[Grace Kao] Astro's ‘Call Out' at 'Astroad Stargraphy' 2025

Korea Herald

09-06-2025

Because I live in the US, attending a K-pop concert in Korea is a very special treat for me. This past weekend, with my fellow Arohas, I experienced Astro's 2025 'The Astroad Stargraphy' concert on June 7 at the Inspire Arena in Incheon. There was a full band at the left and right ends of the front stage. Astro's members are MJ, Jinjin, Cha Eunwoo, Moon Bin, Rocky and Sanha. It was a sold-out show, and bittersweet for several reasons.
First, there were many reminders of Moon Bin's absence due to his tragic passing. He was listed on the banners and in the closing credits. Many of the dance formations held a vacant spot for him, including an empty mic stand during 'We Still.' Second, Cha Eunwoo is scheduled to enlist in the military in July. Lastly, Rocky, who officially left the group in 2023, joined the group on stage for all of its older songs. This was the first group concert in more than three years, and given Cha Eunwoo's enlistment, Moon Bin's passing and Rocky's departure, Astro's future configuration is, at best, uncertain.
There are so many amazing parts of the experience of a K-pop concert in Korea that are absent in both K-pop and other pop concerts in the US. This show was a full 3 hours and 20 minutes long. In America, I've only attended one concert with a single artist that lasted that long, and that was Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s. Astro's light sticks are intricate, and the arena was dominated by pink and purple lights. According to fans' listings of the set list, the group performed 29 songs. Honestly, I don't know how they did it.
Audience members were given diffraction glasses — when we wore them, all of the white stage lights turned into beautiful rainbow stars, befitting the theme of the concert. We enjoyed a traditional T-stage, which connected to a secondary stage at the back of the floor. This meant that at various parts of the concert, the five members could see different segments of the audience. I have actually never seen such a thoughtful layout for audience members.
Astro's intricate stages and light shows were beautifully well-planned. The large video screens behind the members, as well as on the side panels of the moving segments of the stage, were visually appealing, and the concert made generous use of lights and flares. I also loved the dangling lights hanging above the circular stage, which were manipulated into astrologically inspired designs as the lengths of the strings shifted.
Because my Korean is limited, I was unable to follow most of the conversational parts (ments) of the concert. However, there was one clear theme — nostalgia for the early days of the group. Videos and song backgrounds featured old images of the group, including those of Moonbin. 'We Still' in particular was accompanied by a montage of photos and videos.
In contrast to many K-pop concerts, this show evoked a wide range of feelings from the audience. The emotional ballads 'Circles,' 'Twilight,' and 'Fly' were newer singles and express philosophical and somber themes about life, including those related to Moon Bin's passing. These were composed primarily by leader Jinjin and producer and topliner Subin Kim. 'Circles' may have also evoked the circular section of one part of the stage. At other times, their early songs lightened the mood. Astro's debut song 'Hide & Seek' received thunderous applause. This was followed by 'Breathless,' another tune from early in their catalog that is nothing if not cheerful.
'After Midnight' featured a large video background of ocean waves, which matched the lyrics of the second pre-chorus: 'I'm fine, not fine, the endless ocean.' This song was preceded by the upbeat 2022 song 'Candy Sugar Pop' — one of the last singles that featured all six members. I also enjoyed their performance of 'Crazy Sexy Cool,' although I imagine it was hard to dance in their white and heavily embroidered sparkly suits.
The members were in top form, and their personas were intact. Jinjin, whom I had the pleasure to meet and write about last year, was energetic and expressed seemingly endless positive energy. His leadership qualities were on full display. MJ was the silly one, joking throughout the evening. I just adore his singing. Cha Eunwoo, who is often known as the most handsome idol in K-pop, was treated as such. The almost entirely female audience fanatically screamed, especially when he took off his jacket near the end of the show. Rocky was treated as the long-lost member who returned — fans were so thrilled to see him and wished he would stick around. Finally, Sanha was the sweet and friendly member who was bright and cheerful all night.
The show ended with the song 'Call Out.' This song lasted at least 15 minutes as the members would pause in the middle of the chorus to offer additional ments while other members would run through the audience sections. The lyrics are about the members calling out to their fans to remember them. I doubt any of the Arohas at the concert will soon forget Astro.