Lines wrapped around the theater, studded with flashes of pearl aqua blue, a hum of excited chatter, and random bursts of song. Excited fans checked tickets for the sold-out show on their phones that read “Taemin: Ephemeral Gaze.” At the start of the lines loomed the Paramount Theatre’s vertical neon sign shining its beacon of welcome to the TAEmates (im)patiently waiting for the performance. The palpable excitement in the crowd turned electric as the doors opened to fans who quickly lined up for merch and beverages or headed straight into the Art Deco-inspired theatre for selfies and mingling.
Known as the idol’s idol, Taemin is no stranger to Oakland as part of K-Pop supergroup SHINee – but this tour marks his first headlining tour in his 14 years as a solo artist. At age 14, he was raw talent as the dancer of SHINee, and over the course of 17 years in the spotlight, he has refined himself into an unstoppable force of singing, dancing, and performance. What this evening also revealed was his never-ending dedication to learning: his English (which he has been diligently practicing) was so much improved that it transformed the way he connected with his audience.
Three screens displaying the opening banner, a swirling orbit of black and white that sketched an eye peering over the audience, ready to reveal Taemin as he truly is through its ephemeral gaze. The opening VCR reflected this as well, with an EKG line that morphed first into the likeness of an eye, then spiraled into several different bursts of shapes and color before returning to its opening wide-eyed gaze.
When the center panel slowly rose, revealing a black-clad Taemin surrounded by six female dancers in red, the crowd became deafening in its cheers. He dropped into a crouch for the opening of “Deja Vu,” a song from his newest album “Eternal.” His hard-hitting movements flipped a switch for the audience who went wild to finally see the artist own the stage. The sultry beat of “Guilty” followed and Taemin milked its point choreography, a hand sliding sensually under his shirt from his chin down his torso. Watching the seasoned artist with his backup dancers highlighted how incredibly sharp and tuned his movements are – he wasted not one gesture as he internalizes the beat and allows it to pulse through him. He and his dancers shifted into “Advice,” a song whose choreo that highlights quick footwork and Taemin’s ability to transition styles quickly and effortlessly.
His first ment connected immediately and directly to the audience because he was so much more comfortable with his English. He mixed it with Korean when he didn’t know a word, even learned words from the translator, and was viscerally tethered to the crowd who appreciated his efforts. “I want to show you guys, who is Taemin,” he explained in English, and elaborated on the tour’s meaning in Korean. It is the artist’s way of showing different sides of himself that reflect who he is as a person – as Taemin.
“Goodbye” followed the ment and Taemin’s dulcet tones contrasted over the hard beat of the music set the stage for an energized solo performance that saw him dancing across the stage in swells of movement and music under falling flower petals. His six backup dancers rejoined him for “IDEA” and “Heaven.” Again, Taemin stood out on stage, grounded in his movements that were sharp and precise and full of his personal style, a seamless series of fluid transitions between movements.
A second VCR of artistic shots played, after which Taemin, dressed in a powder blue jacket, sank into an armchair to serenade the theatre of TAEmates with “I’m Crying” before rising to sing “Clockwork” and “Not Over You.” His vocals were sultry, full-bodied, and confident, a testament to years of practice fueled by his passion and talent. In his following ment, he expressed how looking out over the audience made him want to do well. He sang bits and pieces of songs and teased his audience about their reactions to his singing – and to the graceful fall he made off the stairs at the end of “Heaven,” which he said was a bit scary to do.
During the next song, “The Unknown Sea,” Taemin asked the audience to hold up their phone flashlights and complimented the audience on their positive energy. As he transitioned into singing, he was surprised by a sea of different color filters over the lights, which was a fan-led project for the artist. A gentle smile graced his lips as he sang to the sea of color. “Blue” followed and Taemin was visibly hyped to sing for TAEmates after the touching fan project, milking the melody with panache.
The next set started with an introduction of Taemin’s six backup dancers, Jihyong, Dora, Minji, Rozalin, Jihyun Lim, and SuzyHong, now dressed in white cargo pants and tank tops, and black vests. TAEMates showed them some love before the g.o.a.t came back on stage in a bright red shirt, pants, and jacket for “G.O.A.T.” He sat heavy in the groove of the music and popped his jacket off a few times to reveal his shoulders. Loose and relaxed, he seemed to almost lazily pull off the choreo before jumping into the choruses with determination. Like the rest of the concert, this song flowed effortlessly into the next, “The Rizzness,” which saw Taemin throw off his jacket and lay down the rhymes. The rock version of “Sexy In the Air” grooved hard and again highlighted Taemin’s ability to switch dance styles on a dime. It also made this writer wish that there was a live band behind him.
A smiling Taemin began his next ment, water bottle in hand, and barks in the audience cheering on his amazing stage. He pointed out that the audience really likes “sexy style” and played it up like the ham he is. With explosive cheers, he did the point choreography for the previous songs and teased fans with peeks of his toned abs. Rather than going off stage, his stylists popped on stage for a quick touch up so he could stay connected to his fans.
Moving into what was arguably the highlight set of the performance, Taemin jumped into fan-favorite “MOVE,” proving himself once again as one of K-Pop’s top dancers. He seemed to hardly move at all while performing Koharu Sugawara’s exceptionally tricky choreography, yet hit every move as sharply as a photograph. Smoothly transitioning into “WANT,” Taemin amped up the energy, slipping into the harder-hitting dance style and blending effortlessly with his backup dancers. “Criminal” followed in one of the most riveting stages of the night. As he dropped to his knees with his hands cuffed in a strip of black cloth, a drumset brought in the rock version of the song that seemed to reenergize the crowd even though the night was three-quarters through. Taemin, too, moved with fresh energy, especially during his dance break, then sang with passion and fed off the drumset and the cheers of TAEmates.
In a performance that brought “Horizon” to life in a way the studio version could not, Taemin commanded the stage and the 80s-inspired beats. As the song finished and the middle-panel lowered, a fan-led singalong of “Press Your Number” began, uniting the TAEmate in song and paving the way for his encore set.
Sitting on the stairs in his tour baseball jersey, Taemin launched into “Danger” from his debut solo EP to explosive cheers. Everyone on stage soaked up the audience’s energy and threw everything into the choreography. Taemin basked in the glory of his fans singing as well before the last chorus blew up the theatre. “Crush” followed, enrapturing the audience with its call-and-response, before segueing into the last ment of the evening. It included almost an entire acoustic version of ”Press Your Number” performed as a duet by Taemin and his TAEmates. He then explained how much fun he had on stage and how much energy he received from TAEmates’ enthusiasm.
Next he held up a signed California flag that said “Welcome to California,” a gift from his Oakland fans that touched him deeply. He thanked them with a beautiful rendition of the ballad “Hypnosis,” sustaining a beautiful tone even after a long evening. Of course, TAEmates sang soulfully whenever he held the microphone out to them. Before the last song “Say Less,” he said his final goodbyes and launched into the music, singing with all his heart and bowing to each corner of the theatre as confetti cannons blasted celebratory showers of fluttering paper.
With the memory of Taemin’s radiant smile and unforgettable stage presence, the audience filtered out into the Oakland night. The stop – and really, the tour – had been a monumental success. With his electrifying stage presence, refined talent, and connection to the audience, Taemin solidified his status as one of the most captivating performers in K-pop. The announcement of additional tour stops and encore concerts further confirmed the widespread love for this remarkable artist. Ephemeral Gaze was not just a concert; it was a celebration of Taemin’s journey, his artistry, and the bond he shares with his fans—a night that will remain etched in the memories of all who witnessed it.
Featured photo cr. @HannahRayNinja