Loossemble 'Link Up Station' Concert Review

Written By: Marbella Bolognese

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Loossemble is back and stronger than ever for their second US tour Up Link Station. I was able to bear witness to the unbelievable talent, and commanding stage presence at their final US show at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. Despite missing their maknae Yeojin, due to health concerns, the girls put on a showstopping performance. From the group’s whole discography being full of catchy songs, impressive vocals and dancing, stunning looks, and down-to-earth personalities; Loossemble is the full package in terms of a perfect girl group. 

Loossemble made their grand entrance dressed in white, giving a contrasting glow against the dark stage background. They opened with “Hocus Pocus” from their latest EP TTYL followed by their catchy upbeat track “Girls Night” from their album One of A Kind. Gowon was the first member to catch my eye for her fairy-like movements and looks. Her blonde bob stayed perfectly in place as she danced around the stage. No hairspray can do that, it’s fairy magic. 

Next to her was Hyunjin, the group's leader, in her white dress possessing a princess aura. Throughout the night, the perfect vocals and graceful energy matched that claim. Hyeju as one of the group's dancers, was giving it her all and pulling all the moves for their performances; the crowd loved it. As the song continued, ViVi interacted with fans making the theater a very intimate space for fans and Loossemble.

Next, the girls took a break from dancing, and with the mic in hand, they showed off their vocal skills singing “Newtopia” from their debut album Loossemble. Then, they greet their fans who they call “C.Loo.” (pronounced “Crew”) They talk about how much they have missed C.Loo since their last tour and what they have been doing in L.A. They went to the Hollywood sign, and ate at some very American restaurants which made ViVi say, “Wow, we really are in America now!”

After their conversation with C.Loo, they sang “Secret Diary” with just a mic in hand.  This was my favorite song of the night, as their vocals and harmonies were beautiful. The girls were vibing with the crowd and matching their insane energy throughout the night. Truly, Loossemble has the best fans in the world.

For their next set, the stage was completely dark as the girls emerged with small moons in the palms of their hands and danced illuminated by the moonlight they carried. They were in perfect sync, making the stage otherworldly and majestic. In a split second, the vibes completely changed with flashing lights and playful music as their song “Real World” began. Besides dancing, Gowon and Hyujin decided to play a game of rock paper scissors during the song. Overall, the girls were just having fun with the performance, and being authentically themselves made me feel more connected to them. These days, authenticity is scarce as K-pop concerts are very scripted, but Loossemble seems to prioritize their C.Loo above anything else which is refreshing to witness.

Continuing with the refreshing, fun vibe they performed their hit title track “TTYL” from their latest EP, you guessed it, TTYL. The energy from the crowd was incredible and way too big for this theater. I was truly impressed by Loossemble’s dancing for this song, as it was incredibly fast, yet they made it look effortless. 

Afterward, they told us it was our turn! The stage lights turned towards the audience. Then the girls showed us the “TTYL” dance step by step. Of course, C.Loo picked up the moves fairly quickly while others, like me, were a little lost. Regardless of what category you fell into, Loossemble was impressed with the whole audience. So much so, that they filmed a TikTok for “TTYL” dancing with the audience, creating a tangible memory fans can cherish forever.

After all the fun and games were over, the girls locked in for an elaborate performance of their songs “Cotton Candy” and “Confession” from their latest EP TTYL. Redlights created a halo around ViVi and Hyeju as the duo performed “Cotton Candy.” The lighting and the sultry dance took my breath away. 

Before I could even catch it, Gowon and Hyunjin came on stage as the next duo and gave my second favorite performance of the night for “Confession”. Just as these two songs seamlessly blended, Gowon and Hyunjin did the same with their dance. Hand in Hand, the two gave one of the night's most memorable performances.

Next, all four of them joined together once more to perform their track “Boomerang.” The dance looked so fun, and I really enjoyed it - especially Gowon’s energy. She gave it her all, not only for her dance but for her rap parts of the song. Overall, the girls gave a very compelling performance. 

