Korean indie rock unit SE SO NEON brought their debut album tour across North America to the famed Brooklyn Steel on September 9.
Established in 2016 and winning Rookie of the Year at the Korean Music Awards the following year, indie rock band SE SO NEON has always been a close friend to success. Formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Hwang So-yoon among a shifting lineup of bandmates, SE SO NEON acts as Hwang’s grittier project to coincide with So!YoOn!, the moniker employed for her solo work of a more pop and electronic influence.
Following the departure of their bassist in February, SE SO NEON was left to evolve under Hwang’s creative vision. Releasing a new single alongside a self-directed music video on May 16 and teasing a North American tour to celebrate a new album only days later, Hwang made one thing clear- SE SO NEON, as with her other creative pursuits, is charged by her passion for the craft above all else… something that cannot be shaken.
With the band’s debut album having been released on August 15, <NOW> marked a triumphant return for SE SO NEON and Hwang… and three weeks later, the band took to the stage once more for a tour of the same name, including an evening at New York City’s own Brooklyn Steel.
Opening the evening with nothing more than an instrumental tablet, a guitar, and a mic was Mei Ehara, an incredibly talented Japanese indie artist whose name is everywhere from Faye Webster’s 2024 tour as an opening act (in addition to a 2021 track feature and accreditation for much of Webster’s musical inspiration) to the magazine Sono, of which she is the editor in chief.
Ehara’s deep familiarity with the stage came across as a graceful ease as she floated between backing tracks on her tablet, inspiring the crowd into an easy sway through her skillful playing and honeyed vocals. Gold and peach-toned lighting seemed to make Ehara glow, giving a certain ethereal, syrupy warmth to the room as she harmonized with recordings of herself effortlessly.
Gradually developing the energy from Ehara’s sun-washed warm tones to the eclectic rock that was to come was the pre-show playlist, which spanned from the likes of Art Garfunkel’s “99 Miles from L.A.” and Sade’s iconic “Kiss of Life” to Charlotte Gainsbourg’s “IRM,” a grungy electric track that established the perfect energy for Hwang to finally take the stage.
Coming out swinging with the iconic opening guitar line to “E” alongside drummer Gyun and bassist Spencer Zahn, SE SO NEON was a force to be reckoned with from the moment the lights had dimmed. Rife with gut-punching drums, bass licks that had the crowd nodding along with insistence, and airy but rallying vocals that commanded attention, the first few songs of the band’s set quickly set the tone for the evening as one of pure and unadulterated talent.
It could not have been more clear that each person on the stage truly and deeply loves what they do. With some artists or performances one can glean if they’re on the stage to prove something or to make it big, but with SE SO NEON… well, if Hwang’s beaming grin that appeared each time a part was particularly fun to play or elicited an impressively vibrant reaction from the crowd was anything to go by, they were performing simply for the guttural joy of it all.
This beaming excitement to be in the room together was certainly reciprocated by the audience, who maintained perhaps the best concert etiquette I’ve seen in years while still positively jamming out. Fan favorites and hard hitters like “Go Back,” “The Wave,” and “3 Revolution” resulted in absolutely insane rock-out interludes that left the venue breathless, while the more pop-tinged tracks like “Remember!” brought about stunning call-and-response moments– the lattermost song being one Hwang noted as being especially beautiful to sing live as she wrote it and the rest of NOW to be a “tiny little present in your life,” prompting listeners to remember who they are, where they come from, and how far they’ve gotten in life.
As the band introduced one another, the tonal dissonance was ever so slightly comedic- the three artists the crowd had just watched perform with everything in them, perfect images of rockstars upon the stage in their dark clothing and undeniable stage presence, were suddenly absolute and total sweethearts as they praised the others’ talents and teased each other lightheartedly.
Wrapping the set, Hwang bid farewell by saying, “Get home safe… I hope we can take the midnight train together!” and, positively beaming, launched right into a performance of “Midnight Train.” It was this moment where I so deeply wished that I could have bottled the sound, the energy, the air to share. It was utter rock, it was complete joy, it was all encompassing breathlessness… SE SO NEON is truly lightning in a bottle.
Bowing off the stage after four minutes of jumping and singing along passionately, it was only a matter of minutes and a few waves of “One more song!” before SE SO NEON bound back on stage, Hwang clad in the same cowboy hat from the first song of the evening, for “Jayu” and “Kidd.”
With the remnants of bone-deep bass and the intangible magic of the evening floating through the air, the band had truly left it all out on the stage of the Brooklyn Steel. Having been declared Rookies of the Year in their first year of activity, it’s easy to say that their future, and the future of rock, is safe in SE SO NEON’s hands.
Mei Ehara | September 9, 2025 | Brooklyn Steel
SE SO NEON | September 9, 2025 | Brooklyn Steel
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