SE SO NEON is a fantastic Korean indie rock band that played Théâtre Beanfield on September 12th, 2025. They originally started in 2016 as a group project led by lead singer Hwang SoYoon, but it’s been a solo project since February of 2025. I am thrilled Hwang SoYoon continued the project solo. I was worried when the bassist, Park Hyunjin, left the group that it would crumble apart.
I will also give a shout-out to Gyun, who played the drums on SE SO NEON’s WORLD TOUR 2023 as well as this NORTH AMERICAN TOUR 2025. Although not technically an official member of the band, it was great to see him on stage again! The man plays the drums like it’s a matter of life and death, and he’s amazing to see live every time.
The tour also follows the release of SoYoon’s first full-length solo album, although she debuted as a solo artist in 2017 and has released two EPs. Montréal is the first Canadian stop of the tour and the first Canadian debut of SE SO NEON as a solo project, which is a pretty iconic humble brag in my opinion.
I always forget how much I love Théâtre Beanfield until I get into the photo pit and see all the spectacular elements of what used to be a silent movie theatre. Call me a sentimental guy, but one of the best parts about reviewing shows is that sometimes that means I get a physical ticket to put on my wall. The siren’s call of a less minimalistic time period beckons me.
The vintage façade did, however, violently clash with the aesthetic of the SE SO NEON concertgoers. They were giving overpriced lattes with plant-based milk, thrifted oversized button-ups, Pinterest boards full of glitter falling in the dark, Labubus, bisexuality, and the baggiest jeans I’ve seen in a very long time. Futuristic Tumblr prep indie sleaze, if you will. If you’re picturing wraparound sunglasses and knee-length jorts, you’re bang on the money.
Also, the conversations I overheard in the photo pit gave me whiplash. The murmurings of biases didn’t surprise me, nor did the sharing of lip gloss or the pack of sour Skittles that sailed past my face (they were handed back amidst a flurry of apologies), but whoever turned to their friend to ask “smash or pass John Cena” and, with zero hesitation, the friend answered “smash,” please know that it took everything in me not to whip my head around like a cat who heard the treat bag open.
I love most women-led indie rock, and who can argue with a band who was on Fender’s Fender Next 2020 Top 25 list? SE SO NEON was included among industry standouts like Orville Peck, Beabadoobee, and girl in red. The talent SoYoon has is incredible, and I’m not about to let something as trivial as not knowing Korean stop me from enjoying sick as hell guitar riffs.
After all, I don’t have tinnitus at 26 from the bingo hall. If you can half understand Patrick Stump, get whiplash at a Paramore gig, and headbang to a song with lyrics you can’t hear in some guy’s garage punk band, you can expand your horizons with SE SO NEON. And I highly recommend starting with “3 Revolution” or “Stranger,” as hearing them live was genuinely life-changing.
SoYoon was definitely feeling the energy of the crowd when she said “our audience is perfect so thank you for coming,” and “I promise I’ll be back because you guys make me so happy!” I may have some hidden gems in my back pocket in terms of indie artists, but SE SO NEON is exclusively brought to you by my best friend (and roommate) Miree getting me hooked on the band in 2023. She is infinitely cooler than me in every way, and I have to give credit where credit is due.
Which is what makes this next story even more of a series of unfortunate events. In a situation that can only be described as something that would only happen to me, I got to talk to SoYoon, BUT it was horrifically awkward. And now I’m gonna send it to print because I am basically a court jester at this point.
Let me set the scene for you. We’re back to the beginning of the night now. I showed up to take photos and review the show and everything was going great. For those who don’t shoot concerts, once you finish the first three songs in the photo pit, it’s time to pack up your kit and get gone.
If you also have a ticket to the show, it’s usually enough to turn your camera off, put the lens cap on, and put it in your bag. But I was planning on dad-style two-stepping in the back of the crowd with all of the couples slow dancing and people headbanging. Plus, I have a shoulder injury, so I was like, I’ll lock my kit with security and bop around!
Spectacular plan! And it was! Until it wasn’t! The rest of the concert goes great, and I am able to freely move around without worrying about my camera. And then they announce the last song (before the encore), and I think to myself, now is my chance to unlock my kit and move out of the way before the security and tech guys move into place to pack up the venue.
So I go to grab my stuff, and I slip through the door, trying not to blare light into the eyes of fans. Then I grab my stuff, reorganize everything, and wait on the stairs by the exit as the band plays just in case something really cool happens. I didn’t want to miss anything!
And there’s people running everywhere, but there are always people running everywhere, so I don’t pay that much attention to where other people are going other than to attempt to become one with the wall. I am triumphantly succeeding in becoming a chameleon in front of the brickwork as I watch the stage lights going wild and wait for the customary end of the last song with a goodnight/see you next time/get home safe Montréal.
When all of a sudden, with the bass and drums still blaring, SoYoon is speeding towards me at Mach 20 off the stage, glasses off and hair whipping behind her. She stopped just short of putting me through the wall before then reaching around me for a water bottle.
I am thrown so far off my rhythm that I blurt out “yOu’Re pHeNoMeNaL!” before I can begin to process what just happened. I had forgotten that she already told us to get home safe at the beginning of “Midnight Train.”
I don’t even know if she heard me as she sprinted away, but she did look at me with confusion, and the security guy definitely saw me trip over my feet a little bit as I tried to scoot more out of the way.
In my defence, I thought she’d go off the stage on the tech side cause of her guitar, and I also didn’t think she’d run off stage in a dead sprint as the band kept playing. And now I have another funny story to tell at bars.
Sorry, bestie. I was just trying to get my equipment sorted and out of the way before your team needed the area. At least I didn’t need medical attention. I don’t know if my ego or pride could have recovered from face-planting down the stairs.
Anyway, back to SoYoon! Aside from being a beast on the guitar, she is also a style icon with a haunting voice. I’ve frequently looked to her for glasses and wardrobe inspiration, but my era of gatekeeping is over.
She has a very specific blend of grunge and 70s androgyny that Tumblr can only dream of, and I can only hope to achieve. Listen, if you need a new it girl and the fashion at Champs isn’t doing it for you anymore, you know whose Instagram to scroll through.
I’ve already seen several reels and TikToks with people yelling that they want to marry her, so the competition is fierce, but did they freeze in fear when they almost got run over? I don’t think so!
There are a lot of speculations about SoYoon’s sexuality, but considering the “Bad” music video, I’m just gonna leave on the table that she’s a truly phenomenal guitar player and a fashion ICON. After all, she started and ended the concert in a cowboy hat, and that’s definitely the way to my heart.
Setlist
E
Gurumi
joke!
A Long Dream
Summer Plumage
Twit Winter
New Romantic
Secret Police
3 Revolution
Remember!
NAN CHUN
Dong
NOW
Go Back
The Wave
Stranger
Midnight Train
Encore
Jayu
Kidd
Review & photos – Ashtyn Turner
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