Laufey Brings Her Musical World to Life at First Solo Concert in Korea

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Laufey brought her "A Matter of Time Tour" to Korea on June 7, holding her first solo concert in the country at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 9 and drawing approximately 4,600 fans. Blending jazz, classical music and pop, she brought the world of her music to life on stage.

The concert marked a long-awaited return for the Icelandic-Chinese artist, who previously visited Korea for a jazz festival but had spoken about wanting to come back for a headline show. Judging by the crowd that filled the venue, the feeling was mutual.

Even before the performance began, the audience reflected the broad appeal that has helped make Laufey one of the defining voices of a new generation of jazz-pop. Children, couples, families and international fans filled the hall. Many embraced her signature aesthetic, arriving in ribbon-adorned dresses, bows and handmade crowns. One fan stood out in a sky-blue hanbok decorated with small lights.

As the lights dimmed shortly before 7 p.m., cheers erupted throughout the venue. Wearing a flowing blue floral dress, Laufey opened with "Clockwork" before moving into "Lover Girl" and "Dreamer." Combined with soft lighting, live strings, and whimsical stage design, the opening set created the atmosphere of a modern fairy tale. The carefully constructed production, from the stage sets to the live instrumentation, made the concert feel less like a typical concert and more like stepping into the world of her music.

During "Dreamer," she performed atop a staircase-like set piece, while "Falling Behind" quickly turned into one of the night's first singalong moments as she picked up a guitar and called out, "Come on, Seoul, sing with me."

The audience needed little encouragement. Fans sang along throughout the night, particularly during familiar favorites. Laufey moved seamlessly between guitar, piano and cello, while a live band and string players accompanied her. The combination of orchestral arrangements and live band instrumentation produced a rich, layered sound that elevated many of her best-known songs.

"I'm so excited to be here. One of my favorite cities," Laufey told the audience, reflecting on her previous visit to Korea for a jazz festival. "I really wanted to do a proper headline show here, so I'm so happy to finally do that."

For all its fairytale imagery, the concert's strongest moments often came from its intimacy. During "Bored," Laufey stepped into the audience and briefly held fans' hands as she sang. Later, "Let You Break My Heart Again" reduced the room to little more than her voice and piano, drawing the crowd into near silence.

A lighter moment came when she continued her tour tradition of selecting a "Best Dressed" audience member. After surveying the crowd filled with bows, dresses and handmade accessories, she crowned ILLIT's Moka, who was attending the concert as a fan.

The fantasy elements returned during the "Cuckoo Ballet" interlude, where ballerinas danced across the stage while Laufey performed on cello. Along with the live strings, dancers and elaborate stage design, the sequence highlighted the attention to detail that ran throughout the production.

Before performing "Snow White," Laufey delivered one of the night's longest speaking segments. While much of the concert was tightly packed with music, she paused to reflect on the emotions that inspired the song and her desire to explore feelings many women experience.

She spoke candidly about struggles with self-image and the pressure of chasing her goals, explaining that writing the song helped her process feelings she had long kept to herself. She added that she hoped it might offer comfort to listeners facing similar challenges.

"We're in different countries speaking different languages, but I find that we all go through really similar feelings and similar emotions," she said. "Humans aren't really that different, and I think music can really be that connector."

As she sang, a giant mirror appeared behind her, reinforcing the song's themes of self-image and self-reflection.

The audience became part of the performance during "Promise," illuminating the venue with phone lights and gently swaying along to the music. If that moment captured the intimacy of the evening, "From the Start" captured its joy. Nearly the entire venue sang along from beginning to end, turning the song into the night's loudest and most communal moment.

From sing-alongs to intimate moments at the piano, Laufey's first solo concert in Korea blended music, storytelling and theatrical elements into a performance that felt closer to a storybook than a conventional concert.