[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] Woods’ “Archive One: Completed” and Akmu’s “Paradise of Rumors” have been selected as recommended concert performances for the second half of the year. Both performances showcased the artists’ unique personalities in a multidimensional way, drawing on their genre-spanning musical prowess and original stage direction.

WOOZ’s “Archive One: Completed” (October 31–November 1, K-Sport Dome, Seoul Olympic Park) was an encore performance that capped off a 26-city world tour. Over the course of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, Woods performed 31 songs, showcasing his broad musical range that spans rock, hip-hop, and jazz. Accompanied by a live band and a string orchestra, he skillfully executed high notes, rap, and dance, captivating the audience with diverse stage elements such as guitar performances and a stage set designed to resemble a bar. During his hit song “Drowning,” his explosive vocal power blended seamlessly with the audience’s collective singing. Nam An-woo, CEO of A-Plan, commented, “Beyond the ‘reverse-charting’ phenomenon, Woods’s rise is still in full swing,” while Yoon Dong-hwan, CEO of MY Music, praised him, saying, “Even the K-Sport Dome felt too small for Woods’s performance.”

AKMU’s “Paradise of Rumors” (October 9–11, K-Sport Dome, Seoul Olympic Park) was a performance that brought Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Soo-hyun’s musical imagination to life on a grand stage. AKMU performed 30 songs, including tracks from their fourth studio album *Bloom* and their previous hits. They created a rich soundscape with a live band and brass section, and unfolded a romantic musical world through a donut-shaped stage in the center of the venue, set pieces modeled after natural elements, and a vintage pickup truck. Ko Ki-ho, president of the Korea Popular Music Performance Industry Association, praised it as “a performance that shone with original ideas and the drive to bring them to life,” while Professor Ahn Chae-rin of Sookmyung Women’s University described it as “a stage meticulously crafted for a single, irreplaceable moment.”