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WOODZ Brings Archive. 1 to Life in Irving
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
WOODZ | Photo Credit: EDAM Entertainment
The stage glowed red as chatter filled the The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas. It was occupied by MOODZ, the name given to the most dedicated WOODZ fans. Rather than make a dramatic entrance, WOODZ walked out and casually made his way across the stage. He picked up his guitar, slung it over his shoulder, and grabbed a pick. The crowd quieted. After a quick count-in from the drums, the show was officially underway with the explosive opening notes of “Bloodline.”
Unlike many K-pop (and K-pop adjacent) concerts, the show did not begin with an elaborate VCR. Instead, the production remained intentionally simple, placing WOODZ and his live band at the center of everything.
At first glance, WOODZ’s current rock-heavy direction might seem like an unexpected turn. He entered the industry in 2014 under his birth name, Cho Seungyoun, serving as the main rapper of the Chinese-South Korean boy group UNIQ. At the time, his performances largely revolved around pop music, rap, and choreography. As the group’s activities began to slow, Seungyoun co-founded the musical collective M.O.L.A in 2015 alongside artists including PENTAGON’s Kino and SEVENTEEN’s Vernon. The following year, he competed on the fifth season of Show Me the Money before making his solo debut as Luizy with the hip-hop single “Recipe.” In 2018, he adopted the name WOODZ, marking another shift as his music began moving away from straightforward hip-hop and toward alternative R&B and pop.
His career briefly returned him to a group setting in 2019, when he placed fifth on Produce X 101 and became a member of X1. The group’s run ended only months later amid the controversy surrounding Mnet’s manipulation of the show’s voting results, leaving WOODZ to resume his solo career. He continued moving between genres, bringing guitar-driven influences to the forefront with 2022’s Colorful Trauma. That direction grew more prominent with OO-LI in 2023 and has now reached its fullest form on Archive. 1, his first full-length album. Here, rock no longer feels like one influence among many. It now serves as the foundation of the entire project. What could appear to be a sudden reinvention is instead the latest step in a career defined by constant experimentation and an increasing sense of creative control.
This shift in direction was clearly not a rash decision. Watching WOODZ onstage, it was obvious that he had taken the time to understand rock music rather than simply borrow its appearance. He played guitar with ease. At the same time, the hip-hop influence remained present in his voice, particularly in his rhythmic delivery. Those early hip-hop roots have not disappeared; instead, they have become another layer of his current sound. The soulful edge of his newest songs allowed him to bring those influences together, occasionally roughening his voice into a growl that made his transformation into a rockstar feel even more convincing.
After the opening stretch, WOODZ set down his guitar and grabbed the microphone as smoke rolled across the stage. He clapped through the haze, encouraging the audience to follow along before working his way from one side of the stage to the other. Some of the most interesting elements of his new material came from the church organ-like keys, twangy guitars, and prominent guitar solos — elements rarely given so much room in polished pop-rock. At certain moments, he nearly crossed into Southern rock or even country territory. Behind him, the band, consisting of Kim Hohyun (guitar), Yang Kyungah (bass), Seo Juyoung (drums), and Kim Dongmin (keys/synths) played with strength and precision, elevating the music and performance.
Through it all, WOODZ appeared completely comfortable. Wearing sunglasses and smiling as he moved around the stage, he confidently gripped the microphone and paused every chance he got to take in the crowd’s reaction. He seemed fully immersed in this version of himself. It felt like WOODZ had finally found a musical identity that fit him.
But the concert wasn't a complete and total rock show. Even with more than half of the new album performed (11 songs!), he made sure to include his older material. As the tone shifted, muscle memory took over and rapper WOODZ resurfaced. With one leg propped on a stage monitor, he confidently commanded MOODZ. Still, he remained attentive to the crowd, praising them for their energy while reminding everyone to take care of themselves. If anyone felt uncomfortable or needed water, he urged them to let a staff member know.
His banter between songs was shy and lighthearted, a far cry from the rockstar he became whenever the music started. Before moving into what he called the “sad part” of the show, he playfully asked if the audience was ready to cry. Fans sang along to “Drowning” in Korean so loudly that they surprised WOODZ himself. He complimented their singing, insisted that they sounded better than he did, and jokingly asked whether they wanted to switch places with him onstage. Such a talented songwriter, his music and lyrics transcended the language barrier.
The mood lifted when WOODZ announced that he had prepared a surprise specifically for his Texas fans: a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock.” He threw himself into the song with enthusiasm and even pulled out a few Elvis-inspired dance moves. The audience responded to nearly everything with bursts of loud barking — a sound that, by now, is expected at a K-pop concert.
The rapper, idol, songwriter, and rock frontman were never treated as separate versions of the same artist; each one surfaced throughout the set and added another layer to the performance. After more than a decade of changing names, joining groups and experimenting with genres, WOODZ appears more comfortable than ever with where his music has taken him. The Irving stop of the Archive. 1 tour showed an artist confident enough to embrace a new sound without abandoning his past.
