Super Junior’s 20th anniversary tour blends nostalgia with what’s next

Super Junior 20th Anniversary Tour Super Show 10 In Singapore

Singapore Indoor Stadium
Jan 3

More than two decades have passed since South Korean boy band Super Junior came onto the scene in 2005 and gained worldwide recognition. While many others have followed since, Super Junior’s achievements in laying the groundwork for K-pop’s success have been, well, super.

Their hits, such as Sorry, Sorry (2009), Bonamana (2010) and Mr. Simple (2011), propelled them to become the best selling K-pop group in the early 2010s.

Since their formation, some of the original 12 members have left the group – Han Geng in 2011, Kibum in 2015 and Kangin in 2019 – while newest member Kyuhyun joined in 2006. From the group’s current 10 members, one of them, Sungmin, has been on hiatus since 2015.

The other nine – Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun – have been making the rounds on the group’s 20th anniversary tour, which kicked off in Seoul in August 2025, and has travelled as far as Lima, Peru and Santiago, Chile.

The group have had a busy few days in Singapore since touching down here on Dec 31, 2025.

On New Year’s Eve, they took the stage at the Countdown 2026 at The Kallang event, together with local singers Benjamin Kheng, Tabitha Nauser and Iman Fandi as well as Chinese vocalist Cheng Huan.

During the event, they performed Express Mode (2025), Devil (2015), Believe (2005) and Sorry, Sorry. When the fireworks started, they welcomed 2026 with Bonamana and ended their set with the optimistic Miracle (2005).

On Jan 1, they held their first fan sign event here at a private location. The closed-door event, attended by 300 fans, featured a question-and-answer segment, poster-signing session, and both one-to-one and group photo opportunities.

Super Junior’s biggest outings this trip, however, were their two Super Show 10 concerts on Jan 2 and 3. The second performance, which was sold out and lasted 165 minutes, was a trip down memory lane, paying tribute to many of the band’s milestones and proudest moments.

Here are three highlights.

1. Return of Heechul

The singer-songwriter and rapper has taken multiple breaks from the group after suffering injuries from a car accident in 2006. He was diagnosed with a disability.

He sat out the group’s concerts from 2019, and was absent from their last shows here in 2024, also at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

His return was greeted with rapturous applause. During the group’s opening number, Twins (Knock Out) (2005), the crowd went wild when the cameras focused on the 42-year-old in an all-white outfit. While he did not dance much, he spun and bobbed along during dance number U (2006), and used a red fan as a prop to fan himself, shield his face and play coy with.

Ballads such as I Know (2025) were his time to shine, where he delivered solo lines and had a prominent spot onstage. Welcome back.

2. Tribute to sub-units

Super Junior have had a number of sub-units over the years, some of which are no longer operational given the departure of some members.

For example, Super Junior-M, which focus on the Chinese market, have not been active since 2015. But the band performed one of the sub-unit’s songs – the Korean version of electropop number Super Girl (2009).

Another sub-unit, Super Junior-T, which sing trot music, the oldest form of Korean pop music, have also been inactive since 2015. The band took on the comedic Rokkugo (2007), the sub-unit’s first single, with members dressed as cute animals.

In addition, Super Junior-K.R.Y. – known for their exceptional vocal performances and are made up of Kyuhyun, Ryeowook and Yesung, the group’s strongest singers – had the stage to themselves on the electrohouse number A-Cha (2011), showing off their powerful pipes.

3. Forward-looking set list

An anniversary show honours where it all began, and was an apt platform for the group’s earliest singles Twins (Knock Out) and Miracle, as well as megahits Sorry, Sorry, Mr. Simple and Bonamana.

Yet, the group also managed to squeeze in several tracks from their latest album Super Junior25, released in July 2025, such as Express Mode, Haircut, I Know, Say Less, D.N.A. and Finale.

Express Mode, an upbeat club number, captures their goal-driven nature, with lyrics such as “I’m going to get thirsty every day without any change” and “I want to climb high and see everything”.

Haircut also likens changing one’s hairstyle to breaking free from one’s old self and finding new confidence.

Clearly, Super Junior are not done. While they might no longer be K-pop “juniors”, they are nonetheless eager to take on the future with full force.