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:
- Ma Jingxiang
- Sakurada Kenshin
- Jeon Minwook
- Seo Kyongbae
- Song Seungho
- Jang Yeojun
- 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:
- “Snowy Summer”
- “Paint Candy”
- “All My Poetry”
- “To The Woods”
- “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.
