from20 (formerly Raehwan of BIGSTAR) and HELLO GLOOM (a.k.a. Ungjae, the maknae of IMFACT) may have started their careers in different K-pop groups, but fate, and probably some shared chaos, brought them together under WAY BETTER. After both going solo (from20 debuting in 2021 with Still Greedy For Juicy… yes, that’s the actual title, and Ungjae in 2022 as HELLO GLOOM with his EP Because I Was Young Boy), the two formed The Faker Club alongside designer Sulju. While they’ve proven themselves as strong solo artists with distinct sounds and aesthetics, it’s their synergy both on and off stage that makes them a true duo to watch. Case in point? Their superb performances during their second European tour, All Eyes On Me, which also included a London stop that proved they’re just as good together as they are apart – maybe even better.

Their show took place at the iconic venue The Garage, and while a 7 PM start might seem early for a concert, it had its perks – namely, being able to get home at a sensible hour, wake up fresh, and still make it to work the next morning like a fully functioning adult. The duo kicked things off with from20’s latest track Eye Candy, quickly followed by WEOL. From the first few beats, you knew they came ready to rock the crowd’s socks off. Just after the second track, from20 shouted with pure glee, “Hello London, we are finally here!” And yes, while they addressed the crowd, I found myself briefly wondering how two artists this talented – serious vocalists with great songs and superb stage presence – are still flying under the radar in Europe. I couldn’t come up with an answer.

James Dean, Dancing in the Dark, and Eyes on Me came next, the two bouncing off each other with charm and chemistry. Still, I was quietly craving their solo stages. from20 took the spotlight first with Demon, the title track from his 2024 8th single album, and if there was ever any doubt about his vocal skills, that performance silenced it. He pulled every note quite well and grooved to every beat he could. He followed up with Bad Revenge, before HELLO GLOOM took over with Somebody, his 2024 collaboration with Justin Park. That led into Satellite, a gentle ballad from his 2022 EP Because I Was Young Boy, followed by a short ment, and then the two returned to the stage together once more.

Blue, Your Love, and Heaven on Earth followed, fittingly titled, because that’s exactly how the room felt. But it was TV STAR (Remix) that unleashed the chaos. The crowd collectively lost it; we danced like we’d just handed in our resignation letters and had nothing to lose. After a long day at work, what more could you ask for than two incredibly skilled performers, great music, and a crowd ready to move?

With Beat It, they cranked the energy up even further, enchanting the whole room. I genuinely loved every second. HELLO GLOOM and from20 had even more up their sleeves, delivering tracks like MAMACITA, Drama (Remix), and finally closing with Chemical. The ending was explosive – and still, I wished the night wouldn’t end. With a strong setlist and 90 minutes of great charisma and energy, it was a reminder of just how immensely talented these two artists are, not only as solo acts, but as a duo with real magic on stage.

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Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image © Nicole Rayo for View of the Arts

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and the arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}