Five-piece group A.C.E lit up the stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on June 26 with their long-awaited 2024 US Tour [REWIND US]. The concert, the third of 14 stops, was highly anticipated by their fans, CHOICE, who longed for the group’s stateside return.
In the competitive K-Pop market, A.C.E has remained steadfast in their craft. The group debuted in 2017 under Beat Interactive and consists of members Lee Donghun, WOW, Park Junhee, Kim Byeongkwan, and Kang Yuchan. Before their debut, they built their reputation through successful busking events and covers, attracting a dedicated fanbase that would later be officially named, CHOICE. Living up to their name, “Adventure Calling Emotion,” A.C.E aims to create music that inspires everyone to go on their own adventures in pursuit of their dreams.
A.C.E opened the night with a theatrical dance routine to their haunting, instrumental prelude, “INTRO : Miserere Mei Deus (We Fall Down)” from their SIREN:DAWN album. Wearing beautiful traditional hanboks over black muscle tees and blue jeans, the members showed off their precise, delicate dance moves and floor work before switching gears for the powerful, EDM-centric “Goblin (Favorite Boys).” The shift from the sobering opener to the dynamic track kept CHOICE on their feet in excitement, eagerly anticipating what the night had in store for them. With the crowd now properly energized, A.C.E removed their hanboks and showed off their physique and swagger with the fan-favorite, “Savage.” Despite being years since A.C.E.’s last L.A. appearance, the fans’ energy was palpable by the endless cheers and screams that filled the theatre.
The highly-anticipated concert not only marked a reunion between A.C.E and CHOICE but also introduced Beat Interactive’s upcoming boy group, HinLOVE, to the public. The group is supporting A.C.E on the tour, gaining live performance experience well ahead of their debut. As they segued into “Changer,” A.C.E brought their labelmates to the forefront, standing side-by-side with them for the song’s closing choreography.
Catching their breaths, A.C.E delivered their hearty greetings to the audience and voiced their excitement to be back in LA. Yuchan admitted that he felt very emotional standing on stage and seeing the packed venue. “I don’t know if I can say this but I feel it’s gonna be the best night of my life.” Donghun echoed the sentiment by promising to give it his all tonight, as he does every night, which Junhee teasingly challenged the audience to watch him closely to ensure he lives up to his words.
After charming audiences with the English version of their feel-good pop hit, “My Girl,” A.C.E leaned into the laid-back vibes of “Facetime” and “Down,” their all-English track featuring American Electro-pop duo GREY. Throughout these performances, A.C.E grooved around the stage, serenading CHOICE as they sang the English lyrics alongside the members.
“The next stages are full of songs that our CHOICE has requested,” Donghun announced, causing a stir in the audience. In the past, A.C.E’s tour setlists were an even balance of original songs and fan-requested covers. Since then, A.C.E’s discography has grown, and only so many songs could fit into their tour setlist. A “MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICE” post on A.C.E’s social media called for their fans to decide which song from their earlier releases would be included in the setlist. Understandably, it wasn’t an easy decision, and fans felt conflicted and worried that their favorite songs would not make the cut.
To everyone’s delight, A.C.E promptly wrapped up their ment and immediately took their spots for the opening floor formations of the dynamic track, “Higher.” The group quickly followed suit with the R&B B-side “Baby Tonight” followed by the pop ballad, “Clover,” and the English version of their latest single, “Supernatural.” Penned by Junhee, “Clover” was particularly meaningful to both A.C.E and CHOICE as it expresses the group’s gratitude for their fans’ belief in them throughout their career.
On the discussion of their recent 7th anniversary, Junhee couldn’t help but reflect on their group’s journey. “It’s really hard to have survived in the industry called K-Pop. But we did survive.” he proudly stated, crediting their survival to CHOICE’s unwavering loyalty, love, and support.
Byeongkwan then shared a spoiler about A.C.E’s upcoming plans. “To be honest, before we came to the U.S. our schedule was hectic because we shot the music video for our fall album,” he shared, inciting excited screams from the crowd. While they were working on their new music, they were also simultaneously curating the tour’s setlist. Despite it all, Byeongkwan was eager to reunite with CHOICE and perform for them once again.
The next stages placed the spotlight on A.C.E’s vocal versatility. The members donned sleek black blazers, took their place behind their mic stands, and showed off their mature vocals with the English version of “Effortless.” The group then wowed the audience with their climatic cover of NewJeans’ “Gods,” the official anthem of the League of Legends 2023 Seasons World Championship, before delivering a stunning, heartfelt rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” accompanied by CHOICE’s voices as they sang along.
Following the performances, Yuchan surprised fans by hinting at a future A.C.E U.S. tour. His perplexed group mates quickly reminded him that they would be back for KCON LA towards the end of July. However, he affirmed that they would return, not just for KCON, but also for another A.C.E tour soon.
Meanwhile, WOW expressed his desire to show a cooler side of himself in A.C.E’s upcoming album. Beyongkwan, noting that their CEO was in the audience, joked about not being allowed to leak any album spoilers tonight. However, WOW piqued the audience’s interest when he agreed, saying he needed to check on the floor’s condition first (Yuchan then literally asked the floor if it was okay thus far). Not one to make their fans wait any longer, Yuchan proceeded to show a small spoiler: he cupped his hands over his face as he leaned back, to which Junhee jokingly asked if he was blocking out the LA sun.
A.C.E then jumped into “Slow Dive” which featured an impressive extended dance break from HinLOVE before segueing into one of their most beloved tracks, “Under Cover.” The dynamic rap-rock track had everyone bobbing their head to the beat as they passionately sang along with the members.
As the members left the stage, pre-recorded voice messages expressing their utmost love, gratitude, and appreciation for CHOICE echoed through the speakers. Byeongkwan thanked CHOICE for their patience and for welcoming them back with open arms and so much love. Yuchan shared how their fans’ enthusiastic cheers made it easy to find their groove again and give it their all. He also promised that A.C.E will “stay fire” and continue to share their passionate love with them all. WOW shared how fans’ messages kept them strong during their break, and Donghun found energy and joy in CHOICE’s cheers that helped him overcome obstacles.
Junhee once again reflected on their journey from busking on the streets to performing on global stages, emphasizing the pivotal role that their fans have played in helping them achieve their dreams. “One of my favorite sayings is ‘Going fast is good, but it’s more important to go the right path even if it’s slow.’ And I believe A.C.E is on the right path because of you.”
Returning to the stage in their tour t-shirts for the encore, A.C.E vocalized their feelings through the heartfelt ballads, “Talk You Down” and “Angel.” Both songs conveyed their utmost gratitude for CHOICE and carried their promise to provide comfort and strength to them through all challenges. On stage, the group showcased their stunning vocals and harmonies, allowing each member to shine brightly during the moving performances.
Once all had been said and done, the theatre exploded into roars of screams as A.C.E jumped into one of the most anticipated songs of the night, “Take Me Higher.” The beloved track hyped up the audience as they went all out, jumping in their seats and hitting the high notes during the chorus singing “Baby take me higher!” with their full chests. The energy amplified as a CHOICE in the first row gifted the members blue LA baseball caps, which they eagerly accepted. As the night drew to a close, A.C.E finished the concert off with a sweet performance “Story,” a fan song affirming the unbreakable connection that they share with CHOICE.
To say that the U.S. tour was long overdue is an understatement. But despite their time apart, A.C.E and CHOICE celebrated the night as if they were never apart. From stunning vocal performances to dynamic stages, A.C.E truly showed what it means to be an ace. With KCON LA around the corner, an upcoming fall album, and more in the works, CHOICE are looking forward to what’s in store for the rest of 2024.