If you are a K-pop fan, you have probably heard of Treasure, or at the very least, their song ‘Darari,’ which was trending on TikTok under the #dararichallenge. With addictive melodies and killer choreographies, they surely lived up to the hype they were getting.
Aged between 18 and 23 years old, the 10-member group consists of Choi Hyunsuk, Park Jihoon, Kanemoto Yoshinori, Kim Junkyu, Yoon Jaehyuk, Hamada Asahi, Kim Doyoung, Watanabe Haruto, Park Jeongwoo and So Junghwan.
Initially, they had 12 members. Unfortunately, Takata Mashiho and Bang Yedam left the group just last year. The sad truth that fans would never see all 12 of them on the same stage ever again dawned on us.
It was the group’s first time here, but Hyunsuk had previously visited Singapore with his family. “I called my mum to brag to her about being in Singapore,” he said.
PURCHASING THE TICKETS
As soon as we found out Treasure was coming to Singapore, we immediately texted each other and expressed our excitement. Without a need for words, we mutually agreed on buying VIP tickets. Soon after, we lunged at the Treasure Maker and Live Nation presale, to earn a higher chance of securing the tickets.
During the day of the Treasure Maker pre-sale, we waited restlessly in front of our laptops, queuing for tickets. When we arrived at the ticket selection page, we were disappointed to find out that the VIP section was already sold out. Nonetheless, we picked the second-best option, CAT 1 Standing tickets.
Only after buying the tickets, did we come to the sudden realization that the concert was held during the fasting month. However, we did not panic and devised a plan to break fast during the concert. Before entering the standing pen, we would buy the mineral water from the convenience store located near the security check.
PREPARATION FOR THE CONCERT
For any K-pop concert, a must-have item is a light stick. Waving one of these fervently during a performance is one of the many ways fans can connect with their idols during live performances. Fortunately for us, we got our Teu-lights, the official light sticks of the band directly from Treasure’s official merchandise store in South Korea. To our surprise, the Teu-light was only $39, half the price of an average light stick in any K-pop merchandise store in Singapore.
Another way to prepare for a K-pop concert is through outfits! Each K-pop group and fandom has their own representative colour. For Treasure, it was blue. As we searched for outfit ideas, we took inspiration from Treasure Makers who paired sky blue and white together for past concerts. The more we strategized about our concert outfits, the more excited we got, especially as the concert day was nearing.
Lastly, to prepare for the concert, it was necessary for us to know the lyrics of the songs. As we were not fluent Korean speakers, we had trouble memorizing and pronouncing the lyrics. The song that was most challenging was ‘VolKno’ by Treasure’s rapper sub-unit, Choi Hyun Suk x Yoshi x Haruto. It was difficult to rap at such a pace, let alone in Korean, a language completely unfamiliar to us. Nonetheless, we memorized the key parts of the song to the best of our abilities.
D-DAY: HOURS BEFORE THE CONCERT
When we stepped out of the Kallang station, we were pleasantly surprised to see the number of fans who were already waiting in the venue. Everyone was beautifully dressed in sky blue and white.
While waiting for the queue to start, we took pictures of ourselves and even made some friends along the way. Despite the searing heat, enthusiasm filled the air as we mingled with other fans. Some generous fans approached us and gave us snacks for when we broke fast.
It was at 3 p.m. when the soundcheck started. Most of us started to crowd around the entrance since we were all eager to hear Treasure for the first time. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans and it began raining heavily, drenching everyone from head to toe. On the flip side, the queue started earlier due to the downpour. It was chaotic at first, but we eventually managed to settle down. Since we were fasting that day, we were drained of all energy by then.
DURING THE CONCERT
The security checks began at 4.30 p.m., and all of us were hurrying to enter the concert hall as it was on a first-come-first-serve basis where most fans would want a spot near the barricade. As we stepped into the venue, we were blown away by the atmosphere and the beautiful blue lighting. It seemed surreal to think that all of us strangers were connected through our love for Treasure in this one space.
With our queue numbers being the first few rows of the standing pen, tantalisingly close to the stage, we were livid. After an hour of waiting, the concert finally started and the cheers of hundreds of fans filled the stadium.
Treasure kicked off the concert with one of their absolute bangers, ‘Jikjin.’ This title track has a dynamic and energetic choreography along with intense and exciting sounds. Needless to say, the performance was perfect for raising the audience’s energy level through the roof right off the bat.
Another performance that left a huge impact on us was ‘Slowmotion,’ one of their slower songs. Their soothing vocals resonated within our hearts and by the end of the song, everyone had sang along. It was truly a heart warming and unforgettable sight to behold.
At about 7 p.m., while the concert was going on, it was finally time to break our fast. We quickly munched on the snacks that we got earlier and chugged a bottle of water. We were sweating profusely due to the frenzied crowd that was huddling to the front where we were.
At that point, the next segment of the concert had begun, where Treasure took turns saying pickup lines in Singlish. The fans were going ballistic with endearment for their idols who had made such a specialised segment just for local fans. The laughter ensued as the boys gave their best attempt at cheesy lines.
“Do you live in the East? Because when I see you, my heart goes Bedok, Bedok.”
“Treasure Maker, I’m going to dabao you home tonight.” (Dabao is a local slang for takeaway food.)
“My darling… BTO, ai mai?” (“Want to apply for a Build-To-Order flat?”)
There were also times when some Treasure members took turns going offstage to interact with the standing crowd. We really got goosebumps being so near to idols we normally only witness behind a digital screen.
They also had a belated birthday celebration for Haruto, who turned 19 three days before the concert, which made the concert experience all the more wholesome.
All in all, we definitely enjoyed ourselves at the concert, and so did Treasure. Despite the fact that it took place during the fasting month, the money was well worth it to spend on standing tickets. We certainly look forward to seeing them in Singapore again!
