Last week, the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles buzzed with excitement as WEi made their highly anticipated return to the City of Angels as the last U.S. concert of their jammed-packed WEi 2nd World Tour ‘Passion‘. Named after their recent EP, Love Pt. 2: Passion, the concert was a showcase of the group’s growth and fervor for the stage as well as the strong bond they forged with their fans, called RUis. The festivities continued a few days later as WEi and RUis put their skills to the test at the LAYOVER at hello82 LA event, further solidifying the bond between the group and their loyal fans.
The Concert
On May 31, WEi wrapped up their second world tour at the intimate El Rey Theatre. The tour, which began in London on May 20, brought Daehyeon, Yongha, Junseo, Donghan, and Seokhwa to two cities across Europe, followed by five bustling tours across the United States. The L.A. concert was particularly special for WEi as it not only served as the last U.S. concert of their current tour but also served as a meaningful throwback to last year’s world tour, where they kicked off their journey at the very same L.A. venue.
A handful of their fans, called RUi, camped overnight outside the intimate theatre to guarantee their spots at the barricade. Some RUis who attended WEi’s San Francisco concert the night prior made an immediate trek down to the City of Angels to catch the final concert. They were treated to an 11-song setlist that mostly consisted of songs from Love Pt. 2: Passion. Released in October 2022, the EP focuses on the multitude of ways that one can passionately profess their love for another.
After a brief VCR introduction, Daehyeon, Yongha, Junseo, Donghan, and Seokhwa sauntered onstage in embellished ensembles and launched straight into their latest title track, “Spray,” followed by the Latin-inspired B-side, “Rose.” Their high-energy performances were laced with charismatic dance moves that set the tone for the night. WEi’s excitement to return to the city that held so many cherished memories could be felt through the high-energy opening performances and charismatic choreography. The crowd reciprocated the feeling tenfold with their nonstop screams and barking, which greatly amused the members. Donghan addressed the audience, “We want to thank all of our RUi for all the experiences and memories that you guys have made for us.”
As the tour was coming to its end, WEi couldn’t help but feel sentimental and a bit regretful that they couldn’t complete the tour as a whole group. Yohan was absent from the tour due to his personal schedule, but the remaining members gave the audience hope for the future, “We’re gonna come back with six members,” Daehyeon promised.
WEi then directed the conversation to Seokhwa, who apparently was itching to show something to the audience, but showed some hesitation. “I’m not sure if I’m able to do this here.” He shared how he watched BLACKPINK’s Coachella performance and was very entertained by something that Jennie did on stage. He took a step back and braced himself as he yelled in English, “Are you ready tonight? Let me hear you fucking scream!” as the entire crowd went wild at his outburst. “It was something I always wanted to do!” he cheekily added.
The other members, who were anticipating this moment, had their jaws dropped in awe and amusement. Junseo playfully addressed their staff in English, “I’m sorry to my company, sorry~!” and all the members justified Seokhwa’s actions as it was their last U.S. stop. WEi then segued into their Daehyeon’s self-produced song, “All or Nothing.” The song’s intense, trap-heavy beats only amplified the crowd’s energy as everyone chanted and waved their lightsticks high in the air.
After another VCR segment, WEi returned to perform, “Higher Ground,” a robust hip-hop song that Yongha described as “a never-ending journey about going higher and higher in life.” The members then took a break and self-reflected on how they had grown more sexy, passionate, and charming since the last tour. Seokhwa shared that he was feeling more confident this time around (as evident in his earlier outburst). He recalled that the group performed a cover of Gayle’s “abcdefu” without the profanity, and decided to take his chances this time around. He sang the pre-chorus acapella before the crowd joined him for the iconic chorus, “A-B-C-D-E-FUCK YOU.” Seokhwa regretted nothing and even threw a middle finger up in the air during the signature line.
Audience participation continued at full force as RUis sang along with WEi to “Moonlight.” The bright pop track highlighted the members’ sweet vocals as they sang about the blissful feelings of true love. The following ment prompted the members to reflect on how they each expressed their love. Daehyeon took a step forward and displayed his love for RUi by making various hearts with his entire body, which earned well-deserved screams from the crowd. Their screams then morphed into hype chants as the rhythmic trap beats of “Waitin’” pulsed through the speakers and pulled everyone back into the show.
Following another VCR segment, WEi returned sporting jeans and muscle shirts as they serenaded the audience with their bubbly, energetic tracks “Twilight,” “Bad Night,” and “Too Bad.” As the night drew to a close, the members turned their focus to RUis, grabbing their phones and taking dozens of selfie photos and videos as the fans’ personal keepsakes to commemorate the special night.
For their encore performances, WEi swapped into plain black tees and kicked things off with “Special Holiday.” The track’s refreshing melodies carried the message of how everyday life can feel like a special vacation with the right person. During the performance, the members accepted gifts, wore headbands, and did everything they could to create lasting memories with all the RUis in attendance. Before their final farewell, WEi asked the audience to practice and rehearse the fanchants for “Bye Bye Bye,” stating that they would hide behind the curtains and leave if they were not satisfied by the crowd’s response. RUis did not disappoint, and all sang the lyrics in unison as they bid their final farewells. From the passionate performances to the genuine connection shared between the members and RUi, every moment of the concert was filled with pure joy.
LAYOVER at hello82 LA
The party continued on June 2 at the nearby hello82 LA store and event space. hello82, a media company committed to creating meaningful and unforgettable experiences for the K-Pop community, organized a free interactive event for WEi and RUi. The event, aptly called LAYOVER at hello82 LA, recruited 77 lucky RUis and the WEi members and put their agility, perceptiveness, and teamwork to the test in their version of the traditional Korean “nunchi” game.
The goal of the game is simple: all 82 participants (77 RUis and the WEi members) must work together to count from 1 to 82. After a person yelled out their number, they had to promptly sit down and wait until all remaining players counted off. If two or more individuals called out the same number or if a number was skipped, the game would come to an end, and the losers would be called out to the middle to dance as their penalty. The game would then be reset and continued until all 82 participants manage to complete the challenge.
As the game progressed, it became apparent that the event was about more than just competition. It provided a unique opportunity for fans to interact with WEi on a personal level and bond with fellow RUis. Those who were unfortunate enough to be called out to the center were met with encouraging cheers and chants from both WEi and their fellow RUis.
At the completion of the game, RUi was awarded a special prize — an opportunity to be in WEi’s TikTok video! Together, WEi and the audience turned up to Beyonce’s “America Has A Problem.”
With their comeback slated for June 29, WEi is set to conquer new achievements, and their RUis will be by their side to support them every step of the way.