John Park Proves 8 Years Were Worth the Wait with 'Like a Dream' Live Run

John Park made eight years worth the wait with a spotless live return.

From Dec. 19 to 21, the singer staged his solo concert "Like a Dream" at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall in Seoul, reuniting with fans at the same venue where he last headlined in 2017 with "MONO". Tickets vanished the moment they went on sale, setting the tone for a red-hot run.

Park ditched the usual bells and whistles ― no towering LED walls, no pyro, no surprise guests. Instead, a tight full band and his unmistakable voice carried the night. Across 120 intermission-free minutes, he proved he’s not just a star but a stage-commanding live act.

When the curtain rose and a single spotlight hit, the room shifted into a 1920s New York jazz club. Opening with "BLUFF" from his second album, Park’s supple baritone took over, and the early stretch ― sliding through "Skit" and "DND (Do Not Disturb)" ― staked out the show’s vintage-pop-meets-jazz identity.

After greeting the crowd and apologizing with a smile for the long wait, he snapped back into serious-musician mode the moment the next cue hit. “I wanted to focus on the sound we make together,” he told the audience ― and the music stayed front and center all night.

He dialed up the feels with tender cuts like “All I Want,” then kicked into high gear on “Nightcrawler,” locking in with the band for a surge of energy. A searing guitar solo bled into the next number, and with just lights and sound, the 700-seat hall felt supersized. Leaning into the season, Park warmed the room with a holiday medley, weaving from “Love Again” into classics like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” and “The Christmas Song,” all bathed in cozy lighting and piano.

Park later unleashed his signature hit “Thought of You,” sparking a full-voice singalong, and closed the night on a high with the title track “Like a Dream.”

“I realized how precious the stage is while I was away,” he told fans, promising to come back often ― especially around Christmas. “You won’t have to wait long for the next one.” 

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)