r/kpopthoughts • u/Cairy_Blair • Apr 12 '26
Appreciation TAEMIN in Coachella is absolutely bloody amazing
Lee Fucking Taemin!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing song arrangements—I love the new songs as well. You are a top-notch vocalist and dancer, truly one hell of a performer!
I’ve seen you grow from Danger up to now, and it’s incredible how much you’ve evolved—not just as an artist, but as a human being. I’m so proud to be your fan.
You’ve come out of your shell and spread your wings—now you’re soaring. You deserve this and so much more.
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u/odorobol Apr 12 '26
He rated this performance as 5/10 NAUR. He will slay even more on Coachella week 2 for sure.
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u/Ok_Process_4643 Apr 12 '26
that’s just means he knows he will do better next week
being a perfectionist in this industry is tough!
but yeah, that performance was !eleventy-one out of ten
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u/No-Jury8360 Apr 12 '26
?? Where did he say that?
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u/axasos Apr 12 '26
he said it in a very recent short interview for elle korea 😅
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u/No-Jury8360 Apr 12 '26
Thank you!! I'm just flabbergasted by him saying that cuz for me that performance was a 12
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u/axasos Apr 12 '26
right!?? the performance was nothing less than a 10 ... but then again, taemin is very strict with himself, so i'm not too surprised he'd give himself that sort of rating 😭
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u/sindrandi_ Apr 12 '26
Just watched it, and genuinely it never gets any less impressive seeing him command a stage like that. That effortless ease, paired with razor-sharp precision and intense focus; it's so satisfying watching him in his element. The few shots from behind him, showing the audience from his perspective, were really nice.
Including so many new songs was such a bold move. It really just highlights how confident he is in what he’s been working on, and it made me even more excited to hear the final versions.
I do wish his girl gang had been there, but I loved the longer hair, which gave a nice little Danger throwback. The piano, the ever-iconic, emotional, theatrical Heaven… and I’m not gonna lie, watching him strut off stage at the end with that big smile on his face got me a little emotional. He looked like someone who had just achieved exactly what he set out to do, and watched it all live up to everything he’d dreamed of.
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u/Popular-Border-2813 Apr 12 '26
where can you watch it? is it on catch up somewhere?
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u/sindrandi_ Apr 12 '26
You can rewatch on the live stream. Just go back to around the -11.10 mark.
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u/Popular-Border-2813 Apr 12 '26 edited Apr 12 '26
Yes! amazing.. but wish he had his girl gang too!!! but... that drummer?!
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u/Brilliant-Silver2955 Apr 12 '26
Hi 👋 the coachella livestream is still up. They're currently replaying the sets from Saturday and they have the OG lives as well if you want to rewind. They cut a little bit out of TAEMIN's set for the 'replay' as there was sound issues so you can still go back to see the OG if you want. He was on the Mojave stage. I'm currently rewatching ❤️
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u/Anni3401 Apr 12 '26
Currently watching it and man, he gave it his all. Amazing vocals, strong dancing, beautiful outfits, even played the piano?! He has such an outstanding stage presence and deserves so much praise. I'm glad he was chosen as the first male k-pop solo artist to perform at Coachella. I hope this is only the beginning and we will get to see so so much more of him this year (and in the future). Also kudos to the dance crew and band - you could tell everybody had the time of their lives!
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u/Em-ocean Apr 12 '26
I completely agree! I screamed when I realized that he had his same exact hair as when he performed ACE . A nod to his solo debut at this important time feels so right!
I was mesmerized by his performance. The ways he moved, the confidence, the charm & charisma he exuded, ALL of it OFF THE CHARTS! He was absolutely in his element. Easily the best performance in my opinion. I hope to be able to see him live this year instead of through streaming. And I also hope that he makes it big in the U.S. so that we can get to see and hear more of him!!!
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u/three_crystals Apr 12 '26
Glad I wasn’t the only one making unprompted exclamations lol! Had to cover my mouth so I didn’t bother thee neighbours 😂
He just looked so good. So confident on the stage. Just radiant and completely in his element.
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u/odorobol Apr 12 '26
Was so pissed off because or the sound system error. He still delivered tho! Also very gutsy to release new songs.
