Ephney Tsai Just months after her surprise Coachella appearance with 2NE1, Minzy made her way back to Southern California for her first solo U.S. headlining performance at the KTOWN Night Market. KTOWN Night Market’s first event of 2022 was held in collaboration with K-Play! Fest, which focuses on all things K-pop. Because of this, the night market attracted more K-pop fans than usual, eager to enjoy the K-pop festivities.
As soon as the event opened, attendees were crowding inside the small outdoor venue, rushing to line up for various food, drink, and merchandise vendors. While some opted to join those long lines, a large portion of fans immediately headed straight to the stage, enjoying a lineup of various acts before Minzy came out to close the show.
Performers ranged from rappers and singer-songwriters to cover dance groups and more. Artists such as Kazi kept the crowd engaged with high energy and catchy music, but the show did not go without a hitch. Technical difficulties such as speaker and microphone malfunctions played a part in pushing set times behind schedule by roughly thirty minutes. On top of that, the crowd also struggled to keep their spots by the stage to watch the performances. With a small viewing area in the middle of rows of merchandise booths, there was almost no room for attendees to see the show. The stage itself was also small and low to the ground, making it difficult for anyone in the back to see.
Despite these setbacks, all was forgotten the moment Minzy stepped on stage with her two dancers. Strutting to the beginning notes of “NiNaNo,” Minzy had the crowd roaring in excitement and pushing forward against the flimsy barricades in hopes of getting closer to see her clearly. Even while flawlessly executing the choreography, Minzy’s vocals still sounded steady and strong, resonating through the mediocre sound system set up by the stages. Flying her way through her solo debut song, Minzy also performed her 2021 release, “TEAMO,” before introducing herself to the audience. Speaking a few quick words in English, the K-pop star shared that it was already unfortunately time for her last song. Fans were distraught that her heavily advertised headlining set would only last fifteen minutes, but she placated them with a blast from the past, a reggae version of 2NE1’s hit song, “I Don’t Care.” The soloist also surprised attendees with a bonus song, 2NE1’s “Go Away,” bringing her set to an end. While Minzy’s performance was short, the veteran performer wow-ed the crowd with her stage presence and treated long-time fans with some of 2NE1’s greatest hits.
