Billie Eilish performs before 20,000 audience in Korea

‘Rule breaker’ Billie Eilish, visiting Korea in four years, was an enormous hit, winning fans amid the humid night air of Seoul. Billie Eilish (original name Billie O'Connell, age 21) appeared at the Gocheok Sky Dome located in Guro-gu, Seoul at 8:20 p.m. on Monday on the Hyundai Card Super Concert 26 Billie Eilish stage. She verified her nickname as 'Rule breaker' throughout the concert.

Eilish exceeded fans' expectations on the stage. She tore across the stage wearing her hair in her signature pigtails and a large T-shirt bearing the words ‘Dead or Alive.’ She shouted "Jump!" as she performed 23 songs over one hour and twenty minutes. Most of the audience was in their 20s or 30s, but some included parents attending with their children. Many foreigners were also present with hairs in pigtails.

Eilish had her first concert in Korea back on August 15, 2018. The newly debuted singer that used to perform for 2,000 people had enraptured an audience of 20,000 in just 20 minutes. "My first concert in Korea was held exactly four years ago. It's truly amazing," said Eilish. The Hyundai Card Super Concert, known for hosting leading global singers including Lady Gaga, Eminem, Paul McCartney, is open again in two years and seven months after the Covid-19 pandemic, after British band Queen's performance in 2020.

'Happier than ever,’ the finale, was the song that completely won over the fans. The song, written by her brother Finneas O'Connell (age 25) with an 80 dollar guitar, starts off as a soft ballad but evolves into strong rock with drums and guitar. As the climax neared, the jaws of fans dropped as the song coupled with a drum solo that was not recorded in the album, Finneas' guitar riffs, Eilish's steady and strong high keys. During ‘All the good girls go to hell’ and ‘Bellyache,’ the audience went wild, jumping out of their seats which were fixed ones. The entire audience sang along with the singer when she performed her most well-known title ‘Bad Guy.’

Eilish also expressed her love to Korean fans. She had earned public attention back in 2018 when she took a Korean flag that was handed to her by a fan and continued her performance with it. A fan handed another Korean flag with Eilish's name written in white on the Taegeuk pattern. She spread out the flag and took it with her as she swept across the T-shaped stage. She continued to hold the flag as she met with fans after the concert.


Jae-Hee Kim jetti@donga.com