NEW: Seventeen World Tour in U.S.

Speaking of LAFC — I actually visited their home, BMO Stadium, last Friday. But this time, it wasn’t for a soccer match. It was for the K-pop boy band Seventeen's concert.

My daughter had declared that her birthday wish this year was simple and non-negotiable: Seventeen concert tickets. Last year, we saw them at Oakland Arena, which was logistically easy for me—except for giving a ride for five girls (her and four friends) to and from the venue through the late-night 580. Not exactly my favorite weekday routine.

This time, though, the situation was more challenging: the concert was in LA (only for CA), starting at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday. The only realistic way to make it was to fly. I prefer driving (especially to LA), but there was no chance of pulling that off — and the last-minute flight ended up costing more than the concert ticket itself.

BMO Stadium, home of LAFC, looked great. I even spotted several Son Heung-min posters around the venue, a fun coincidence after seeing him play in the Bay Area just weeks before.

What I didn’t expect was the strict bag policy. I recognized about the clear-bag rule, but I didn’t realize they’d reject even a tiny pouch — smaller than my palm — for my chargers. Since we came straight from LAX by Uber, we had nowhere to leave it. Thankfully, one of the staff members offered to keep it safely until the end of the concert. It was even more impressive because they didn’t just overlook the rule — they actually took care of it properly.

As for the concert itself, I should have recognized every song, considering I’ve heard her playlist countless times while driving her around. But this year’s setlist had a few surprises. Still, the performance was great — polished, energetic, and genuinely fun to watch.

It’s always fascinating to see a K-pop concert in the U.S. It’s not just Korean fans — the crowd is a real mix of cultures and backgrounds, a kind of cultural melting pot. And watching that from the stands of an MLS stadium somehow made it feel even more global. Another weekend, another stadium — but this time, a different kind of star power.