Certain voices don’t just fill a room; they lift it. Onew’s voice has always done that. From the moment he stepped on stage at the Indigo at The O2 for his ONEW THE LIVE: Percent % World Tour, I knew this wouldn’t be just another typical concert. The evening was satisfyingly filled with warmth and sincerity; every song touched by Onew’s familiar magic, smooth where it needed to be and soulful where it mattered. 

The show opened with Percent %, the title track from his newest album, an exquisite fusion of live vocals and cinematic lighting that moved in sync with every drum beat. I’ve always known that Onew’s voice is full of texture and control, and there is no doubt that his sound has evolved as a solo artist; it feels more mature and confident.

Then came No Parachute, a faster-paced number. The lighting seemed to dance in sync again, building a visual rhythm that perfectly complemented Onew’s beautiful stage aura. By this point, the audience was completely under his spell. Few performers can transition so smoothly between power and delicacy, and ONEW does it with a grace that’s second nature.

As the concert moved into the Circle era, we were reminded of his work beyond SHINee. Circle, his first Korean-language studio album released in 2023, showed a more pensive Onew, a storyteller who lets melody and mood do the talking. The interlude flowed into another track, and suddenly the space felt smaller, more personal. It was just Onew and his microphone, and that was all anyone needed. His voice swept upward! 

Far Away, one of my favourite tracks from Percent %, brought out Onew’s glowing energy. Between songs, he spoke to the crowd with so much warmth that it made me want to just jump on stage and give him a bear hug and say, “You did so well”:

“It’s so good to see you guys. Finally, today it’s the day we start the tour. It feels really good to be back.”

He smiled, eyes sparkling, before adding:

“My live band couldn’t be here as they’re in Korea, but I can hear your voices clearly. I am confident this show will be almost perfect.”

And he was wrong, it was perfect!

The next track, Conversation, had the crowd chanting along. While some light autotune appeared in parts, Onew’s voice was so strong, so naturally beautiful, that you couldn’t help but think: ‘he doesn’t need it. He could sing the phonebook and it would still sound immaculate.’ The live energy, paired with his new Connection EP material, shone through every beat.

Then came a beautiful shift; Korean tracks that carried that cool pop-R&B mix from the golden days of K-pop. Onew joked about how it had been over a decade since his last visit to London:

“It’s been ten or eleven years since I came here! You guys aged like I aged!”

The crowd laughed. It was this mix of humility and humour that made the evening so personal.

Midway through, he performed a breathtaking a cappella version of Blue. His voice rang out like a bell. It’s moments like that when time seems to stand still, when the room turns intimate and Onew becomes the gentle voice holding everyone together. Seated on a chair, he then crooned through Starry Night, a bit jazzy number that “swam” under soft lights and the glow of countless lightsticks. The stripped-down Winner followed; just vocals and guitar. It was perfection in its simplest form, a reminder of why Onew remains one of Korea’s most gifted vocalists.

As the concert neared its emotional peak, he performed Epilogue from Percent %. Accompanied only by the piano sound, his voice grew more powerful and more beautiful with each note. When he said,

“This song says that everything will be okay, even if it’s hard.”

Tears welled in many eyes.

“My happiness is over 100% now,” he added, and the entire venue smiled back.

From there, it was a joyous ride – Silky (vocally as smooth as its name), and Mad, where the audience sang every word back to him. His falsetto during the bridge – sublime.

With Caffeine, Onew went full groove mode, flirting with a Bruno Mars-style rhythm that had me dancing. It was charming and vocally flawless. You could almost feel the caffeine crash coming the next morning. He followed with Animals and Oreo Cake from his Percent % album, each delivered with so much passion. Manse, a single from 2024, also made its way onto the setlist.  

The night ended with Happy Birthday reshaped into what felt like a bittersweet encore – joyful yet tinged with longing, because we weren’t ready to say goodbye.

Watching Onew live, after following his career for over a decade, felt like witnessing an artist who has come full circle, still shining and still evolving. Percent % was an emotional conversation, a promise kept, and a reminder that Onew’s light is something we’re lucky to bask in.

As he waved goodbye, another thought came to mind: Onew connects. He is an idol, yes, but to many of us, he is just the boy next door who simply makes people happy while sharing his talent with thousands who are willing to listen to quality music. And that, more than anything, is why he remains one of the purest voices of his generation, if not of today.

Rating:

Written by Maggie Gogler

Featured image © Kirsten Wah-Finn 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.}