“DPR in Lima”: an unforgettable night in which creativity and talent surpassed a low budget | CHRONICLE

First impressions are relevant, yes; but they are not definitive.

See for the first time the stage where it would be presented DPR (Dream Perfect Regime), was disappointing. On the platform, an electric keyboard, a macbook, a smoke machine and a couple of lights; made up all the available technology. No light or neon signs, much less any led screen.

It was the night of Friday, October 21. Producer DPR Cream (Scott Kim) had prepared the crowd with a mix of catchy beats that had the more than 3,000 attendees swaying from side to side for fifteen minutes. At the end, he took his keyboard and laptop with him, leaving the scene even more dismal.

Replacing him, rapper DPR Live (Hong Da Bin) bursts onto the scene with the song “Legacy” and his overwhelming energy takes over the stage. The light show improves and the crowd screams so deafeningly that I turn to make sure that we really were a few thousand people and not tens.

Bad selection. When I return my gaze, a giant and luminous astronaut, four times bigger than the singer, is on stage. It looked like a magically appeared computer animation, but in reality, it is a huge inflatable that slowly dances to the beat of the “SOS” theme. This would be just the beginning of the DPR experience.

The perfect dream

At this point, it’s perfectly clear that DPR is not a K-Pop band. DPR is a team that has about eight people specialized in fields as diverse as marketing, management and even production. The project started without any big funding, just making hip-hop inspired internet music, betting on their own talent and looking to bring a new dynamic to the Korean scene.

The idea was preposterous in a country where the music industry is perfectly orchestrated by large entertainment companies. Even so, they managed to raise the revolution thanks to their visual worldview, which brought a fresh air to what was being done in the country. Even after achieving success, the team has not lost its essence based, above all, on creativity, and by honoring these ideals, its fans have remained faithful to its artistic production.

the show goes on

“I am very happy now. Peru wanted us here and we wanted to come. Are you happy to see me?” Question Live before the audience responds in the affirmative with a boisterous shout. The lights blink and “Venus” plays, a song that talks about a woman too perfect to exist. The melody is sensual, and the singer takes the opportunity to take a bouquet of roses that he throws one by one to the audience.

“I am so grateful to see my Peruvian fans. This is amazing. Honestly, if you asked me five years ago if I would ever go to this country, I wouldn’t know what to say. This is destiny. Go, Peru!”, he expresses, and immediately “Kiss Me” plays. The flirtation with the audience increases, and she sings as she blows kisses and winks. A delicate iridescent fabric is waved in a circular shape, which gives the effect of being an ethereal wave, staying afloat for several minutes.

He continues with his hits “Jam & Butterfly”, “Yellow Cab” and “Summer Tights”: the most energetic songs in his repertoire that make the whole arena jump. His energy is endless, as despite her face drenched in sweat, she doesn’t stop dancing and gliding across the stage.

“Thanks everybody. I can not wait to return. This is my first time here, but trust me, I’ll be back. I will make more music, more videos and albums. See you soon”, he comments jubilantly before closing his show with “Hula Hoops” and “Martini Blue”. The public fires him full of hubbub after having chanted each one of his songs; an admirable feat considering the language barrier.

A fallen angel

The lights go out again, and mysterious music envelops the darkness. The last member to introduce himself appears crouching, dressed in a red coat and hiding his face under a mask with goat horns. Two single white lights illuminate him, he staggers to a staggering stand, but falls to his knees, huge black wings stretching behind him across the dais. He is DPR Ian’s (Christian Yu) turn.

“So Beautiful” and “Mood,” two of his R&B-inspired songs, blast through the speakers. The audience bursts with excitement. “Hello, friends!” shouts the Australian. “The show is just starting, I love you”, he comments before singing “Dope Lovers”.

“This is my second time in Peru, but I never imagined having a concert like this, thank you! I want to show you something special”, he tells the attendees and puts on a hat with a lapel to perform a sensual dance to the rhythm of “Calico”. The chants from all sections of the arena are loud, and not a single soul is seen who is not enjoying the display.

His repertoire continues with songs like “Scaredy Cat”, “Ribbon” or “Winterfall”, all of them songs with seductive rhythms that even made him take off his shirt to raise the temperature even more. A snapping noise drowns out the music, and he is carried backstage by a creepy inflatable hand, twice the size of the starting astronaut.

In the middle of the shouting, Christian reappears calmer and asks for silence to share a message: “There are days when I don’t feel good, and I go through hard times. And you know what? That makes me feel very nervous, but every time I’m down, you guys make me feel better.” he confesses quietly.

The audience sighs in sympathy, showing their support by throwing stuffed animals, roses, and anything else possible to cheer him up. The show seems to be coming to an end, but he gives away two more songs: “Ballroom Extravaganza” and “No Blueberries”, which brightens up the show again, while a bubble machine transforms the stage into a fantasy image.

The members behind the ideas creative areas seen at the concert come together to accompany him to say goodbye. They greet the public and collect Peruvian flags and chullos to wear.

“Thank you very much, Peru. We’ll be back soon, I promise. Have a good night and thank you very much”, says Christian to finish. All attendees chant “Thank you very much” in unison, and finally, the show ends.

And as the long lines form to get out, I hear someone next to me say: “I trusted myself and came late because I thought a couple of cats were going to come”. I believed it too. DPR will not have the massive support that we can see in other South Korean artists like BTS or BLACKPINK, but it is still amazing how this K-Hiphop project has gotten people from another continent to support them fervently. It’s even more impressive knowing that they started with nothing except belief in themselves.