Lee Chan-won Captivates Gwangju With a 197-Minute Concert Spectacle

Singer Lee Chan-won delivered a marathon 197-minute performance in Gwangju over the weekend, continuing a nationwide concert tour that has cemented his status as one of South Korea’s most dynamic live performers. The shows, held on March 7 and 8 at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center, were part of his ongoing 2025-2026 Concert Changa: A Brilliant Day tour — and by all accounts, the Gwangju audience got every minute’s worth.

The tour is a follow-up to Lee Chan-won’s original Changa concert series, now expanded with additional songs from his second full-length album Chanran, released in October 2025. The upgraded setlist blended the trot singer’s signature romantic ballads with the country-pop sensibility of the new record, creating a show that appealed to both longtime fans and newer listeners drawn to his evolving musical identity.

A Theatrical Stage Experience

From the moment Lee Chan-won ascended to the center stage on a lift — met by a wall of fans chanting his name — the Gwangju concerts were more spectacle than standard concert. A full live band provided a rich, dynamic sound bed, while laser effects and theatrical lighting transformed the convention hall into an arena-scale production.

The setlist opened with the country-pop title track Today For Some Reason and Going to Meet You from Chanran, immediately setting an upbeat tone. Lee Chan-won also performed covers of trot legends, paying tribute to artists like Nam Jin whose music first inspired him, before shifting into his own catalog of hits that have made him a household name since his breakthrough on Mr. Trot.

Daejeon and Seoul Up Next

Lee Chan-won took time between songs to thank the Gwangju audience personally, expressing gratitude for their energy and warmth. The singer’s ability to forge an intimate connection with audiences even in large venues has been cited by critics as one of his greatest strengths — a quality that helps explain why his tour dates consistently sell out.

With the Gwangju leg now complete, the Changa: A Brilliant Day tour moves on to Daejeon and then Seoul, where arena-sized crowds are expected. For a genre once considered niche, Lee Chan-won’s ability to fill major venues across the country is a testament to both his talent and the broader revival of trot music among younger Korean audiences.

At just 28 years old, Lee Chan-won is writing a new playbook for what a trot career can look like in the modern era — and the 197 minutes he gave Gwangju suggest he is only warming up.