Akdong Musician gave 200% of their love at Singapore showcase > K-POP

On 9 December, YG Entertainment's one and only sibling duo Akdong Musician, affectionately known as AKMU, pampered their fans to a healing night at their first live show - AKMU Studio in Singapore. The pair consisting of 20-year-old Lee Chanhyuk and 17-year-old Lee Suhyun, did not show any signs of anxiety when they took over the stage despite their young age. We assume Chanhyuk must have done his special pre-stage ritual to get rid of the jitters (NB: Read our interview to find out more!).

The K-pop scene may be dominated by idol groups but this sibling pair proved that their talent is enough to go beyond the mainstream norm. Humbly claiming to not top the 'looks' department (although their fans strongly think otherwise!), AKMU captured the hearts of the audience last night with their down-to-earth personality and of course, not forgetting their excellent vocals and in-sync harmonization!

Held at Kallang Theatre, the stage set-up was complete with bookshelves and a row of guitars​ to reflect their tour, 'AKMU Studio'. The serenade session, accompanied by a live band, started off with an upbeat 'How People Move' which is the title track of their latest mini-album 'Adolescence (사춘기 상​)'. The musical pair also charmed with all-time fan-favourites such as 'Give Love', 'Re-Bye' and '200%' and got the audience chanting along to the lyrics. Known for their amazing knack for making cover songs, AKMU did not disappoint as they belted out their rendition of 'Lucky' by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, 'Officially Missing You' by Tamia and 'Eyes, Nose, Lips' by YG labelmate, Big Bang's Taeyang.

The breaks in between performances were filled with small talk segments and it was commendable that the siblings tried to converse in their limited English to connect with fans. Chanhyuk shared that through their tours and travelling to places, they managed to pick up different languages. He praised Suhyun for being a fast language learner but hilariously emphasized that Suhyun "has good English pronunciation... and only pronunciation!" Their strong sibling relationship was certainly evident through the support they gave one another on stage as well as the adorable banter and teasing which amused the audience for its realness.

The humble pair were in disbelief when fans responded that they knew about AKMU through the audition programme 'KPOP Star' instead of their affiliation with YG Entertainment and being labelmates with global superstars Big Bang. Just goes to show how talented the duo are and certainly not due to "the YG effect"!​ Chanhyuk also revealed his surprise at the warm reception upon their arrival at Changi Airport, commenting that he felt like an idol for once. 

The highlight of the night was undoubtedly during the performance of 'Give Love' when the pair left the stage to get closer to their fans. Walking along the aisle all the way to the back of the theatre, both Chanhyuk and Suhyun fulfilled fan requests for hugs, hi-fives and selfies. As they say, good things come to an end. Promising that this will not be the first and last time, Suhyun assured fans that they will be back for another show sometime in future. 

Keep a lookout for Akdong Musician's upcoming full album [WINTER] which is scheduled for release on 3rd January 2017.​ Also, check out our exclusive interviews (Part 1 & Part 2) with siblings. For HQ photos, head over to our Facebook page. ​

Korea.com would like to extend our thanks to organizers IME Singapore and Three Angles Production for extending the media invitation to cover 'AKMU Studio Live in Singapore'.

Korea.com's Shya contributed to this article from Singapore.