Last month the eight members of the K-pop supergroup tripleS created a memorable experience for their fans (known as WAVs) in Chicago.
The freezing cold air the audience withstood while they waited in line didn’t keep their spirits down; the cheers that rang through the venue once the show started were loud and clear. While the girl group is still in the infancy stage of their career timewise (2023 debut), they’ve managed to amass a solid fanbase both locally and internationally. With a total of 24 members and 10 subunits, they’re taking a whole new approach to the idol system.
This is the second tour tripleS has ventured on, their first being the Authentic Tour in 2023, which showcased a different arrangement selected from their lineup for each leg of the tour. For their current run (the Come True Tour) SeoYeon, NaKyoung, DaHyun, Nien, JooBin, HaYeon, Sullin, and SeoAh performed a setlist of tracks spanning the group’s collective discography.
tripleS has an upbeat, fresh atmosphere to their music that makes for a fantastic live show. They’re one of the most interesting groups in what’s known as the “5th generation” of K-Pop, known for both great music and a unique way of promoting. It’s not often that you come across a group that size within the genre, and the fans voting on certain aspects of their image and promotions makes their ecosystem truly unique.
A live show with this headcount might seem less impressive than one with three times as many people on stage, but the idols in attendance proved that the impact of their group has nothing to do with the size of it. The skills and charisma radiating off the rising stars had the audience captivated, and it became easy to see why there was excitement built up for these shows.
This touring subunit, consisting of both some of the oldest and youngest members of the group, created a memorable night for their Midwestern fans. WAVs got to hear at least one song from each of the projects released so far, including songs from the Japanese single album they released back in November.
Despite this run consisting of only 1/3 of the group’s active members, the audience still got the full tripleS experience. Those on stage put their full effort into showcasing as many sides and subunits of the group as they could in one evening. Their sound is charming and full of energy, and they had no problem keeping up with the demanding stages they prepared like seasoned professionals.
Despite barely being out of the rookie stage, tripleS put on a polished performance that proved that the hype behind the group goes beyond the quality of their music. WAVs have a fairly noticeable online presence, and there seemed to be a lot of people excited for this run. This isn’t always an accurate representation of real-life support, but with two tours under their belt, it seems like they’re solidifying a loyal fanbase here in the States.
The audience was buzzing with excitement before, during, and after the show. Chatting excitedly in line about the group’s previous run, cheering loudly from start to finish, and leaving the venue with armfuls of merch seemed to be the procedure for most attendees. Fans of tripleS are seriously dedicated, and they’ll certainly be waiting for the next time they can show up and support their favorite supergroup.
During the show one of the members expressed that they wanted this tour to be a way for their WAVs’ dreams to come true (hence the name), and they accomplished that goal without a doubt.
