Looking at the Korean Rock scene, one can see that the history, although not as extensive as its Western counterpart, is long enough to experience the greatness of local talent. While Punk-rock has imprinted itself more on the Korean audience than Rock, the latter has still found its own spot on the market.  

From No Brain and Crying Nuts to Broken Valentine and Surl, there is always something for everyone. However, as Rock has been evolving for the past decade, often combining various genres, there is one particular group that caught our attention: Xdinary Heroes. Since debuting, the band has rapidly succeeded on the European music market by boldly combining K-pop with Rock. 

Recently, the group participated in Korea on Stage, an event that took place at the OVO Wembley Arena in London. The concert itself celebrated 140 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Korea. Amongst stars such as ATEEZ, P1Harmony, and Young Ji, just to name a few, Xdinary Heroes showed that they are true Rock stars. Straight after the show, the band went on their first European tour, Break the Brake, which also included a stop in London.

It was an odd choice to go for the O2 Academy Islington, as, although it was fully packed, the band could have easily sold out a bigger venue. That being said, the Academy was also perfect in some ways, as it gave an intimate feeling to the show. 

The back of the stage was lifted for Gun-il (drums) and Jun Han (electric guitar), probably as a means of better accessibility for the fans gathered at the back. Although the Academy’s stage is small, the staging was cleverly arranged for every member to find their own little space in the chaos of a Rock show. 

A huge banner (whether it was a piece of canvas or a poster; it was hard to distinguish from the far back) of Xdinary Heroes served as the background. The band began their show with Freddy, a powerful and upbeat track from their latest mini-album, Livelock, which was effortlessly followed by Come into my head, a song that was released as a part of another mini-album, Deadlock. The song had a good, old Limp Bizkit feel to it, especially when the verse “come into my head” was shouted out. While we truly enjoyed the first few songs, it was hard to see anything as many people obstructed the view with their phones. It’s times like these that make us wish shows were the way they used to be – no phones, no point-and-shoot cameras, just enjoying the moment without making it hard for those who are as short as Napoleon himself.

The show itself was split into short segments, with each one ending with a Ment. What’s interesting about this group is that they truly know how to work with their own instruments without overpowering the vocals. This was visible throughout the band’s performance. Test Me was one of those explosive Rock & Roll songs that made many fans bounce off the walls. 

The rollercoaster that was Xdinary Heroes’ live concert was like stumbling into a Rock wonderland, a place where musical genres collided in a spectacular display of talent and a sprinkle of delightful quirkiness. 

After Test Me, there were two dozen other songs performed, and that included Hair Cut from their 2022 Overload mini-album. It was a slow-tempo track – compared with other Rock songs on their setlist – that hit all the right musical notes. The guitar riffs and vocals of Jungsu, Jooyeon, and O.de were very good; they probably had the audience wondering if they accidentally stumbled into a secret music laboratory. And can we talk about that little rapping section? It was like the band decided, “Let’s toss in some rap, just for kicks!” Spoiler alert: it worked. Enemy swept in like a musical superhero with its powerful vocals, and Man in the Box was a Pop-rock treat, making you wonder if the band had secretly time-travelled to the ‘80s to steal some rad vibes.

Now, let’s take a moment to discuss the slow songs. Dear H showcased Jooyeon’s vocal acrobatics. The vibrato in that song hit us right in the feels, like a musical roller coaster with unexpected loop-de-loops. Good Enough and Paranoid brought out the high notes, prompting some in the crowd to attempt their own high-pitched serenades.

The cover of WANNABE by Itzy turned the K-pop hit into a Rock anthem. Then came the cover of The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls; Xdinary Heroes did a great job performing both songs.

Bad Chemical and Freaking Bad brought forth the bold and the energetic. It was like the band said, “Let’s switch things up from slow-motion to action movie mode”. And trust us, nobody in the crowd felt like standing still. Strawberry Cake had everyone singing along. Picture this: a sea of fans belting out the lyrics and the band teasing, “You guys are so cute”. It was like a Rock concert merged with a giant karaoke session, and we were all invited. The recognisable tunes continued with Pirates, and if anyone in the crowd wasn’t dancing, they were probably practicing their best pirate impressions. Bicycle, from their 2023 mini-album, Deadlock, brought red lights and precision drumming.

True to their signature style, Break the Brake weaved through the threads of Punk-rock inspiration, boldly showing their affection for everything vibrant and audacious. Although the night concluded with Happy Death Day, the reverberations of their music endured, gifting us with a fresh admiration for Korean Rock, a few hoarse voices from spirited singing, and the lingering excitement of the next Xdinary Heroes concert.

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Written by Maggie Gogler

_{View of the Arts is an online publication that chiefly deals with films, music, and art, with an emphasis on the Asian entertainment industry. We are hoping our audience will grow with us as we begin to explore new platforms such as K-pop / K-music, and Asian music in general, and continue to dive into the talented and ever-growing scene of film, music, and arts, worldwide.}