For those that do not know, P1Harmony is a six member K-pop boy group consisting of Keeho (leader), Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob. This concert marks their third appearance in Toronto since their debut in 2020. Immediately after seeing them on that stage, I thought to myself: Oh my god, they’re real. I’ve been a casual fan of their music since listening to “If you call me” on their second EP Disharmony: Break out, but their latest album, Killin’ it, sunk its claws into me and turned me into a stan. In addition to being amazing performers, the members are hilarious in their own right, whether that be keeping up with the latest trends, making Minecraft memes, or just gagging audiences with their talent. Unfortunately, because of an injury from a previous performance, Jiung was unable to attend. However, the members made sure that he was not forgotten and kept up the show. 

One of the first things you’d notice about the concert (and K-pop in general) is the community. “P1eces” (the fandom name for P1Harmony) walked around with pictures of their bias (or favourite idol) in their phone case, or learned the choreography to their favourite songs. Not only is that community felt between fans, but also with the idols. Before the concert, several members of P1Harmony took to Instagram, Weverse, etc. to give fans the dress code: pink. There were so many pink shirts, accessories, and signs that you’d think it was the second coming of the Barbie era. Fans even launched a project where we would make custom heart signs to raise during their song, “Fall in Love Again.”

The concert opened with a bang and a flash. Fans cheered and cried, “Piwon!” “Piwon!” “Piwon!” which is the short version of their name. When they finally appeared on stage, the crowd erupted with excitement. Their first song, “Emergency,” was pure energy, loud and bombastic. Everything from their singing to their rapping to their dancing started everything off strong. However, Piwon knew how to pace themselves. They sprinkled in slower songs like “I Am You” and “Butterfly,” which gave fans a moment to enjoy something a bit more mellow. But, to paraphrase their leader Keeho, they didn’t want the night to be too soft. 

In addition to their own songs, the members had solo performances called “stages”. Keeho’s stage was a cover of SZA’s “Kill Bill,” to which he came out with a Maple Leaf’s jersey and a katana. His voice was powerful and graceful to match the original artist’s. Theo covered “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez with his own guitar. He encouraged everyone to turn on their flashlights, turning the venue into a glittering light show. Jongseob’s stage contrasted the others. Not only did he cover A$AP Rocky’s “Praise the Lord (Da Shine),” but he even added his own verses into it, showing off his pure talent when it comes to rapping. The last two, Intak and Soul, didn’t do live vocal covers of their respective songs but instead put on an incredible dance performance. Soul danced to an unknown song and showed his technical skills, being able to maintain perfect control and flexibility over his body even with explosive movements. Intak, meanwhile, had a backtrack of his cover of “On My Mama” by Victoria Monet. He took a sexier approach to his dance with a lot of hip thrusts and grinding that made the entire venue (including me) squeal our hearts out. 

In between songs, the artists took time to pause and interact with us in a conversational way. We got to hear how they explored the city before the concert and how some of the members tried approaching geese in the middle of the night (which is absolutely the worst idea possible). One of the things about P1Harmony that drew me into the fandom is how playful they are with their fans. Keeho especially likes to tease us. During the concert he “got mad” at a few P1eces who didn’t follow the dress code, but it was all in good fun. 

It was incredible seeing just how far these boys have come since their debut and how big the fandom has gotten. Hearing the songs live in a crowd, songs that I used to listen to only by myself, was an experience unlike any other. From the earliest songs to the most recent that got them their first win at Music Bank, this concert was a celebration of their talent, skill, and hard work.