PROJECT 1004

Tag: chicago

  • CLOSE YOUR EYES Takes Over Chicago With Sold-Out Show at The Athenaeum Center

    CLOSE YOUR EYES Takes Over Chicago With Sold-Out Show at The Athenaeum Center

    Chicago, IL.

    Fans lined up outside The Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture on Halloween night. Some wore costumes to celebrate the holiday, while others showed up in their concert best. All of them were there to see rookie boy group CLOSE YOUR EYES perform at their sold-out show, “BEYOND YOUR EYES.”

    Some of the fans had especially creative costumes, and I had the chance to talk with several of them. The most popular costume turned out to be fans dressing up as a pizza slice or as a pizza delivery person. When asked why they were dressed like this, fans said in CLOSE YOUR EYES’ music video for “Snowy Summer,” there was a scene where a pizza delivery man came to deliver pizza and every member died. So that was why they dressed up as pizza or a pizza delivery person. Check out the music video by clicking on this link. The scene they mentioned was the intro of the music video.

    Who Is CLOSE YOUR EYES?

    CLOSE YOUR EYES (hereafter CYE) is a global project group that debuted in April 2025. The band was formed from the top seven contestants of the 2024 K-pop survival audition program Project 7, in which contestants competed in a variety of missions for a place in the debut lineup. The group will promote together for three years. Here is the final ranking of the members:

    1. Ma Jingxiang
    2. Sakurada Kenshin
    3. Jeon Minwook
    4. Seo Kyongbae
    5. Song Seungho
    6. Jang Yeojun
    7. Kim Sungmin

    CYE was formed with the goal of creating music that stands out for its sound as much as for its striking visual performances. They hope to make songs that listeners can enjoy with their eyes closed.

    The Music Speaks for Itself

    That goal clearly resonated with the fans in Chicago. Many told me they fell in love with CYE because of the music, and that they “never skip a CLOSE YOUR EYES release.” Their recommendations for new listeners included:

    1. “Snowy Summer”
    2. “Paint Candy”
    3. “All My Poetry”
    4. “To The Woods”
    5. “Slowly Bleed”

    A Night of Nonstop Energy

    Fans and members kept the energy high from start to finish. The venue echoed with fan chants from CLOSERs, CYE’s official fandom, and the crowd danced along to the title tracks and upbeat songs. When the slower songs came on, the fans sung along with the members. The setlist showed off the depth of CYE’s catalog, how natural they look on stage, and how talented each member is.

    Between songs, the members shared that they had arrived in Chicago late the night before, so they hadn’t had much time to explore. They did manage to try deep dish pizza, which they loved. They also said they hope to return to the US before the year ends.

    Busy Since Debut

    CYE has kept busy since their debut. They have released two albums, “ETERNALT” and “256th Note,” and have been on their “BEYOND YOUR EYES” tour since January. The tour started in Korea and continued through Japan, Canada, and the U.S. It will wrap up its North America leg in Toronto on November 4. Along the way, the group has also released a comeback, promoted on Korean music shows, and earned their first music show win. Members Yeojun and Minwook are currently hosting the popular music program “MBC M Show Champion.”

    The Canada and U.S. dates of the tour are presented by J&B Entertainment, a Canada-based promoter that brings K-pop acts to fans. Their recent work includes JUNHEE’s Canada tours and NouerA’s 2026 tour. They have also brought many artists to headline the Toronto Korean Festival. Chicago was the second-to-last U.S. stop. CYE will head to New York next, then finish the tour in Toronto.

  • JUNHEE Concludes His First Solo U.S. Tour

    JUNHEE Concludes His First Solo U.S. Tour

    JUNHEE recently completed the U.S. leg of his first solo tour, Into the Ocean. The tour included nine stops, beginning in Dallas, Texas, and concluding in San Francisco, California. JUNHEE (formerly known as JUN) is a solo artist who debuted as the leader of the K-pop boy group A.C.E. After the group’s contract with their former agency ended, the members began pursuing individual activities under different companies. However, A.C.E has not disbanded, and the members hope to reunite for future performances. Fans can often see the members supporting one another through TikTok Lives or by attending each other’s solo events in Korea.

    Since launching his solo career, JUNHEE has been steadily building his musical identity. He established his own label, HNP Entertainment, and has released two projects so far: a digital single titled “Supernova” and a mini album, The First Day & Night. The album showcases a wide range of sounds, featuring fun and upbeat tracks like “Too Bad (15:00),” a heartfelt ballad such as “Night (2:00),” and addictive songs like the title track, “Umbrella (10:00).”

    JUNHEE encouraged attendees to dress according to the concert theme via his Instagram story. The theme of his 2026 world tour, Into the Ocean, was embraced by fans throughout each stop and many fans arrived in creative, beach-inspired outfits. Some incorporated fishing nets into their looks, while others wore clover-shaped hair clips, or dressed like mermaids. During the shows, fans expressed excitement at seeing JUNHEE perform live. Many were longtime A.C.E fans who had attended previous group concerts, while others were new fans who had recently discovered his music. These newer fans shared their excitement about attending the tour and enthusiastically talked about the songs that made them fall in love with his music.

    One of the most memorable segments of the tour was the food testing portion. At each stop, JUNHEE sampled a local specialty from the state he was visiting. In Minnesota, he tried the infamous Juicy Lucy, earning the nickname “Juicy JUNHEE” from fans. While attempting to share fries with the audience, he accidentally dropped them, prompting laughter as he jokingly commented that he makes mistakes sometimes. In Chicago, he sampled deep-dish pizza, much to the crowd’s delight. Local audience members recommended JUNHEE to try Chicago’s other popular dishes next time: hot dogs or sandwiches.

    The concert concluded with an encore featuring several of A.C.E’s hit songs, sending fans into a frenzy as they sung along and cheered with joy.

    JUNHEE will continue his Into the Ocean tour in Asia, with upcoming performances in Seoul on February 1, Taipei on February 28, and a European tour scheduled for March.

    ** Special thanks to KORUS Entertainment, Oppang, and HNP Entertainment for the opportunity to attend and photograph JUNHEE during the Minnesota and Chicago stops of his tour.