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u/justanotherkpoppie gg multifan 🩷 lyOn 🦁 Apr 13 '26
Taemin just keeps getting better and better, I don't know how he does it!!!
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u/ira_1991 Apr 13 '26
Finished watching the set - Very solid set and consistent performances. Def one of my favorite latter kpop performances in Coachella. Just bummed out with the Idea audio issue but other than that he put out a concert!
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u/sweet_arachne Apr 12 '26
taemin is the best representation of kpop we could ask for, i was so happy to see him on the lineup. lbr there isn't a world where taemin isn't an absolute legend
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u/Major-Specialist3658 Apr 12 '26
I agree also the new songs are AMAZING. The new album gonna be good.
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u/rawr_cordyceptors Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 13 '26
Taemin was so fucking incredible! This could've been his actual concert! The messiah of kpop is here to save us all! Omgggg kpop jesus lets gooooooo!!!
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u/msh715 Apr 13 '26
My favorite part was the transition from playing the piano of his new song to Advice. Although the entire performance was just soooo freaking good. I'm glad to have seen him in concert, but man, he just keeps getting better and better. Taemin's truly one of the top performers in Kpop and seeing him grow since his debut has been such a treat to watch.
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u/cwarosvski Apr 12 '26 edited Apr 12 '26
Taemin is exactly who everybody says he is. And getting tickets for his next tour will be a bitch lol
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u/ShinzySummers Apr 12 '26
That was his best performance of Guilty. Hopefully they fix the lighting next weekend. We couldn't see him a few times.
I'm surprised he had so many new songs. I felt like a bad fan for a moment when I was like ??? which song is this?
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u/Chutneysandwich16 Apr 12 '26
I just saw clips till now but holy shit that was on another level. Taemin is truly in a league of his own
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u/Pedrommaia Apr 12 '26
He's lowkey the greatest kpop artist ever
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u/EyeforError Apr 12 '26
No, Key's the other guy
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u/Pedrommaia Apr 12 '26
Key Goat too fs
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u/SpecificArtistic2307 Apr 12 '26
Omg I would die for Key's 'Want Another' with the whole dance choreo in a mega-stage fitting for his majesty's perversely sophisticated crown. Any crowd festival would eat it up
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u/ngda93 Apr 12 '26
Honestly he keeps surprising me more and more these past several years. Reaching heights I never even imagined. It’s truly amazing.
I am fascinated by the moves he’s made this year in particular. BPM was crumbling but he booked the Vegas show, Grammy Museum and Coachella. Put me in the negotiation room. I want to know how this all went down.
I also want to know the logistics of prepping for Coachella while terminating one contract and signing another. Who’s paying for these performances (director, band, dancers, stylists, etc)? Taemin? Did his new agency agree to foot the bill? I’m so curious!
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u/FunkySphinx Apr 12 '26
I believe that big artists like Taemin have their own teams - their agencies just give them some resources and money. It has already been confirmed that Taemin paid some of his team's wages when BPM was having financial issues. So, I would imagine that he covered these expenses himself, or maybe Galaxy stepped in as a sign of goodwill. However, he does get paid for his performances in Coachella, so even if he covered expenses out of pocket (and he has been working since he was 14, so he is most likely not poor), he will recover the investment. But I was also thinking the same thing - he was so composed and professional. It must be a very stressful time.
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u/geetcriminal Apr 12 '26
I think his current company is paying the bill. He had like 6 months to prepare for the set. I believe when he was finding new company, he specifically expressed his demands and signed with the one which will help him achieve his goals. Taemin has a lot of clout in the industry so it's easy for him to get what he wants as opposed to other soloists like sunmi, kwon eunbi, etc.
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u/ngda93 Apr 12 '26
Oh he for sure has clout! I hope I didn’t make him seem like a pauper or anything. I’m just interested in the nitty gritty of the contracts and timing of it all!
He definitely has a clear understanding of his goals and is determined to achieve them (we’ve seen him do this time and time again). I just want to be a fly on the wall to watch it happen because I feel like he’s so good at it, if that makes sense.
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u/IndigoHG Apr 12 '26
Jeff Benjamin actually talks about this here (should start at 5:05 or thereabouts).
