LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS —1verse at The Abbey in Orlando (November 4)

by Liana Progar • December 10, 2025

On November 4th, I had the pleasure of attending the free fan meet for the K-pop group 1verse (pronounced universe) at The Abbey in Orlando, Florida. What was once a scheduled concert, turned into a free event due to visa struggles. Due to these visa issues, members Seok and Aito were unable to perform while their fifth member, Hyuk, is on hiatus. 1verse fans, lovingly named 5TARZ (pronounced stars), who attended this fan meet were able to see Kenny and Nathan perform on stage while member Aito attended for the game portion of the fan meet. The fan meet was a great opportunity for 1verse and 5TARZ to see each other, despite a handful of members not being allowed to perform.

5TARZ from all over had gathered for a special night of games and performances from 1verse. People who weren’t friends before arriving at the venue bonded over their love for the same artists. Prior to the show starting, 5TARZ were able to write down questions for the members to answer during the Q&A segment of the show. The fans were also handed numbered wristbands as they entered for a special event happening later in the night. As the doors opened at 6 p.m., you could feel the energy fill the room.

Once 7:00 p.m. hit, the lights dimmed and 5TARZ began cheering. And then, in the darkness, a cry rang out, “Minions! Tonight we steal… the MOON!” Kenny’s light-hearted nature kicked the fan meet off to a relaxed start. As the lights came on, Kenny, Nathan, and Aito were shocked at how many people showed up to the free fan meet they had prepared so hard for. 1verse introduced themselves, thanking everyone for showing up despite all their difficulties with visas and being unable to perform a real concert for the night. 5TARZ were more than welcoming, ensuring this night would be one of boundless energy and excitement as they continued to cheer for the artists. Kenny explained the fan meet would consist of a game and Q&A portion featuring all three members, while later, Kenny and Nathan would perform a few songs for 5TARZ.

With this introduction finished, we moved into the Q&A segment. Kenny headed off stage to grab the board filled with questions written by 5TARZ themselves. The room was buzzing with everyone’s desire to possibly have their questions picked and read out by one of the members. Each member picked out questions that fit them the best. Some questions were inquiring about possible covers for later in the show, as well as some inside jokes between 1verse and 5TARZ. It was nice seeing how happy 5TARZ were as questions were read, joking and laughing with everyone in the room. The Q&A session almost turned into a massive conversation, with everyone feeling comfortable. Giggles could be heard from every corner of the room, and you could feel how loved the members were by all the 5TARZ attending that night. After the Q&A finished, the members announced that those whose questions got picked would be receiving a gift from a sponsor for the night–a local fashion brand called Hip Chic. This gift was given as a thank you to those who came out to attend the show. You could feel how appreciative everyone was, knowing that this show almost didn’t happen. Even fans who didn’t get their questions picked were hyping up those who did.

After the Q&A segment was wrapped up, the members played a game of charades. One person kept track of time while one member acted out predicted words, and another guessed the word based on the acting. If the member was unable to guess within 30 seconds, they would have to complete a punishment. Nathan asked the fans to join in and guess while they were all playing the game together. First up was Kenny to guess and Aito to act. Aito and Kenny’s team made it through every word without mistake, but just for fun, they had Kenny act out a punishment for the fans. Kenny’s punishment was to act cute in front of 5TARZ, and as he started posing, cries of excitement could be heard in the audience as fans got their cameras ready to snap photos of Kenny on stage. Throughout the game, Nathan and Aito had to do punishments, including recreating an old TikTok that Nathan went viral for in the past and acting sexy for 5TARZ. With fans being able to participate in the game, it kept the tension high and everyone on their toes, trying to guess what the boys were acting out on stage. It was a fantastic way for everyone to warm up to each other and really enjoy the moment.

As the charades came to an end, the 1verse members announced there would be another raffle for those who attended. The numbered wristbands that were given out earlier in the day would be picked by the members individually. Those whose numbers got called would win another prize. A total of 20 fans with numbers specially picked by Kenny, Nathan, and Aito won gifts. As each number was called out, the fans got louder and louder. Cries for this number or that number rang out through the venue. After picking each number, the winners were personally recognized by the members and thanked for coming. There was never a moment that 5TARZ weren’t thanked for coming all this way for the fan meet, and you could really tell how special this night was for the boys.

