When FM Entertainment and ATLocal announced the K-pop Trainee Rookie Show USA Tour starring MONT Arena‘s Beomhan and former “Under 19” contestant and current solo artist Jay Chang, it was certain that fans in Atlanta weren’t expecting to be spoiled with six days of activities from regular showcases to picnics with the two young stars. However, that’s exactly what happened, and there are no complaints from the fans (or the WTK staff) who fell even further for the charms and skills of the talented rookies!
The tour kicked off in New York, a special place to both up-and-coming idols since Beomhan is from New York and Jay Chang is from New Jersey. For those not yet familiar with the young artists, Beomhan is under FM Entertainment and is a special trainee of MONT Arena, a group that will eventually be formed by adding more units— including the already existing three-member, K-pop group M.O.N.T. Beomhan himself has dropped two pre-debut releases— “Sun’s Up” and “Ashes“— with M.O.N.T member, Roda. Meanwhile, after Jay Chang competed on the TV show “Under 19,” he went on to release his first official solo single, entitled “Is You,” in November of 2020.
The tour opened with Beomhan’s solo showcase on August 20th, before Jay joined in and both stars held two back-to-back shows together on August 21st and 22nd in New York. The tour then continued by moving to Atlanta where fans were in for extra special treats far beyond their imagination! It was there in Atlanta that fans learned the two artists have been good friends for years and that their desire to perform onstage together has been a dream in the making for three years.
We don’t know if it was genius marketing or just scheduling that allowed them extra time in Atlanta but either way, the move to have the young stars spend so much time with Atlanta fans turned out to be an excellent decision! Not only did they thrill their existing fans in the area, but they also picked up many new fans as well. While some of our WTK staff had already met and fallen for Beomhan’s many charms, his endless passion, and talent, this was our first time meeting Jay Chang. Needless to say, we were quick to join his growing group of fans as well!
The Atlanta events started off with Beomhan and Jay performing onstage at the City of Duluth’s Block Party on Main. As soon as Beomhan and Jay took to the stage, the skies opened up. Like a scene from a music video, the wind was blowing and the rain falling as fans crowded around the stage to watch Beomhan and Jay dance and sing to their hearts’ content. Jay sang “Sofa” by Crush, and Beomhan performed his song “Ashes” and danced to BTS’s “Mic Drop.”
Despite the rain, the guys didn’t let the weather affect their performance or their energy and neither did the many fans who turned up to watch their stage! The young rookies gave a great show, displaying smooth dance moves and great vocals and raps, impressing all the fans who had turned up to support them. As amusing as the weather was, they were both apologetic with the strange timing of the weather and hoped that everyone still had fun.
After their performance, fans made their way to the tour’s tent where posters, merchandise, and tickets were available for purchase. For an hour that evening, Beomhan and Jay had a meet and greet through a fansign and more, warmly meeting fans who had turned out to support them through the event and withstood the sudden rain.
The following day, it was the activity that fans had been waiting for: a café event! It turned into a fun afternoon that set fans’ hearts fluttering while Beomhan and Jay transformed into waiters at a local chicken restaurant that had been reserved for the event. After fans placed their orders, the new (and charming) waiters then brought the food to each guest one at a time, later bringing out other things as requested such as napkins, straws, and more.
It seemed like a scene out of a K-drama and it left fans all smiling, sighing, and laughing as the “waiters” ran back and forth to the tables. Despite the busy atmosphere, they still managed to slip in friendly chats with each customer. Fans lined up outside with excited faces as they looked forward to their lunch and being waited on by the special servers for the event. Their smiles noticeably grew even brighter during their time in the restaurant! Scroll through more of the photos below.
After the café event was over and tables were cleared, the front of the restaurant became a stage for the singers. They shed their waiter personas and changed into their performance clothes. Then, things got serious as the young artists sang, danced, and performed for the crowd, putting on a great show for everyone in attendance. Beomhan performed with his usual vibrant energy, hyping up the crowd with fun tracks that got everyone singing and dancing along. The night heated up with no complaints as the audience fed off Beomhan’s passionate performance.
As WTK was in the audience once more to bring coverage of the event and to snag some photos, we then sat back to enjoy Jay Chang’s delightful stage as well. He performed “Seattle” by Sam Kim, the song that first gained him many fans during his appearance on “Under 19.” He sounded just as good as he ever did but with an added depth to his voice that immediately makes you pay attention. In addition to “Seattle,” he also performed original works and many others, gaining lots of fans in just one evening.
