Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known Live Performances From Dreamcatcher’s Handong
Dreamcatcher’s foreign-born member has had plenty of stand-out moments when live, but there are a few some may not know about.
Multi-lingual by necessity, and having to deal with the challenges associated with it, Dreamcatcher’s Handong has had plenty to go through in establishing herself as part of the group the last six years or so. While the Chinese-born vocalist seemed to really come into her own confidence after her return from Chinese survival show Youth With You in 2021, from the beginning Handong was seen as a naturally talented singer and dancer. Along with Gahyeon, who was also seen by then-Happyface Entertainment (now Dreamcatcher Company) as a diamond in the rough with expansive skills, Handong had one of the shorter trainee periods in the group before debuting along with everyone else in Dreamcatcher in 2017. Yet even with this brief foray into what is sometimes years in terms of formative development, Handong has always displayed a unique vocal tone that is distinct in Dreamcatcher, and which has led to her delivering some of the group’s most iconic lines, and like with anything in Dreamcatcher, they’re best experienced live.
Here’s a few live performances from Dreamcatcher’s sub-vocalist that you might not know about!
Name: Dreamcatcher Handong 2019 Birthday Fan Meeting — “Stay With Me” cover (orig. by Song Ha Ye)
Date: March 31, 2019
As always, you can find some of the best live performances from offline Dreamcatcher birthday fanmeetings over the years, and Handong’s is no exception. While a lot of folks know about the triple-language cover she did of “Snow Flower” during this meeting, there are a bevy of other performances Handong put out there that were just as good. Here she shows off some of her K-Drama vocal emotive range delivering one of the best songs from the “Hymn of Death” soundtrack. Ballads seem to be some of Handong’s best handiwork, and you can see why with this little-known rendition.
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Name: “I Can Understand” cover, Youth With You 2
Date: April 17, 2020
Handong’s appearance on Youth With You 2 in 2020 is filled with good performances from her, and though everyone is drawn to her performance of “Ambush On All Sides” with her team, there was plenty of material to draw from in terms of showcasing her talent. This audio-only cover of “I Can Understand” is part of those, and you can definitely tell why Handong is at home in her native language when it comes to dramatic, flowing songs like this one. Worth a listen if you want to chill out and relax.
Name: “Sunday Morning” cover (orig. by Maroon 5) by Dreamcatcher JiU, Siyeon, and Handong
Date: February 14, 2018
Sure, everyone talks about that time Handong brought the house down with JiU in Latin America with “Trouble Maker”, but that wasn’t the first time Handong dazzled a live audience with a cover. 2018’s Europe tour gave the group the opportunity to do plenty of subunit content, and Handong joined forces with leader JiU and main vocalist Siyeon to cover Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning”. Perhaps one of the best parts of this particular performance is the love the crowd gives when Handong sings more than just a couple lines, which shows that even back then, Dreamcatcher fans wanted to hear more of what Handong’s voice had to offer.
Name: “At Gwanghwamun (Chinese version)” (orig. by Super Junior Kyuhyun)
Date: October 20, 2019
The short-lived RUN.WAV variety show allowed groups to show off live performances and talents while also talking about themselves and their accomplishments. Each member of Dreamcatcher got to show off a bit of what they could do on this show, and when it got around to Handong’s turn at around 17:00 in, she’d prepared a surprise for host Super Junior Kyuhyun — a cover of the Chinese version of his song “At Gwanghwamun”. A rare treat to not only show off her vocal talent but do so in front of the original artist, Handong did the song justice, even inviting Kyuhyun himself to sing a line so they could very briefly collab. It was, as always, a showcase of Handong’s emotive singing talent, and it left Kyuhyun touched at the effort and as a bonus, the group and audience’s encouragement as she got the spotlight doing this had to be great for Dreamcatcher’s foreign-born member.
Name: “Wee Woo” cover (orig. by PRISTIN) by Dreamcatcher Handong, Yoohyeon
Date: October 9, 2017
In 2017, Handong was still working to improve her Korean, meaning that in public she may have seemed a bit more reserved to prevent misspeaking on a live broadcast. But even so, there were opportunities for her to showcase her talent. Despite her shyness, the minute “Wee Woo” starts playing, you can see Handong look at the camera and immediately flip the switch into performance mode, leading the group through a partial cover of the PRISTIN hit song with fellow member Yoohyeon. One of the greatest parts of this was Dreamcatcher’s unconditional cheering and support of Handong, allowing her to have and enjoy the spotlight and show off what earned her a deserved spot on the roster. It’s part of the reason I’ve continued to support the group, as they’ve always been happy to ensure everyone gets their time in the sun.
With the latest tour through the US coming up, hopefully you enjoyed the continuation of this series of hidden gems from live Dreamcatcher. Stay tuned at some point in the future for the next article, featuring Dreamcatcher’s relatable and talented Yoohyeon!