Aito was unable to perform on stage due to visa issues, so 5TARZ gave a loud goodbye to Aito as he left the stage with Kenny and Nathan preparing for the upcoming performance section. After a brief break, the lights dimmed again, and fans screamed with anticipation of what the first performance stage could be. As the intro of the song started, fans gasped as they started to sing along to the beginning of “Boom Boom Bass” by RIIZE. Blue and green lights filled the stage as the members started singing, adding to the excitement of the performance. A song everyone knew word for word, fans were singing along and cheering as the boys performed. You could tell how much Kenny and Nathan enjoyed singing on stage for 5TARZ from their blinding smiles. The energy was unbeatable; their stable yet strong vocals shone on stage. Everyone, even parents who attended, was enjoying their time.

As they ended their first stage, the lights dimmed, and fans poured out their love for the boys. Mic stands were brought out, and a new song began. “I’m so tired” by Lauv and Troye Sivan played. This upbeat ballad showcased their strong vocal technique. With their ability to convey the emotions of a love song while keeping control of their tone. I also loved how they mixed Western Pop and K-pop songs into their performances. As both Kenny and Nathan were born and raised in America, mixing genres during their performances perfectly showcased the range the group has and that they can perform a variety of music styles.

The next set of solo stages began with Nathan performing Justin Bieber’s “What do U mean?”. 5TARZ began jumping as Nathan danced around the stage. With such a dance-heavy song, it was impressive to hear such strong vocals without an ounce of strain in them. You could tell he rehearsed tirelessly to give 5TARZ a performance they’d never forget. I could feel the love radiating off not only Nathan, but 5TARZ, who traveled far and wide to get the chance to see 1verse on stage. The second solo stage was Kenny, who performed “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. A beautiful ballad that he sang while sitting on a stool, which made the audience feel even closer to him. Some issues came up with the handheld microphone, and the song needed to be restarted a few times, but that didn’t stop the fans from cheering him on as the audio issues were being worked out. As he switched to his headset, an overwhelming gasp of approval fell over the crowd as his soft vocals touched everyone listening. 5TARZ all began to turn on their flashlights and wave them in the air, leading Kenny to break into a big smile. Despite the audio issues, 1verse and 5TARZ could connect on a whole different level as Kenny’s vocals soothed the audience. He took a moment to really absorb the cheers coming at the end of the song, displaying his positive emotions visibly on his face. Nothing but love and appreciation could be felt, and even if you weren’t a fan before, this performance would leave you wanting more.

As the solo stages drew to a close, the tension continued to rise. 5TARZ got a glimpse of the next performance, and the room was electrified. The whole room was singing “Your Idol” from the hit movie K-pop Demon Hunters back to the members. This stage was exhilarating as the members’ sharp dance moves and deep voices filled the room. Picking a song from the movie that took over the whole world was a great way to bring the energy back up after a slow ballad. When the song finished, we were greeted by Aito again, giving Kenny and Nathan a moment to rest after performing five songs in a row. Because Aito could not perform, he came out for a “capture time,” giving 5TARZ the opportunity to suggest poses and take pictures while he got to chat. He was so excited to hear the cheers from fans calling him cute as he posed in various ways. He may not have been able to perform on stage with the other members, but that didn’t stop fans from making sure he felt just as loved and appreciated.

Once the other members were ready to come on stage again, Aito said his goodbyes, and Nathan and Kenny came back on stage to perform one last song for 5TARZ before the end of the fan meet. This time, they performed their own song “Multiverse.” While fans were sad to see the show end, they couldn’t help but cheer along to such a sweet song that closed the show perfectly. Fanchants ㅡ designated lyrics and phrases fans sing during a song ㅡ were heard as 5TARZ also sang along to every word. It didn’t matter if it was in Korean or English; everyone knew every word. As the members interacted with every fan they could, a feeling of euphoria filled the venue. Love and gratitude were felt as 1verse thanked their fans for such an amazing night. For a show that got rescheduled, the members didn’t expect so many people to show up for the free fan meet that happened instead of the original concert that people were hoping to see. They assured everyone that next year, they would be back to showcase bigger and better performances with all the members in attendance.

Seeing 1verse live was a breath of fresh air and truly left me anticipating what the show would look like next year. These boys are so talented and full of youthful energy from a newly debuted group. I couldn’t recommend seeing them any more than I already do. As they ended the fan meet, they even made sure to head outside to greet and thank all the fans who came, once again emphasizing their excitement for their 2026 tour. It was a night I will look back at fondly, remembering just how happy the artists and fans were to be able to see each other. Their vocals and performances did not disappoint and left me wanting more. If you are considering attending a 1verse show, I highly suggest finding a show near you. I’m excited to see just how far these talented young men will grow as they follow their dreams and meet fans all over the U.S.!

1verse live review by Allison Kamla and Liana Progar.
1verse live photos by Liana Progar.