OneRepublic turns Seoul into sing-along spectacle during ‘From Asia, With Love’
American pop-rock band OneRepublic returned to Seoul on Monday — a year after their last concert in South Korea — delivering a tightly structured, hit-filled performance at Jamsil Arena in Songpa, southern Seoul, as part of its “From Asia, With Love” tour.
Welcomed by roaring applause from roughly 5,400 attendees, OneRepublic’s front man Ryan Tedder made it clear that this was more than another tour stop for the band; it was a place where Tedder and bandmates looked forward to performing.
He greeted the audience in Korean, saying, “How have you been? Thank you for coming,” drawing excited cheers from the crowd.
“We absolutely love coming here, and it’s an honor to be here,” Tedder later added in English. He also joked that he had stayed in his hotel to practice Korean phrases and shared that he cooks Korean food at home once a week — a small but telling detail that underscored the band’s familiarity with its Korean audience.
OneRepublic began the show with three consecutive performances of “Runaway,” “Feel Again” and “Good Life.” During “Good Life,” Tedder altered the lyrics “Paris to China to Colorado” to “Paris to China to Seoul,” prompting explosive cheers from the crowd.
The concert’s first emotional pivot arrived with “Stop and Stare,” which Tedder introduced as “one of the band’s most important songs” — not just because it was among their earliest releases, but because it helped keep the band together in its formative years. The energy momentarily shifted to reflective as fans sang along.
The emotional current carried into “Secrets,” introduced with orchestral textures as band members Brent Kutzle and Brian Willett brought out the cello and violin, building anticipation for one of the band’s most recognizable hits. The layered instrumentation highlighted the group’s musical range before the show surged back into momentum with “Rescue Me” and “Run,” during which Tedder jumped and ran around the stage, tambourine in hand.
Tedder, who also writes and produces songs for major artists including Adele, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, referred to producing and songwriting as his "second job" before performing Beyonce's “Halo” — a 2008 mega-hit track he co-wrote for the pop star — inviting the audience to join in what he described as “Seoul-style karaoke.” Accompanied only by piano, the stripped-down rendition highlighted his vocal clarity sans arena-scale production.
Tedder also performed OneRepublic’s 2007 debut track “Apologize” on the piano. Being a long fan-favorite hit, many fans were heard singing along to the song word by word, waving their hands in the air. He also invited a fan onstage to play while he led the audience in a massive sing-along.
The night’s biggest surprise came with the live debut of “Need Your Love,” set for release in April. The forthcoming track contrasts the emptiness of material success with the longing for genuine connection, and was met with enthusiastic support as fans raised their arms in approval.
From there, the final stretch of the show unfolded as a cascade of anthems: “I Ain’t Worried,” “I Lived” and “Sunshine,” during which Tedder stepped offstage and into the crowd, singing among fans.
An acoustic guitar intro then signaled the arrival of “Counting Stars,” the band’s 2013 track that is among its most successful singles, before the night eventually came to a close with “If I Lose Myself.”
As the lights dimmed, it wasn’t a OneRepublic track that played over the speakers but Oasis’ “Wonderwall” — a nod to the British band Tedder has previously cited as one of OneRepublic’s formative influences.
The choice framed the concert as both homage and evolution: a band shaped by its influences, now being a global influence itself.
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