Key from SHINee performed his solo concert '2025 KEYLAND' in Tokyo, showcasing songs from his album 'HUNTER' and more.

SHINee's Key's solo concert in Japan, '2025 KEYLAND: Uncanny Valley in TOKYO', was held on November 30 (Saturday) and 31 (Sunday) at the National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium in Tokyo. Key, who released his 3rd full album 'HUNTER' in August, is currently on a world tour that includes an American tour starting in December, following performances in Seoul, South Korea in September. This concert was his Japanese performance, focusing on songs from 'HUNTER' while also showcasing representative songs that demonstrate his artistry. Key displayed exceptional charisma from the opening. As the curtain covering the main stage, which had visuals projected on it, fell, the stage set with multiple monitors was revealed, and Key's silhouette appeared near the ceiling. Upon closer inspection, he was inside a set resembling a spaceship, wearing a silver outfit reminiscent of a super alloy robot. With an intense expression, he performed 'Strange', a track from 'HUNTER'. The live band created a more dynamic sound than the original track, and Key's voice, moving from low to high tones, dramatically colored the song. As the spaceship gradually descended and landed on stage, he transitioned into 'Helium' with dancers. He performed without breaks until the seventh song. 'Want Another', also from 'HUNTER', gained weight as the rhythm, which was mechanical in the recording, was replaced by the sound of a live bass drum. Just when it seemed like a rap, it suddenly became melodic, then powerfully layered, and Key's voice, when heard live, was even more human. The outro seamlessly connected to a band session, showcasing the live feel that only a live band can create. This concert had many moments that could only be created by a live band, with scenes that could not be experienced in the recordings. Starting with a call for the audience to sing along, 'Killer' saw a back-and-forth exchange of 'Killer' between Key and the fans, known as Shawols, from the very beginning. Despite being a Korean song, there were constant calls from the audience, demonstrating the strong bond between Key and Shawols. The calls from Shawols were perfect during the title track 'HUNTER' as well. Key's dynamic singing voice, catchy choreography reminiscent of zombies, and a flashy production with fireworks created a climax in the first half. Continuing with conceptual songs from the opening, Key, who hardly showed a smile, finally displayed a soft expression when he greeted, 'Good evening, I'm Key from SHINee!' After welcoming the audience, he explained the title. The term 'Uncanny Valley' refers to the psychological phenomenon where artificial objects resembling humans become creepy or evoke disgust at a certain level of realism, saying, 'Even though you are looking at something familiar, it can make you feel uneasy, like a cute yet scary presence, with many subtle points.' He then performed several fun pop songs that naturally led to call-and-response and audience sing-alongs. Before 'Heartless', Key led a practice of steps and claps, creating a great sense of unity in the venue, and smiles overflowed on Key's face as he moved around the stage while singing. After an interval with band performances accompanied by visuals, he changed into a casual outfit consisting of a hoodie, a pink uniform-style shirt, and army-patterned pants sprinkled with sequins, entering the second half of the concert. The lead songs from past albums, which had been heard and seen many times, were performed with new interpretations and arrangements fitting the concert theme. The flow from 'BAD LOVE' to 'Gasoline' overwhelmed the audience with contrasting heat like blue and red flames. In 'BAD LOVE', he showed a posture of kneeling on the floor as if pleading for forgiveness, while in 'Gasoline', he stood on a rising center stage, showcasing strength amidst the fiery production. The potential of the songs was maximally drawn out. In the final MC segment, he created a warm atmosphere by sharing stories about his busy end-of-year schedule and items he often buys at Japanese convenience stores, while also expressing his enthusiasm for the upcoming American tour starting in December. Although Key smoothly conducted the MC in fluent Japanese, he mentioned wanting to try doing it without an interpreter in America, expressing joy over still having things he hasn't done yet. He also touched on SHINee's activities, stating that while each member is currently engaged in solo activities, he wants to work hard both as a solo artist and as SHINee next year. He introduced the final songs of the concert as 'songs that fit the concert concept very well.' In 'Trap', a track from 'HUNTER', he expressed the protagonist's struggles with negative emotions using not only his voice but his entire body, captivating the audience until the curtain fell, leaving a lingering impression. The encore, in stark contrast to the main performance, filled the venue with a happy atmosphere. Dressed cutely in a hoodie featuring Key's official character BOK-SILLee and a knit cap, he performed while spreading smiles. In the MC, he revealed that his stylist prepares various types of outfits for him. Furthermore, he raised the anticipation of Shawols by saying, 'I have a long-awaited announcement,' and instructed them to pay attention to the screen, announcing that he would hold his first solo hall tour in Japan in 2026. The Shawols erupted in joy as he stated that unlike previous solo concerts in Japan, 'This will be an original tour in Japan,' promising a special tour where they could meet the fans at a closer distance. He concluded the concert with the track from 'HUNTER', saying, 'I can say I ran here to sing this song and to see your eyes with this song,' and shouted, 'Thank you, everyone!' as he left the stage. He briefly mentioned preparing a new song during the MC, but given that Key shows various concepts with each tour, the anticipation for seeing a new side of Key in the next hall tour grew during this concert.