Why ITZY's arrival to Canada is critical to the group's success
As K-pop becomes more oversaturated, does ITZY have the goods to compete with the others? In Toronto, the band proved it can...
(Photo credit: JYP Entertainment)
The best thing about seeing a K-pop show at home is the fact that it always feels like a celebration. Canadian fans love to lament about how our American neighbours get all the good tours. But as Toronto preps for a packed summer of K-pop shows, it feels like an ITZY concert is the best way to kick things off.
Playing at The Theatre at the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto demand for ITZY’s first Canadian concert was so high that the band had to add an extra day when tickets went on sale in February. While the venue itself had a capacity of 5,000, JYP Entertainment was smart to book the show somewhere smaller to measure interest for the group.
In fact, ever since TWICE played two sold out nights in Toronto nearly a year ago at Scotiabank Arena, it looks like JYP has been paying close attention to the K-pop market in the Great White North. So while the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto is not the most conveniently located in Toronto, that still did not stop many of ITZY’s fans—known as MIDZY— from showing up to both concerts two days in a row.
(Photo credit: JYP Entertainment)
Given the excitement of playing in Canada for the first time, ITZY kicked its concert off into high gear, delivering dynamic performances paired with strong vocals and difficult dance moves that also featured some iconic hairography. (Case in point: one only needs to look at Yuna’s gorgeous red locks blowing through a fan to catch her aura.)
And whilst ITZY’s stage did not have the same level of production as its labelmates TWICE (see pyrotechnics, extended stage and strobe lights), the group was accompanied by a kick ass live band. The addition of a drummer, bassist and guitarist not only added new layers to songs like “Born to Be”, “Untouchable” and “Dalla Dalla”, but also gave the members of ITZY opportunities to be more playful and sassy.
At one point during the show, the girls had the crowd chant each member’s name to the beat of a drum, allowing the cameraperson to capture each girl close-up on the screen in order to serve up their best model poses. And continuing the tradition of barking at K-pop shows, Canadian fans brought out their loudest chants as well.
“You guys do this here too?” Yeji responded. “It’s a good sound to hear, you know?”
Seeing how much MIDZYs embraced ITZY during its two sold out Toronto stops, it’s proof just how critical it was for the band to make its way to Canada during this tour.
In an industry that churns out multiple K-pop groups each month, it has become increasingly harder for all acts to compete for sales, streams and get #1 hits all-around.
ITZY, who debuted in 2019, had a huge rookie year with the hit “Dalla Dalla”. It then followed that shortly with “Wannabe” and “LOCO.”
But despite being from a ‘Big Four’ agency like JYP (HYBE, SM and YG being the other ones), ITZY seems to have lost a bit of attention to other girl groups like NewJeans, IVE and aespa in recent years.
In the last two years, ITZY has been experiencing declining popularity. Domestically in South Korea, the band saw significant drops in album sales, chart positions and fan engagement. Other established groups like NMIXX and LE SSERAFIM are also going through something similar. That’s led industry insiders to wonder whether the current model of promoting girl groups is sustainable long-term. It appears the fans internationally are noticing this as well too.
It also doesn’t help that ITZY has been promoting as a quartet (Ryujin, Yuna, Yeji and Chaeryeong) for months now. Member Lia has been on hiatus since September 2023 for anxiety.
Though for what it’s worth, JYP is one such agency that seems to have handled mental health breaks and leaves very responsibly in the world of K-pop.
Considering that the current K-pop landscape is making it harder for girl groups like ITZY to compete, I was all the more intrigued to see how the band would deliver in a live setting.
As it turned out, the group more than exceeded my expectations, showing versatility and personality with every stage it delivered.
During the members’ solo stages in particular, Yeji and Ryujin channeled rockstar energy. Ryujin headbanged as she belted out her single “Run Away”, a song she co-wrote about a toxic relationship. While Yeji served up attitude and queen B energy for her song “Crown on My Head.” On the other end of the spectrum, Yuna delivered bubblegum pop perfection for her solo stage “Yet, but”, while Chaeryeong showed off her more sultry side for her performance of “Mine.”
These solo performances, coupled with electric renditions of “Born to Be” and “Untouchable”, are proof the members of ITZY have matured and grown artistically over the years. But I also couldn’t help but gravitate more to the songs in which ITZY played with edgier sounds like electric guitars and thrashing drums in remixes for songs like “Not Shy.” Down the line, I’d love for these girls to lean into the rock sound a bit more.
The show was also full of lovely moments between fans, in which Canadian MIDZYs put together a video welcoming the group to Canada for the first time. That surely made the band emotional, considering that member Lia—who spent a few years studying in Toronto when she was young— was not there.
“I think Toronto really reminds me of Lia a lot,” Ryujin said during the show.
“When I see the streets of Canada, I think that, ‘Oh, Lia might have walked here.’” she added. “When I see the maple syrup in the hotel…oh Lia loves it!”
As a group who has been performing together for years, it just isn’t the same being on stage without the full lineup. But ITZY has admirably took the obstacles all in stride. During the second night in Toronto (and the band’s last North American show), Yuna even teared up.
In many ways, it was smart for the band to end off its North American tour in Toronto on such a high note. In spite of all the challenges that have come its way in terms of competition, gruelling schedules and the hiatus of a beloved member, this tour is proof that ITZY continues to have the goods to stay in this industry long term. And given two sold out Toronto dates, hopefully a major confidence booster for the band as well.
That said, I do believe ITZY is stronger as a five-piece group. Though it appears the band believes so too.
“Next time we come back here, we’ll come back as five of us,” Yeji told the crowd.
Toronto will be patiently waiting.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Accountability is important to me, so please address corrections and concerns by sending me an email at bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Continue the conversation by following bunni pop on Instagram and Threads.