It’s not often a idol group gets to embark on a world tour mere months after their official debut, but that’s exactly what FM Entertainment’s rookie group, M.O.N.T, has done. At the end of the North American leg of their world tour, the three member act, Bitsaeon, Narachan, and Roda, finished strong with a fanmeeting in Chicago that left their MINTs counting down the days until their return.
Greeting their Midwestern MINTs with big smiles and friendly waves, M.O.N.T took the stage at Chicago’s historic Studebaker Theater this past Sunday night. Kicking the night off with a bang, M.O.N.T wooed the crowd with an adorably energetic covering of some of K-Pop’s most beloved songs. Singing and dancing to crowd favorites like WINNER’s “Millions,” BTS’s “Go Go,” and Pentagon’s “Shine,” it was hard not to fall for this trio’s many charms.
Of course covers were only one small part of the fun M.O.N.T had planned for their U.S. MINTs. Using this tour as a chance to really meet and connect with their fans, the trio took time not only to answer a handful of previously submitted questions, but to also answer a handful of questions asked directly from members of the audience. With questions like “What would you do if you hadn’t pursued music?” and “Who’s your favorite superhero?” the group had plenty of material to work with and their honest and often very animated answers kept the crowd laughing.
Games were another highlight of the evening, especially for the three lucky MINTs chosen to join M.O.N.T onstage. Selected through an incredibly enthusiastic round of M.O.N.T trivia questions, these three fans were paired with M.O.N.T for an impromptu round of charades. With an incredible amount of help from the audience (and more than a little cheating), M.O.N.T and their MINTs all came out winners. The three MINTs walked away with a bag of goodies from their beloved idols and an unexpected number of hugs.
No fan-meeting would be complete without individual stages from each of the group members and M.O.N.T did not disappoint. The group’s rapper, Roda, kicked the solo stage segment of the night off right with his high-energy cover of G-Dragon’s “Bulls***.” The group’s leader, Narachan, followed with a dance to Lecrae and Andy Mineo’s “Coming in Hot” that had the fans squealing. Because Bitsaeon was fighting off a cold, he was unable to take part in the solo stages, but Narachan’s cover of Jay Park’s “Mommae” was a worthy substitute.
It’s hard to say what the highlight of the evening was. For some, it was having the chance to watch the group perform their own songs. Watching the crowd sing along to “Pain in the Rain,” “I’m Sorry,” and two different versions of “Will You Be My Girlfriend” was proof enough of that. But there were so many special stages that brought fans joy, it’s hard to say which was enjoyed the most. Watching the trio dance to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and “Runaway Baby” might have been a close second. Then again, the Momoland “Bboom Bboom” and BLACKPINK “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” dances were also a big hit. And the dance to the Alvin and the Chipmunks version of Beyoncé “Single Ladies”… Well that one had the whole house laughing!
Wrapping the evening up with a “M.O.N.T Selfy Time,” the trio provided their fans a rare opportunity to not only meet each member individually, but to snap a quick selfie as well. Leaving the venue with adorable pictures on their phones and huge smiles on their faces, it’s easy to believe this evening with M.O.N.T will be one they’ll never forget.