Coldplay: Music of the Spheres in South Korea

This post is long overdue – the concert happened a few weeks ago, but the memories are still so fresh that it feels like it was just last week. Coldplay had been on my concert radar since they announced their Music of the Spheres stop in Goyang last year, and I booked tickets right away.

A few friends and I were lucky enough to score seats, and the whole experience ended up being even more magical than I imagined. Our seats were on the 4th floor, but we still had great views. Upon entering the stadium, we were handed a wristband to be returned after, 3D glasses, which we get to keep, and a little button pin. 

The opening acts were great. Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna opened the night with a mix of Arabic pop and R&B, which was really refreshing and different from the usual concert openers. Then came TWICE, one of Korea’s biggest girl groups. It was such a fun mix of global and local acts and definitely set the tone for the night.

Elyanna and TWICE

And right on schedule, Coldplay started their show with the song "Higher Power". Coldplay has been one of my favorite bands since my late teenage and early adult years, so getting to see them live felt surreal. Their music has been part of my life for a long time, and hearing some of my all-time favorite songs like "Yellow", "The Scientist", "Viva La Vida", and "Fix You" performed on stage was incredibly emotional. Admittedly, I did tear up a bit. It was such a vibe to sing it with thousands of other people who clearly loved the songs just as much.

Of course, they also performed My Universe, which features BTS. And since most of the group is in the military, Coldplay performed it alongside a VCR of the BTS members. I was bawling my eyes out at this point. 

I’ll admit  –  I did half-expect BTS’s Jin to show up. He’s close with Chris Martin and the band, and had performed with them in Argentina, so it wasn’t a completely wild thought, especially with the concert being in Korea. He didn’t appear on our night, though he did on others.

But we still got a surprise – Rosé of Blackpink came out toward the end of the show and performed APT., with Chris Martin singing the Bruno Mars Parts. The stadium absolutely erupted when she stepped on stage. Everyone was on their feet, screaming and singing their hearts out. Coldplay also sang another song with all the guests. 

Rosé with Coldplay

It was such a memorable night, and definitely one for the books. My teenage self wouldn’t believe I actually got to see one of my favorite bands live. It’s a concert I know I’ll look back on for a long time.