Before the show had started there was a message board where fans could leave notes to Loossemble. Loossemble’s staff brought out this board halfway through the show for a segment called “Why we love Loossemble!” 

Hyunjin told C.Loos, “We wanted to know what you love about Loossemble!” to which the crowd screamed “Everything!” This was followed by several guttural screams of “I love you,” turning the volume level from a theater to a stadium. I was taken aback by the outpour of their energy and love for the girls, it was insane.

The girls all took turns standing around the board reading kind notes from fans about how Loossemble was their happiness or even as far as their motivation to keep going. It was truly touching and rewarding to see how loved the girls were, especially after everything they had been through in their idol careers. Hyunjin was tearing up a little while the rest of the members egged her on, but she assured C.Loo she wouldn’t cry. 

After a heartfelt moment with C.Loo, the group returned to ultimate performance mode to sing their song “Moonlight.”  For the final part of the song, Loossemble brought out the small glowing moons to dance with on stage which was very fitting. Next, they performed one of their ballad tracks “Truman Show” followed by an upbeat performance of “Sensitive.” 

The girls take a moment afterward to talk with the audience about this tour. Gowon shares that she is sad that this is their last tour stop, but C.Loo being so passionate has made the night really nice. Next Hyeju shares her thoughts, “I was able to grow and learn a lot during this tour. The energy we received during this US tour makes me want to come back and give an even better performance next time. C.Loo’s happiness is my happiness.” 

Hyunjin shares that coming back to L.A. brought up a lot of old memories, which made today’s concert very precious to her. She continues, “Having so many good people here is such a happy moment for me!” 

Vivi talks about how the first time she came to L.A. she was super nervous, but she vividly remembers C.Loo’s cheers and singing along. This is what made her excited to be back this time. “The U.S. is very far from Korea, and it must be hard to support us from so far. I am so thankful for that, and C.Loo is the reason why I work so hard on myself too,” ViVi concludes. 

Hyeju then goes on to thank the entire staff from hair makeup, lighting, and to basically everyone who worked on this tour. Gowon also thanks the staff for being with them every night throughout every U.S. city. Hyunjin assures them they will never forget everyone's effort and kindness and because of this they will keep working hard as Loossemble. After they say their thank yous, they transition into the last stage of the night.

They ended the night with one of my favorite songs, “Starlight” from their album One Of A Kind. Vocally, this performance was breathtaking all around, but I was particularly impressed with Hyeju’s vocals on this song. She was one with the music and sounded angelic. The girls were giving it their 110%. As soon as the song is finished, Loossemble waves goodbye, and the stage goes dark once more. I was about to retire for the night, but I realized C.Loo was not leaving. They started chanting for Loossemble to come back out for an encore. Of course, Loossemble could not deny their C.Loos and came back out sporting their cute tour merch for two more songs from their debut album, “Strawberry Soda” and “Day by Day.”. 

As soon as they are finished, “Truman Show” begins to play again. Loossemble looks perplexed but still sings along. Out of nowhere, their staff appears on stage with a cake and flowers! The girls are so surprised they stop singing.

Each of them is handed a bouquet as they all gather around the cake to blow out the candles. Gowon reads the cake out loud which says “Loossemble ATE up the tour,” to which everyone in the audience cheers. The girls enjoy their last moments with C.Loo, as Hyunjin keeps singing along to “Truman Show” taking a moment to show off her incredible vocals once more. Then the girls truly said their final goodbyes and left the stage. As the audience poured out of the theater, I couldn’t stop smiling. I hadn’t listened to Loossemble much before this concert or knew much about these girls. I truly understand why C.Loo expressed Loossemble was their happiness - because I left that venue with my heart full of happiness. I was definitely converted into a C.Loo.  I am so excited to see what these girls will accomplish next, not only in their idol careers, but as people. Regardless, I do know one thing, whatever they do, they will always have the unwavering support of their C.Loo. C.Loo may be tiny but they are mighty. I really hope their numbers continue to grow, as Loossemble shares that authenticity and talent with the world exactly as they did tonight.