Japanese pop star Seiko Matsuda held her first concert in South Korea, 45 years after her debut, drawing fans across generations as renewed interest in her music has spread among younger listeners and longtime followers alike.
The show took place on Feb. 22 at Inspire Arena in Incheon as part of the Inspire Concert Series #7, titled “Seiko Matsuda 45th Anniversary Concert Tour – Sing! Sing! Sing! in Korea.” It followed stops that included Saitama Super Arena and Japan’s Budokan, where the tour drew major attention.
Matsuda debuted in 1980 with “Barefoot Season” and went on to set records in Japanese pop, including 24 consecutive No. 1 songs on the Oricon chart and cumulative album sales of 29.63 million. The article notes that at her Budokan concert last September, she expressed strong anticipation about visiting South Korea.
She opened with “Blue Coral Reef,” one of her best-known songs among Korean fans, appearing in a white dress with pink ribbon details. She followed with “Heaven’s Kiss,” as the crowd responded with loud sing-alongs.
Midway through the concert, she switched to a black dress and performed “Alice in the Country of Time,” “Pink Mozart” and “Cherry Blossom.” She also varied the staging by taking drumsticks and slinging on a guitar, prompting cheers from the audience.
Addressing the crowd in Korean, she said, “Hello, I’m Seiko Matsuda. Have you been well? This is my first concert in Korea. Nice to meet you.” In an acoustic section, she interacted closely with her band and said she prepared the Korean greeting with longtime members for the Korea visit. The set included ballads such as “I Want to Be Loved,” “Eighteen” and “Seychelles Sunset.” During “Sweet Memories,” the venue fell quiet as the audience focused on her vocals.
Near the end, she said, “I waited all day, excited to meet the Korean audience in person. I’m truly happy that you’re cheering me on with such warm eyes.”
She then sang “Red Sweet Pea” with the crowd and closed with “Rock’n Rouge” and her debut song, “Barefoot Season.” The concert featured frequent audience choruses, underscoring the cross-border appeal of her catalog and leaving fans with what the article described as a long-promised meeting finally fulfilled.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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