On Saturday 19, Pentagon performed the second show off the European leg of their first tour “Prism” in Lisbon, Portugal. Ongoing since April, the tour will span a total of twenty-three cities in four continents.
Lisbon was a surprising choice for a band of their caliber, especially when names like London and Madrid were cut from the list. However, Portuguese fans of K-pop celebrated with joy and brought much interest to the event, in the hopes that this opportunity brings even more artists to the country in the future. The chosen venue, LXFactory, offered plenty of space, quality lighting and backdrops, and ensured a comfortable experience to all attendants.
As soon as the lights dimmed, an introductory VCR started to play. In it, the members of Pentagon unveiled themselves one by one and posed a rhetoric question: “What is your inner color?”
Opening with this year’s enthusiastic single “Sha La La” and following up with their strong debut track “Gorilla”, the crowd cheered in excitement. As usual, a mix of boys and girls, teenagers and adults, Portuguese and international fans stared at the stage with eyes sparkling. It is notable that the crowd was louder than what I usually witness in Lisbon, but maintained the characteristic respect and politeness towards others —something rare to find.
During the first ment, Pentagon attempted to speak a few words in Portuguese, such as “meninas bonitas” (pretty girls) and “fixe” (a slang for something cool), endearing the audience. Following up, they performed two of their most atmospheric singles: “Like This” and “Runaway”. This power duo was one of the highlights of the night, where their intense delivery and prowess made a lasting impression.
Lightening the mood, the cheerful performances of “Just Do It Yo!!” and “Humph!”, their latest single, were filled with adorable interactions and facial expressions, showing a genuine pleasure to be on stage. Another VCR came after, this time featuring an 8-bit animation where Pentagon had to clear a video game stage with the help of screams from the public.
As the challenge was completed, Hui, Kino, Yuto and Yeo One returned for a sensual cover of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy”. Under a moody red light, they swayed in slow movements and body rolls, with main dancer Kino deserving a special mention for his fiery stare and sharp movements. Up next, Shinwon, Jinho, Hongseok and Wooseok covered One Direction’s “Best Song Ever”, drawing a thrilling response from the audience—likely a moment where fandoms overlapped.
During the ballad section of the concert, fanmade banners carrying the words “ Pentagon and Universe, together we can shine” were raised, deepening that moment of connection and gratitude between fans and artists.
As emotions were soothed, the group left the stage and a second VCR started to play. This time, the members of Pentagon posed as if they were in a high fashion editorial, while an electronic backtrack played and some reflexive sentences appeared on the screen. Messages such as “We are better than yesterday” and “No matter what color you show, there is a unique beauty by itself” helped to further the meaning behind the name of the tour, as well as offering an encouraging point of view.
The next track was the hip hip unit’s “Lost Paradise”. Featuring Hui, Yuto, Kino and Wooseok fully embodying the despair and darkness of this song, it was another standout moment of the night. Kino once again proved his top-notch performance skills, and Hui showcased his chill-inducing vocals. After such an intense moment, the serene “Till…” was performed by the ballad unit (Jinho, Hongseok, Yeo One and Shinwon). Their soft tones eased the audience into another block of varied songs, such as the fan favorite b-side “Fantasystic” and their career-defining single, “Shine” closing the setlist before the encore.
After a few minutes, Pentagon came back on stage and bid farewell to the audience. With playful performances of “Thumbs Up” and “Spectacular”, they got to interact with the public, make poses for the cameras, splash water everywhere, and sincerely enjoy themselves.
“Prism”, then, showed itself to be a fitting name for their tour. Through two hours of pure spectacle, their unfaltering energy, talent, and teamwork were refracted to the audience, and the question from the opening VCR answered itself. What is Pentagon’s inner color? Undoubtedly, they have a myriad of them.
(Images via Seoulbeats and Cube Entertainment)
