To promote their latest mini album ‘Things I Can’t Say Love’, K-Pop boy group OnlyOneOf touched down in Melbourne for the dOpamine World Tour.
The 6-member boy group from 8D Creative is composed of members KB, Rie, Yoojung, Junji, Mill, and Nine, and their dOpamine World Tour have taken the group across Asia, Europe, North and South America. Australia was their final continent for the tour’s final two shows. The group, described as “ubersexual”, is known for their strong yet soft masculine image and this power was on full display on Sunday the 21st of July at Melbourne’s 170 Russell as they performed a selection of their hits for fans, affectionately called lyOn.
The dOpamine World Tour was full service in a way that I have never seen before. Fans with VVIP+ tickets had the opportunity to participate in a fan meeting with time to sit and speak with each member as they signed albums. It was the first time in my life as a K-Pop fan that I had seen an actual fan meeting! It was really sweet to see OnlyOneOf interacting so closely with their fans, and to see the thrilled looks on their fans’ faces as they got to enjoy one-on-one time with their favourite idols.
Following their fan meeting, VIP fans also participated in a hi-touch and group photos. The boys kept the energy high, bouncing with excitement and cheering on their fans as they ran past for hi-fives. One of the group members gave his seat up for fans during the photo ops, while the rest posed cutely, making hearts and allowing fans to poke their cheeks. Once the fan interaction was over, the remainder of their lyOn began to fill the venue, excitedly waiting for OnlyOneOf to take to the stage while generously handing out homemade photo cards and stickers.
When the group finally got on stage, the energy became electric. With lightsticks at the ready, the cheers exploded as soon as the lights in the venue dimmed and the first opening clip played, introducing each member before OnlyOneOf opened with their latest release ‘dOpamine’. Following the opening number, the members began their introductions before performing ‘Gaslighting’, ‘A Song of Ice & Fire’, and the English version of ‘Dora Maar’. The LCD screens around the room and on the roof of the 170 Russell venue lit up with an array of colours and visuals to match each song, giving the concert a larger-than-life feel, despite the confines of the intimate basement venue.
Named as a rookie group to watch by Billboard back in 2020, OnlyOneOf certainly lived up to their potential. With strong vocals, capable raps, and captivating choreography, I was quite impressed with their stage presence and skill. On more than one occasion, the group’s vocalists produced really rich, full-bodied harmonies and I couldn’t help but wonder how much better their show could have been with backup dancers to add extra dimension to their choreography.
While many boy groups prioritise power over finesse when it comes to dancing, OnlyOneOf leans heavily into their sex appeal, with many of their dance moves incorporating sensual touch between members. While this would often be pigeonholed as fan-service, OnlyOneOf’s discography has been known to explore sex, desire, and love in a way that most groups simply don’t, and this concept is reflected boldly in their routines.
Amongst the performances of their most popular title tracks and B-sides, OnlyOneOf had a blast interacting with their Australian fans, with near constant calls of “Aussie Aussie Aussie” – a chant that member KB tried often to jazz up to his liking, conjuring loud screams of adoration for Junji from his fanboys. At times, the members taught fans point choreography, with KB even cheekily chastising fans he thought weren’t getting involved. The venue filled with laughter, strengthening the bonds between fan and idol and giving the show a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
After running through B-sides from their ‘Things I Can’t Say Love’ album and ‘Seoul Drift’ from 2023’s ‘Seoul Collection’, the members of OnlyOneOf dipped backstage for a costume change while a second VCR clip played. Upon returning to the stage, the members each performed solo stages of songs from their ‘undergrOund idOl’ series, a collection that only received digital single release and it was really great to see these tracks performed, though not in full, as they were not widely promoted.
Their use of these tracks to explore themes of LGBTQ+ love and relationships is another concept rarely explored in Korean music and were a welcome addition to OnlyOneOf’s international tour setlist. During their encore stages, the members even took gifts and the LGBTQ+ flags from fans of the crowd to drape around their shoulders, no doubt making the Australian lyOn feel incredibly loved and respected.
The biggest drawback of a group like OnlyOneOf performing at a venue like 170 Russell is that the smaller, compact space doesn’t allow for the best view of the stage once the bulk of the crowd settles in. With choreography that incorporates a decent amount of floorwork, there were parts of their performances that could not be seen from anywhere but the floor barrier. In these instances, the screens around the venue should have shown footage of the idols dancing but instead those of us in the middle and rear of the club were left blind for sections of the performances.
In time, it would be nice to see OnlyOneOf return to perform in one of Melbourne’s bigger, more accommodating venues where their dynamic choreography can be fully appreciated by all.
Presented by Studio Pav and 8D Creative, OnlyOneOf performed the final show of their dOpamine World Tour in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday the 21st of July at 170 Russell.
For more information, visit:
https://www.instagram.com/onlyoneofofficial
https://www.youtube.com/@OnlyOneOfofficial
https://www.studiopav.com
Photography by Grant Alexander.
