14/08/2026

LYFE

LYFE FRIDAY | AUG 14, 2026

25

CONCERT REVIEW

(From left) Chou, Yan, Wu and Ashin celebrate with fans at the concert, making Wu’s birthday a memorable one.

Yan waves to fans as he walks around the stage.

Stellar F Forever concert in Kuala Lumpur

o City of Stars’ Malaysian stop brings dazzling performances to fans after 23 years of waiting L IKE a cosmic gathering of enduring pop icons, F4 members Jerry Yan, Vic Chou and Van Ness Wu were another platform for clearer view. P1 tickets placed fans directly alongside the stage, offering the best vantage point and allowed fans the precious chance to interact with the stars during their walkabouts. █ BY EE ANN NEE

The immersive visual displays featured crystal star pillars and cutting-edge lighting, creating dazzling starlight, shooting star effects and luminous lines – transforming the entire venue into a breathtaking cosmic universe. Ashin did most of the talking Returning to KL after just six months, the Mayday frontman shared his delight at being back in Malaysia so soon and revealed F3’s sweet and caring nature to the crowd. “Looking at them in the dramas, they are tall, handsome and gentle – do people like that even exist in real life? But they really are that amazing! Ever since I fell off the stage in Shanghai, they’ve been holding me up and supporting me. How could anyone not love guys this gentle? “Tonight, you can all go back to being the simplest, purest version of yourselves from your younger days,” Ashin told female fans. “It’s like taking you (F3) out live from Meteor Garden of those years – you guys haven’t changed a bit, don’t you think so?” Ashin said to the delight of screaming fans. The classic TV line of Yan’s character Dao Ming Si in Meteor Garden – “If an apology worked, we wouldn’t need the police” – also cropped up during the concert, much to the amusement of fans. “If you (F3) still disappear for such a long time, then you’d have to apologise. But if an apology worked, we wouldn’t need the police,” Ashin said in jest. Verdict An impressive four-point star stage, top-tier fan benefits, including premium physical proximity and visual advantages that allowed fans to get up close with their idols, as well as energetic performances resulted in a good show that kept fans wanting more.

the shining stars in the night sky alongside Mayday’s Ashin at the F Forever City of Stars concert in Kuala Lumpur (KL) last week. This concept resembled F4’s stardom two decades ago that was propelled by Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden , which made the Taiwanese boyband a phenomenon in Mandopop. Now in their late-40s, Yan, Chou and Wu remained as popular as they once were, drawing 24,000 fans across two nights in Unifi Arena as they joined forces with Ashin and delivered a live experience that combined nostalgia, emotion, friendship and world-class production. Spectacular highlights With a setlist of 30 songs, the concert brought back memories with popular F4 tracks such as Di Yi Shi Jian (At the First Moment) , Jue Bu Neng Shi Qu Ni (Can’t Lose You) , Yan Huo De Ji Jie (Season of Fireworks) and Liu Xing Yu (Meteor Rain) , igniting nostalgia and singalongs. The group also belted out Ni Yao De Ai (The Love You Want) , the ending song of Meteor Garden and the group collaboration Forever Forever that supports the musical reunion of F4. The concert featured solo performances by the stars, showcasing individual talents. Among F3, Wu displayed the best showmanship and had the longest showtime with six songs. He delivered a high-energy performance from his latest album Dance Until We Die , leading a fiery stage filled with powerful dance moves, including the viral “Triple Shake”. The four-point star stage brought the stars closer to fans, allowing visibility from all directions. However, many backup dancers onstage made the show messy and masked the solo performances of the stars, especially when they were not elevated on

The KL stop proves to be another successful sellout venue in the world tour.

Chou performs his new songs Shui Gei Wo De Yong Qi (Who Gave Me the Courage) and Tell Me Why . Ultimately, it felt like a two-in-one concert of F3 and Ashin. Ashin’s presence changed the four-member dynamic of F4 that fans waited decades to see, but we can give him credit for bringing F3 back onstage.

Yan expresses his desire to always protect his fans when singing Tong Hua (Fairy Tale) . – ALL HANDOUT PICS A three-hour concert simply could not do justice to compensate for F4’s 23-year-long absence from Malaysia. The exclusion of F4 member Ken Chu from the world tour also did not help matters.

Wu greets the crowd in Malay with apa khabar (how are you?). While Chu’s exclusion cannot be avoided, fans can make do with F3 for now and enjoy the last stop of its world tour in Singapore this weekend, and be hopeful for a complete reunion of F4 next time.