Overall, the café event was a great success and had all the fans in attendance buzzing in excitement, promising to bring more of their friends to the next event. To see more of Beomhan and Jay’s performance from that evening, check out a few more photos below!
The next day, WTK met Beomhan and Jay Chang for a brief interview to talk about things such as their music, their dreams, the tour, and some lighthearted discussions about their favorite things. Don’t forget to stay tuned because the interview will be published soon on WTK’s website!
After the meeting, there was another performance which seemed (at the time) to be the main event of their time in Atlanta. The show was held in downtown Atlanta, a venue with quaint style reminiscent of book cafés in Seoul. It was brightly lit with cozy risers and stairs to sit on. The crowd was surprised with video messages from the members of M.O.N.T and fans were thrilled to see the members and hear their voices.
The show then started with the duo greeting everyone kindly and doing quick intros, thanking the fans for coming to their recent events.
Jay started off with two self-composed tracks, “Four Seasons” and “Swimming Pool.” Jay explained that he wrote both of these ballads when he was feeling lost, hurt, and alone in Seoul. How was he going to persevere and find out who he was so he could start his path as an artist? He used these songs to comfort himself.
When he finished, Beomhan came out and cheered up his friend and commended him for getting through a hard time. They also mentioned when Jay returned, Beomhan had already left for Korea. They were dismayed that their lives had “taken them onto two different paths” despite their dream to perform together
Jay then talked about how after appearing on the TV show “Under 19,” he was picked up by an entertainment company. However, he was kept away from the public eye and did not get to debut successfully. Frustrated, Jay left and returned to the United States. He lost his drive as an artist until Beomhan contacted him and asked if he would like to join him on this U.S. Tour. Jay wholeheartedly thanked Beomhan for reigniting the fire within him and for giving him a chance to perform again.
Beomhan joined Jay onstage to answer questions and they soon turned the tables on the fans, asking them questions instead. It was a moment filled with silliness and fun, the guys even throwing out wrong answers to their own questions. Yellow? Blue? “Blue and Yellow?” Jay even sat in the audience himself and left Beomhan to host by himself for a few minutes. Afterward, they danced together for a song, enchanting the fans with their playful attitude and dance skills as they took turns rapping and singing.
When Jay went offstage, and Beomhan gave his own introduction. He mentioned that he was excited to get back to his first love which was dancing, even though he enjoys rapping too. He performed the piece with which he had originally auditioned with, as well as a hip-hop-infused freestyle, and Camilla Cabello and Shawn Mendez’s track, “Señorita.” It showed off his great body control, musicality, and charisma.
Afterwards, Jay came back on and sang “Sunlight,” a track about being homesick and missing friends and family. However, Jay assured the listeners that it was actually a happy song. He finished his set with a beautiful cover of “Heather” from Conan Gray making everyone present fall in love with his deliciously smooth vocals.
The show wrapped up with the guys playing penalty games with each other. They took turns spinning a penalty wheel while Jay and Beomhan both groaned and bemoaned their fate. The punishments ranged from Jay having to rap to “Ashes,” dancing, and making a TikTok to Beomhan singing “Seattle,” break dancing for as long as he could, and doing aegyo. It turns out Jay actually wanted to make a TikTok anyways so he was happy to do that one. (Check it out to see the Atlanta fans in attendance that night appear on Jay’s first-ever TikTok video!)
The show finished with Beomhan performing “Ashes” and afterwards, Jay and Beomhan wishing for everyone to be happy and safe. Fans who had purchased special bonuses for the night lined up for a fan sign and then for a selfie event with the talented artists. All in all, fans all left glowing and happy. Everyone felt very supportive and
wishing all the best to these young, aspiring, sweet, and talented artists.
Both up-and-coming stars have their own wonderful talents to showcase, and we look forward to seeing how each one progresses on their journey.
Beomhan has endless energy, passion, and a great work ethic that is sure to carry him far. Add to that his talent and addictive personality, it’s no wonder he is already getting such a hardcore fanbase on social media (such as TikTok) despite the fact that he hasn’t officially debuted yet. He also has a air of sincerity and honesty about him that is very refreshing in the entertainment industry. In fact, we’d say it makes you an instant fan.
Meanwhile, Jay surprised everyone in the audience in Atlanta who hasn’t heard him yet. His vocals are as smooth as silk while still maintaining the throaty quality that gives him a vocal maturity that belies his young age. His delivery and color is also wonderful but that should come as no surprise to those who watched him on “Under 19.”
