Welcome back to Fan Chant, a weekly column for K-pop fans, stans, and newbies alike. This week, let’s talk about one of the most fun K-pop tours of the year so far. As always, if you haven’t already, feel free to subscribe to my companion newsletter to get Fan Chant delivered right to your inbox each week!
I absolutely love when K-pop groups come to Nashville. It doesn’t happen all that often, but P1Harmony are men of their word: Last year, the group touched down and became the first-ever K-pop group to play the historic Grand Ole Opry here in Music City. They said they enjoyed it so much that they’d love to return not just to the city but to the same venue, and, earlier this week, they did just that.
P1Harmony’s ongoing “UTOP1A Tour” is proof not only of the groups staying power, but also of the prevalence of K-pop across the country. Middle Tennessee might not be the first area that comes to mind when the general public thinks of K-pop fans, but Nashville’s P1eces (the name for the P1Harmony fandom) showed up in full force, with all the light sticks, pickets, photo cards, and themed outfits that would be expected of any other city.
When P1Harmony say they love Nashville, I believe them — the group’s leader, Keeho, even popped out for his solo stage in a Nashville Predators jersey. Very missed throughout the night was member Jiung, who is recovering from an injury, but absolutely raved about Nashville during the group’s 2023 visit and went so far as to mention that he’d be interested in buying a home here someday.
Keeho, Theo, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob worked extra hard to diminish any strain caused by Jiung’s absence, and the “UTOP1A Tour” is ultimately a charming showcase for the group. There are still a few cities left on the US leg, and anyone in Miami, New York, Oakland, or Los Angeles who might be on the fence about making a last-minute decision should take this as their sign to give it a shot. The group numbers are robust and energetic; the solo stages feel like a personalized talent show in the very best way.
While so many K-pop groups say they hope to achieve personalized interactions with their fans, P1Harmony truly execute on the concept. If you’ve hit the “UTOP1A Tour,” let me know if there was a moment you loved! (Especially if you were in the Nashville crowd, too.)