When looking back to the first stop of the U.S. leg of ONEW THE LIVE: PERCENT (%) held at the San Jose Civic on January 9, one thing is clear: the show embodied connection. It was a bridge not only between a seasoned artist of 18 years and his fans, but also between 2025’s ONEW THE LIVE: CONNECTION and this current tour. Marking his second tour in under a year, the concert served as a reminder of the enduring bond between the SHINee member and a fanbase that shows no signs of slowing down.
From the moment he stealthily stole onto the stage to position himself behind a mic, Onew captured his Jjinggu—as his fans are affectionately known—with a charisma that is both innate and masterfully refined by years of experience. It was the start of a concert that would be an incredibly intimate experience. He glanced out at the partially filled Civic, and pre-concert chatter morphed into ecstatic cheers. As though powered on by the crowd’s energy, Onew began to sing “PERCENT (%),” the title song of the eponymous album. The excitement in the auditorium rose and became palpable, filling each corner of the massive space. “No Parachute” followed on its heels to exuberant applause that seemed to seep into Onew’s bones and energize him. He struck several dramatic poses and dragged the mic stand in a way that belied his mic skills from his “Dream Girl” days.
Although the crowd was not as robust as anticipated, Jjinggu didn’t disappoint in their support for their artist. The dulcet tones of “Yeowoobi” began, its hypnotizing refrain sweeping through the crowd as fans swayed to the beat. Each repetition drew more out of Onew, which in turn earned him more love from the crowd. By the time the stage lights flashed tangerine and the opening notes of “Far Away” blasted through the speakers, Onew was on fire, crooning with his full-throated voice that is a mainstay of K-Pop.
The singer took a breather for a ment, smiling dopily at the crowd and tugging his black military jacket closer over a white t-shirt. The Onew Condition, which is a fan moniker for his tendency to derp, came out full force. He admitted his nerves were getting to him despite his vast experience and he forgot what he was going to say, which earned roaring cheers of support.
Onew transitioned into “Conversation,” a bop that highlighted his rhythmic, sing-song rapping. It grooved hard and, judging by the roar of the crowd, was an instant favorite. By this point, the connection between the singer and his fans was taut with tension that kept the energy high and the evening full of anticipation. “All Day” followed and its hard-hitting beat contrasted beautifully with the singer’s honeyed vocals while complementing the fan chanting of the repeated lyrics. Shifting into a liquid rhythm, “MAESTRO” saw Onew delivering sultry vocals and gripping the mic stand that he then turned to the crowd as they scream-sung the chorus. The grin on his face was reflected on nearly every face in the crowd as artist and fans volleyed the lyrics like Olympians.
The next ment was a thing of beauty as Onew asked which of his songs was Jinggu’s favorite. With a laugh at the numerous shouts of different titles, he finally asked someone near the front for a suggestion: “On the way.” He began to sing a cappella, his voice floating ethereally above the crowd with only the echo to accompany him; he was lost in the moment, hitting heart-aching high notes with graceful precision. After giving the poignant moment a chance to fade, he announced that the next song hadn’t been on the 2025 set list, so he brought it back for this tour. That song, “Starry Night,” proved to be an epic duet; Jjinggu took on Lee Jin-ah’s part, falling effortlessly into harmony with Onew as they performed together.
Keeping with the low-key vibe, an acoustic version of “Winner” sounded with guitar chords lulling the crowd into a gentle swaying motion. Resonant and full-bodied, Onew’s vocals entranced as he meandered through the song over the running chords of the guitar. For the next song, “Epilogue,” he sat on a stool and crooned what may have been the most sensitively executed song of the evening. A chorus of fans sang along, their voices fading as he let the last notes die away with just a waver of vibrato. The stunned silence was broken by thunderous applause.
In his next ment, Onew confirmed what everyone had been thinking: that the “Starry Night” duet had more than lived up to expectations. At this point, he attempted a joke that fell flat in translation, but he elicited fond laughter as his awkwardness pulled at heartstrings. With those metaphorical strings tight in his hand, he declared that “Winner” was his message that everyone living in this world and surviving are winners. His rambling turned toward his favorite activity. Besides being with Jjinggu, he loves being in bed, he admitted to raucous cheers. A scintillating segue into B-side “Silky” that ignited the crowd, especially when Onew nailed the high falsetto notes.
“Beat Drum” brought out Onew’s dance moves, a rarity in this concert, and Jjinggu fed him even more energy as they sang and jumped along to the addictive chorus. Even though the concert was nearing a close, everyone wanted more. Onew gave it to them in the form of his all-English hip-hop-inspired track “MAD.” Before he sang, he explained he wanted his English-speaking fans to be able to sing along with him, which they did as red and white lights strobed, amping up the moment.
With two songs left, Onew got funky with “Caffeine” where he killed the high belt, which garnered him roaring applause. The entertainer in him worked the long intro to the next track, “ANIMALS,” alternating slowly moving to the beat with seconds of pure stillness. Chaos exploded as red and white strobe lights jacked the energy of the Civic. Headbanging and dancing across the stage, Onew worked the crowd with vocals that sounded as fresh as the start of the show.
After he exited, fans began to chant “Lee Jinki / Saranghae” (Lee Jinki / We love you), which eventually brought him back on stage, now wearing his tour sweatshirt. He launched into “Oreo Cake,” the first of three finale songs, a feel-good song that roused already sky-high spirits with its syncopated rhythms and catchy melody. But it was “Yay” that drew the biggest roar of the night. He took a leisurely musical stroll among the audience, serenading individual Jjinggu and headbanging to the high-energy lyrics as he fed off the crowd’s electric atmosphere. His smile was infectious and remained even after he returned to the stage. Sweeping his eyes over the Pearl Aqua blue-dotted audience, he admitted he was glad to see Jjinggu up close. He also confessed that he would have returned to the stage even without a call for an encore.
It was then that he announced he had a “really, really, really, really, really small gift” for the audience: tiny signed animals and balls that he pitched into the crowd with a pitcher’s arm. As lucky fans clutched their signed items, Onew expressed his gratitude to the crowd for making his dream a reality and for helping him keep his promise from the previous year to return. He also promised to continue to have fun over the next few stops with U.S. Jjinggu.
The intimate “Happy Birthday” drew the crowd near with its anthemic melody to close out the evening. As the final quiet chords rang out in a parting call to Jjinggu, the room erupted in cheers. Onew took his time delivering three deep bows—to the left, right, and center—thanking his fans for an evening of deep connection and music.