Korean pop rock band CNBLUE performed at The Novo in Los Angeles on April 24, delivering a show filled with fan favorites, personal stories, and memorable energy. The enthusiastic crowd of BOICE, their official fandom, filled the venue in anticipation as they prepared light up bracelets and sticks graciously gifted by the band.

CNBLUE opened with “In My Head,” “Where You Are,” and “I'm Sorry,” instantly getting the crowd on their feet to the throwback tracks. Throughout the night, lead singer and guitarist Yong Hwa connected with the audience through casual and often funny comments. “I love LA, I ate a lot of food in K-town. We all love K-town,” he said with a smile. He listed some of their favorite meals in the city, including In-N-Out, açaí bowls, and tacos. One highlight was his passionate statement about the Korean soup: “Gomtang in K-town is bussin’. This is fact.”

Before launching into a set of songs filled with emotion and strength, Yong Hwa said, “These next three songs are some of the most powerful songs. Maybe you can feel our CNBLUE red energy.” The lighting reflected this mood, with red and warm colors washing over the stage during “Cold Love,” an epic rock ballad and “Bad Bad,” a track from their latest album, X, which had fans clapping to the beat under flashing red lights.

The stage shifted to blue for “Tattoo,” featuring rap verses from Yong Hwa, strong guitar riffs, and hard rock elements. The band then took a light moment to talk about tattoos. While none of the members have one, bassist Jung Shin said he wants one on his back. A fan in the crowd showed off a CNBLUE tattoo, which Yong Hwa pointed out with excitement. He then welcomed fans in multiple languages, greeting the crowd in Thai, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Chinese, joking, “Welcome to the worldwide show.” He then introduced a set of their most loved songs. 

The band’s next segment started with “Loner,” their debut track. The crowd sang along with Yong Hwa and Jung Shin’s raw vocals and were reminded of the anthem that introduced CNBLUE’s musical identity. The upbeat song “Love” followed, with Yong Hwa making L-shapes with his hands in between guitar riffs, and “Coffee Shop” brought groovy energy. Yong Hwa and Jung Shin went forward towards the audience while playing their guitar and bassist respectively, and then back towards drummer Min Hyuk, jamming together to the song. 

The next song, “Wake Up” was one of the most engaging parts of the night. It included a long instrumental section, playful call and response with fans, and back-and-forth singing. Yong Hwa sang the chorus a cappella with soulful vocals and different octaves and waited for the fans to respond. After multiple rounds, he declared himself champion with an “I win.” He stomped to the beat of Min Hyuk’s drums and led a brief moment of “We Will Rock You,” clapping and chanting with BOICE. He also played tribute to Queen’s Freddie Mercury, covering the late singer’s iconic “Ay Oh” interaction with the crowd.

CNBLUE’s connection and playfulness with fans was a recurring theme that night and the members were not afraid to express their gratitude. “You guys are as bright as the LA sunshine,” Jung Shin said. Min Hyuk said, “Nothing gives me more energy than your cheers. You guys are the best.”

The band then shifted to their newer music, starting with the songs “To. My Love,” and “Then, Now and Forever.” The band shared that this song came from an album that meant a lot to them after a long break and poured their hearts into making each and every song. “A Sleepless Night” came next, accompanied by soft rain sounds and a calm visual background as fans waved their hands side to side.

“Let’s go back to 2011,” with the next song Yong Hwa said with Jung Shin noting that it was the year he bought the exact bass he still plays today. “Intuition,” another crowd favorite featured Yong Hwa’s rap verses, and was followed by “Racer,” “99%,” and “Between Us.” Fans sang and jumped along with colorful lights and pixel visuals flashing behind the band. “We sang 99%, you filled the rest,” Min Hyuk said. “So I’ll say we sang 100%.” The members then went on to express their desire to return to the States as soon as possible, and promising they will come back 

“Cinderella” brought disco vibes, with Yonghwa dancing on podiums and cheering on his bandmates while they skillfully played their instruments with a “go Min Hyuk, go Min Hyuk… go Jung Shin, go Jung Shin!” The night seemingly closed with “Radio,” where Jung Shin stood on the podium while Yong Hwa returned to the keyboard. Smoke, confetti, and streamers filled the venue as fans clapped and sang along.

The encore began after fans chanted for the band’s return. Yong Hwa came out smiling and said, “LA, you have stolen my heart.” CNBLUE then played “Can't Stop,” with fans singing along to every lyric. The members smiled at the crowd from hearing BOICE’s voices. The members’ love for their fans was evident as Jung Shin said, “You made this day so special for us. We’ll remember this moment for a long time.” Minhyuk added, “It’s been 11 years since I was last here. Next time, I’ll be sure to come back as fast as possible. The band also did not forget to share their gratitude to their accompanying guitarist by giving him a shoutout. 

Before the final song, Yonghwa brought out an acoustic guitar and performed a short version of “Love Light.” He then shared a personal message: “I wrote this next song during a really rough chapter of my life. Looking back, those were actually the most precious moments. This song helped me through the hard times, and I hope it helps you too. LA, let’s stay young forever.”“Young Forever” closed the night with one last burst of confetti and the crowd singing along in unison. 

It was a heartfelt end to an evening full of music, memories, and good times. CNBLUE showed that their connection with BOICE is still going strong, strengthened by every song and every cheer.It was a night to reflect on everything they’ve shared and a reminder that music, like the spirit of youth, can stay with us forever.