never.
Happy Birthday: Finally, “ONEW The Live: Percent (%)” closes with “Happy Birthday,” a bright and hopeful song where ONEW can simultaneously wish fans a happy birthday, regardless of the physical distance between them. Maybe I’m a bit biased because my own birthday is coming up — and because his SHINee bandmate Jonghyun also has a “Happy Birthday” song — but this performance was such a cathartic moment. As ONEW’s voice fills the venue one last time, carried by the swell of the instrumental, I’m reminded to make every moment count, to let the euphoria sink in before it’s gone. As ONEW takes his final bows, he does just that, sitting in the gratitude of being able to touch so many lives so far away from home. For him, it’s the greatest gift of them all.
Verdict
No matter what percent you were at before the show, whether it’s 50% or 2%, you’re guaranteed to leave “ONEW The Live: Percent (%)” feeling like 110% or more. From his witty sense of humor and kind gestures to his sweet crooning, ONEW manages to fill up the crowd’s happiness gauge until it’s bubbling over, and the energy is reciprocated to the highest degree. The best way to describe this tour would be, “sunshine, rainbows, and giggles, but make it a little wild, funky, and sexy.”
When he wasn’t singing his heart out or playing the audience like a maestro, ONEW was making an effort to hear and respond to as many of the fans’ declarations of love as he could. I think that pretty much sums up his character and dedication quite nicely.
For updates on all things ONEW, be sure to follow him on Instagram and X.
Looking for more recaps? Check out EnVi’s review of Sarah Kinglsey in NYC here!
