After a pre-concert press conference, I rushed over to the Hwajung Fitness Center. The last chilly tirade of Old Man Winter was no match for the heat generated by all the excited Korean JAM’S. The group in question holds the distinction of having been the youngest J-pop group to hold a stadium tour. They’ve also earned Japan Record Awards two years in a row and have 22 songs boasting over 100 million streams each. We’re talking, of course, about the powerhouse that is Mrs. GREEN APPLE. Gazing out across the packed venue without a single empty seat in the house, it was clear that their popularity extends well beyond Japan.
While a wave of Japanese artists came to perform in Korea last year, Mrs. GREEN APPLE wasn’t among them. But the cries of longing made their way across the sea, and at the band’s 10th anniversary press conference in December, those cries were answered when Mrs. GREEN APPLE announced their upcoming first visit. This arrival of the big kahuna had not just a ton of fans but also others watching excitedly as their first concern in Korea unfolded.
Nearly four years have passed since the band went on a sudden hiatus and emerged again to launch “Phase 2.” At the press conference, Motoki Ohmori explained how they entered Phase 2 with a goal of creating music and entertainment that can enrich people’s lives beyond the confines of what’s conventionally expected from a band, and that they were now close to achieving that vision. As their concert drew ever near, anticipation mounted as to how the band’s meticulously constructed concept of “entertainment” would come to life before fans’ eyes.
As the show was about to start, something like a heartbeat reverberated throughout the venue in waves, adding to the excitement. And as green lights illuminated the stage to usher in the band, the audience broke into thunderous screams. Motoki seemed to take it all in as he screamed out a simple “Are you ready?” and immediately kicked the night off with their opening song, “Antenna.” The unexpectedly powerful sound system blasted music you could feel with your whole body, and the distorted guitar in particular was the loudest I’ve ever experienced live. All the same, in a feat of absolute marvel, Motoki’s vocals cut through the instruments with striking clarity.
A brief look out around the audience showed that over two-thirds of them were wielding light sticks—made possible thanks to them being sold in Korea in advance. The vibrant colors flashing throughout the venue, all controlled and synchronized behind the scenes, was a testament to the thorough care that had gone into preparing the show. But any thoughts about this impressive light show were quickly ushered out when Hiloto Wakai started tapping ferociously on his guitar in classic MGA fashion, adding a shout of “ga-ja!” in unmistakable Korean for an extra touch of intimacy.
The atmosphere only became even more electric with the next tune, “Bitter Vacances,” with all eyes on Hiloto as he hopped around in a duckwalk guitar solo reminiscent of Chuck Berry. Next, a brief drum solo, accompanied by guitar, punctuated the transition to “Loneliness.” Unlike the chilly metallic vibe of the album version, this hard-rock-inspired live arrangement emphasized the kind of unique, surprise-filled performance you can only experience in a live setting. With violet lasers bouncing around the stage as red and purple light sticks danced throughout the crowd, it was once again clear the pains that had going into the show’s exciting design.
After the string of newer songs, the band took a trip down memory lane with “Ao,” introduced by Ryoka Fujisawa going wild on keys. The guitar swelled onstage during the performance—a reminder of how the song captures who the band was back then. Motoki and Hiloti performing face-to-face was another surefire way to ignite the crowd into a burst of cheers. Following a brief interlude where the band talked with the crowd, Ryoka’s keyboard was once again on full display for the soulful “Feeling,” mellowing things out for a bit. The whole concert was notable for the flexible approach the band took to each segment of the show, playing their songs in new arrangements as the mood continually shifted gears.
Another choice that made the show great was the short interludes they played between songs, allowing them to flow seamlessly into one another in one apparently overarching narrative connecting them together. A particular highlight of this early on was “Magic,” which opened with a percussion-heavy prologue. The audience and the band were in such perfect sync that it was like they lifted some kind of magic right out of a fantasy world and dropped it down into the real world. The crowd kept their eyes peeled on these performers as their music became the brush that painted the emotions of their audience across the venue in sound.
When Hiloto yelled out “daebak!” and Motoki followed it up by cheekily drawing his eyebrows up into sharp peaks, the crowd roared with excitement—everyone knew what was coming next: what might be Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s most universally loved hit, “Ao To Natsu.” As the crowd absolutely belted out along in time to the lyrics and filled the venue with chants, it was impossible not to be moved by the mix of energetic but increasingly bittersweet emotions in the air. Next, as the iconic riff to the jazz fusion “Lilac” rang out, fans couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces.
The concert was in its final act. The raw intensity of “Inferno” evoked the spirit of a summer rock festival, while “Soranji” brought everyone together as lights from phone screens filled the crowd one by one. “familie” leaned into the sense of farewell with Fujisawa’s emotional piano and the lines, “You don’t forget feelings, do you? / Certain Memorial,” while the exuberant “I’m invincible” reaffirmed what everyone already knew without saying. Even as what felt like too short a time together came rapidly to a close, I found myself sinking deeper into the band’s music, their performance, and the world they had created.
After saying their goodbyes, Mrs. GREEN APPLE performed “Dance Hall,” a track the band acknowledged holds a special place in the hearts of their Korean fans, transforming the venue into a massive dance floor. They then brought the night to an epic close with “Que Sera Sera” in what felt like a heartfelt message to the crowd, telling them that this was only the magnificent period at the end of the current chapter and that the next would soon be written. Some in the audience no doubt wished there had been an encore, but it gave the band more than enough time to show off their expertise to its fullest.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE gripped their audience with their concert every second until the very end—a feat that only a band as exceptionally talented as they are could ever pull off, and only when practiced to near perfection. One revelation of the night was the commanding presence Wakai and Fujisawa had, proving that, even though Motoki may be in the spotlight as the frontman, it simply wouldn’t be a Mrs. GREEN APPLE concert without the other two. The audience, too, deserves a round of applause for their part. They channeled their energy into every single song, not just the biggest hits, keeping themselves immersed in the moment in a way that was no doubt touching for the band as well. Korean JAM’S certainly know how to make the most of a short, sweet time.
Personally, the concert was the first time in a long time that I was so immersed in a show that I had no other thoughts in my head beyond what I was enjoying right in front of me. This rare, unadulterated view of joy reminded me of what the band had said just hours earlier at the press conference. They’ve reached a stage where they can embody the vision they have for entertaining people in an extravagant way like this, and witnessing it firsthand confirmed that they have what it takes to showcase what they’re made of on the world stage.
When interviewed, Motoki spoke of the “power of delusion.” While he finds it hard to deny the challenges that come along with pursuing your dreams exclusively, he claims that telling yourself that it may very well be at least possible is the key to surpassing the seemingly unsurpassable. Believe in yourself every step along the way. Any mistakes you make will just become a part of who you are. There’s a reason for everything—and the band proves it in the way they live and the music they make. From the single-minded vision that drove him to write hundreds of songs as students to ensure the success of the band to the conviction that prevented even sudden hearing loss from keeping the dream away, he’s never given up on his beliefs. Like the line in “Bokuno Koto” that goes, “I’ve been walking until today / People call the days / That’s the traces which is a miracle,” Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s entertainment rests on an enduring belief in human potential. Their conviction sparkled like stars in the night sky during their concert, demonstrating with undying energy why their music is loved across generations, eras, and geographic borders.