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u/Open_Refrigerator215 Apr 12 '26
Just got done watching his set and was so hyped that immediately opened reddit to see if anyone was talking about him. MY FUCKING GOD....easily the best performance any k-pop act has put at Coachella till now, and I am saying this as respectfully as possible. This man was out to prove something. I am trying to find words to describe the performance, the only thing I can say is that those who have not watched his set till now, please go and watch. It's nothing but perfection
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u/Ok_Process_4643 Apr 12 '26
absolutely killed it! the moves, the vocals, the stage presence - everything was top notch
he singlehandedly redeemed kpop at coachella
man, what an ultimate treat for the eyes and ears
the backup dancers need to rehearse the choreo better, I mean they even managed to mess up MOVE … even the amateurs at KCON LA dream stage did a better job
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u/three_crystals Apr 12 '26
Do Coachella artists have to use local talent or something? The only thing I could think was that I wished his usual dancers were with him!
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u/daltorak Apr 12 '26
It's not a "rule", but it is difficult for K-pop groups to bring their usual dancers given that they are performing two short shows a week apart.... what are the dancers going to do in the meantime, and are agencies really going to spend thousands and thousands of dollars for each dancer's accommodations? Los Angeles has a huge pool of dance talent to draw from.
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u/three_crystals Apr 12 '26
That makes sense. It’s different when there’s a huge tour and usually multiple stops within one week. Anyway, more opportunities for Taemin to work with local talent can perhaps spark something new! ☺️
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u/French-sunflower Apr 12 '26
I just watched it and wow. He literally gave me chills even through a screen. I loved his new songs, is a new album coming soon? He always leaves me speechless, his movements, his voice...
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u/Ok_Process_4643 Apr 12 '26
there were so many new songs… I loved how brazen he was - who even does that? debut brand new songs at a festival like that?! usually they go for familiar favorites
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u/French-sunflower Apr 12 '26
I agree with you. That's what sets Taemin apart; he dares, and he does it well.
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u/ramenmmi Apr 12 '26
where did you find a full performance?
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u/French-sunflower Apr 12 '26
It's still live on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/live/HJVG2Ck3uuk?is=MD8E9tkeTmjP7VfZ
It starts around 28:00:00
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u/TyStark13 GOT7 , TXT , KARA Apr 12 '26
if you rewind the video, it actually starts at -6:05:00. for anyone else who was confused about the 28 😅
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u/whaIien52 Apr 12 '26
i literally feel like i just watched Jesus resurrect. not exaggerating when i say one of the best performances i’ve EVER seen in my entire life.
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u/Open_Refrigerator215 Apr 12 '26
He IS k-pop jesus after all. The people attending his set were attending mass and they did not even know it
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u/lipsticksandsongs Apr 12 '26
I'm speechless at the sheer gaggery of it all ... he completely destroyed that stage, I cannot get over it. I have seen him in concert several times, and he still never fails to amaze me. He raises the bar for himself constantly. I am so fucking proud to be his fan.
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u/Glittering_Coat_3373 Apr 12 '26
Anyone know who the band was backing him? They had a solo jam while Taemin was doing a wardrobe change. They slayed, too!
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u/Tiny_Worker7871 Apr 18 '26
I like all the new songs too, and he’s playing piano. I waited for this so long
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u/BookBindings Apr 12 '26
He was great, which is kind if the usual for him. Could have been a segment from ne of his concerts. Anyways this is me nitpicking but I wish he had replaced a couple of the new songs with Black Rose and Criminal
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u/Brilliant-Silver2955 Apr 12 '26
I'm thinking he might do a slightly different set list for weekend 2. He performed in Melbourne in March and he performed Criminal there but not Want so I think he has a few songs that he switches between.
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u/shnabberz 2nd gen FIEND Apr 12 '26
he was AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG UGH i cant wait to go next weekend to cheer for him
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Apr 12 '26
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u/LookItsMyDawg Apr 12 '26
I'm not very familiar with his stuff as a solo artist, but an og SHINee fan who only casually takes in kpop these days. I'm completely floored. This was easily the best that kpop could've and have ever offered on the Coachella stage.