MONSTA X member Kihyun has wrapped up a happy trip with MONBEBE, the official fan club name.
According to the agency Starship Entertainment, Kihyun held the '2025 KIHYUN Fan Event 'TRIP TO KIKITOWN!' on the 8th at Myunghwa Live Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., meeting with fans. The event sold out all tickets immediately upon release, demonstrating the intense interest of the fans.
Kihyun opened the performance by singing ''Cause of You,' a track from his solo mini album 'YOUTH,' in which he participated in the lyrics. His visuals, despite having just completed military service, and sweet tone quickly created an exciting atmosphere, while a VCR featuring a moving train and a bicycle on stage gave a sense of embarking on a journey.
After finishing the song, Kihyun greeted his fans he hadn't met in a while. He then explained, "I'm going to be the guide of 'KIKITOWN' today and take you on a town tour. I also participated in stage production, decorating both the video in the back and the stage with a 'KIKITOWN' vibe."
Showing a map of 'KIKITOWN' with various destinations like a bakery and playground, Kihyun said, "You need to change your shoes" before starting the tour. While fans expressed confusion over this sudden remark, Kihyun pulled out flower shoes, surprising fans who cheered loudly.
The first stop with MONBEBE wearing flower shoes was 'KIKINE Bread Shop.' Kihyun took out a cake adorned with various toppers shaped like military boots, fallen leaves, 1213, and MONDUNG-I, pulling each topper to share related stories. His witty storytelling kept everyone captivated, and during a segment about his military experience, he showcased an impressive trombone performance that drew admiration from the audience. Furthermore, the '1213' topper, which had sparked much curiosity among MONBEBE, was revealed to signify that Kihyun had completed a 3 km run in 12 minutes and 13 seconds during his military service, bringing laughter to the scene.
The last topper Kihyun pulled was the '12' topper. He stated, "Before going to the military, I had shared '12 Ways to Wait for Kihyun,' and now I will check the homework," and immediately, the first session involved checking assignments from January to June, and the second session involved checking homework from July to December. Pictures of MONBEBE's homework confirmation that had been posted on social media were displayed on the stage screen, accompanied by various fun certification remarks. Occasionally, the actual MONBEBE who posted the comments appeared, adding to the surprise.
After finishing the homework check, Kihyun said, "I also wrote down 'Ways Kihyun spends 2025 well.' It would be good to add a few more with MONBEBE," and presented a panel. He revealed goals such as 'performing on festival stages,' 'consistently exercising,' and 'not looking at my phone for a day,' while adding 'holding a concert' and 'releasing an album' in response to MONBEBE's requests, raising the fans' expectations. Among these, while recommending 'not looking at my phone for a day' to fans, Kihyun agreed with the fans' cute opposition that they needed to check the fan communication platform and humorously deleted the item, causing laughter.
The next stop was the 'KIKINE Wish Board.' In this segment, Kihyun left a deep impression as he tried to fulfill as many wishes as possible after seeing numerous wish post-its left by fans. He performed various dance challenges, including SB19's 'GENTO' challenge, IVE's 'ATTITUDE,' and 'REBEL HEART' challenge, executing a range of songs from WOODZ's 'Drowning,' Jung Joon-il's 'Anajwo,' to MONSTA X's 'Queen,' and impressing everyone with the breadth of genres.
With a live performance that felt like swallowing a CD, Kihyun truly proved the moniker 'Shin of K-pop,' showcasing powerful rapping that belied his role as the main vocalist through MONSTA X's performances of 'ZONE,' 'Fallin',' and 'Rodeo.' Even alone, Kihyun's explosive energy filled the stage, and the enthusiastic support from fans was reminiscent of a concert.
In the heated atmosphere, the last destination of 'TRIP TO KIKITOWN!' was 'KIKINE Playground.' As the music played, Kihyun walked around the first floor of the audience, performing missions for MONBEBE to find specific items, creating gift-like moments by connecting even closer with the fans.
After taking commemorative photos with fans to capture the special moment, Kihyun concluded the event by singing his solo track 'STARDUST.' His actions of looking around the venue to take in all the fans and lyrics like 'The reason I shine' and 'Thank you' resonated until the end, and Kihyun surprised the fans with a surprise farewell as they left, impressing them once again.
Through his agency, Kihyun expressed, "It was a long-awaited meeting with MONBEBE, so I thought a lot about how I could do more to make MONBEBE happy. I was a bit nervous, but thanks to MONBEBE, I feel more energized, and it was just a happy time. Driven by the love shown today, I will work hard so I can meet with fans more often. I want to sincerely thank everyone who waited for a year and six months. I love you, MONBEBE!"
Recently discharged from military service, Kihyun has showcased his exceptional vocal skills as the main vocalist of MONSTA X, gaining early recognition from K-pop fans. After releasing solo albums 'VOYAGER' and 'YOUTH,' and performing at various festivals, Kihyun has established himself as a trusted solo artist and plans to engage with fans through a variety of activities in the future.
[Photo] Provided by Starship Entertainment.
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