Perhaps what is surprising, however, is the fact that he can easily change his delivery to suit different genres and songs. For those who watch his Twitch or Instagram lives, you’ll be treated to a substantial range of Jay’s voice. In fact, we look forward to seeing what else he will do in the future! We fully believe he has even more charms that he hasn’t shown to fans yet!
After their great show that night, the party in Atlanta (unbelievably!) didn’t stop. A picnic was soon announced and the duo held an Instagram live where they prepared a lunch of sandwiches for people who would be joining them for the event. Space was limited so only a handful of lucky fans were able to attend. During the picnic, they also performed for the crowd and even played games with the fans, such as dodgeball and more. Where else can you say you played dodgeball with your bias? (Say it again, Atlanta fans! “Thank you, FM Entertainment and ATLocal!”)
The same week, Beomhan also held a dance workshop where fans could come and learn the choreography for his pre-debut single, “Ashes.” The workshop was held at a dance studio in Atlanta and fans turned up to learn the choreography from the singer himself. At the end of the workshop, all attendees received a certification of completion signed by the teacher Beomhan himself and a video of the class. Also of note, Jay Chang (who had infamously shown his dance skills at one of the earlier shows) also was one of the students in the work shop.
The next day, another special night was held! This time, a barista event was held at Momo Cafe in Atlanta. When M.O.N.T previously visited Atlanta, they also held a barista event at the same location and Beomhan had tagged along when he was just a new trainee.
As such, fans were happy to have a repeat at the same location. Especially since Beomhan is now officially part of MONT Arena and has released pre-debut music, becoming more known to the public. It felt a bit like a homecoming to be at the same location but it had an extra quality to it since Beomhan has come so far and is the one doing the barista event himself now. Adding to the special feel of the location of course is that Jay Chang, Beomhan’s long time friend, was also there and participating in the event as well.
As fans ordered special drinks at Momo Cafe, the handsome baristas took their order at the outside window, chatting casually with the customers as they did so, putting everyone in a great mood. After they finished all the orders, Beomhan and Jay then left their posts as baristas and came out to put on a great busking event outside, drawing the attention of many people on the street as well. People from inside the café also came to listen, as did some people walking by.
This performance seemed more casual, making it feel a bit more intimate as lights twinkled at the outdoor seating space. The singers also remained seated most of the evening, lending a more relaxed and enjoyable attitude to the night. After the performance, the stars held another fan sign and selfie event, holding friendly interactions with delighted fans.
For now, that is the end to Beomhan and Jay Chang’s special events in Atlanta! Despite the extra schedules in Atlanta, they also remained busy almost every night with special lives on Instagram, TikTok, or Twitch. They also kept in touch with their eager followers online through activities such as photoshoots and holding digital fan signs. Fans in Atlanta were extremely spoiled by all the wonderful encounters, the fantastic performances, the intimate venues, the special events, and more.
I’ve never heard of a K-pop group or artists being able to spend so much time in one city but I highly recommend it when it’s possible. The artists and fans definitely grow closer, but more than anything, a stronger bond forms which makes the fans feel extra supportive of the idols. You don’t just look at them as singers or rappers or dancers, you realize more than anything that they are real people just like you. And due to that, you feel the urge to support them, to cheer them on, and to root for them to succeed against all odds.
Beomhan and Jay Chang already had people who adore them in Atlanta, but after their special time here— their K-pop extravaganza if you will (for what else can I call their time in Atlanta with all these special events?)— they don’t just have fans. They now have hardcore supporters who will cheer them on endlessly with that extra little bit of Southern goodwill!
In the meantime, you can also catch Beomhan and Jay Chang performing soon in both Texas and Alabama! They will be appearing at the Galleria Mart in Carrollton, Texas on September 16th, at the Mid-Autumn Festival at Asia Times Square near Dallas on September 18th-19th, and at a K-pop Concert in Birmingham, Alabama on September 28th.
Follow FM Entertainment’s tour page here or ATLocal’s Twitter page by clicking here to stay up-to-date with tour dates and announcements. Check out Beomhan’s social media accounts here: Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube. Keep up with Jay Chang online here: Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube.
Thank you to FM Entertainment, ATLocal, Beomhan, and Jay Chang for allowing us to cover their events in Atlanta!
Let us know your thoughts by tweeting to us @whatthekpop1 or leaving us a comment on Facebook and Instagram!
Media: What The Kpop
*These events were covered by WTK Staff Amy Leigh and Ann Powell.
If you want to support some of the local businesses where these K-pop events were held, please see the information: Block Party on Main, Yummy Chicken, North Atlanta Dance Academy, Momo Cafe