Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known Performances From Dreamcatcher's Gahyeon
Finishing up this hidden gems series at last, with some of the best of live performances from Dreamcatcher's youngest member.
A long while ago I began the "hidden gems" series to highlight some of the performances that Dreamcatcher fans (especially newer ones) might not know about. I figured that I'd be done in time for the return to touring in 2022 and we'd end up with some excitement built for one of the best live performers in the K-Pop industry.
It's 2024 and I think I might have slacked off a little. Oops.
Look, I'll just blame Dreamcatcher's constant content feed. They're just so busy, even during non-comeback time and on off-weeks, that there was never any shortage of things to write about. Honestly, it's a good problem to have.
Regardless of the procrastinat- I mean, the unforeseen circumstances behind why it's taken two years to finish this, I call this better late than never. And just in time for Dreamcatcher to head out once again on tour to Europe, I'm finishing up with youngest member Gahyeon, a diamond in the rough who I think has polished her vocal and stage presence over the years with hard work and grace. Here are some performances you might not know about, and should check out.
Name: Idol Radio - Dreamcatcher JiU, Siyeon, and Gahyeon - "Magic Girl" (orig. by Orange Caramel
Date: October 10, 2018
Bright and energetic is one of the most common traits that a maknae, or youngest member, will have in a K-Pop group, and even though we know by now that Gahyeon can do much more than that, when called upon to do something that's expected, she rises to the occasion. Idol Radio was, and still is, great for segments that allow individual members or subunits to show off their live vocal skills, and this was no different.
In this clip, team "Pineapple Macaroon" covers Orange Caramel song "Magic Girl", with Gahyeon combining with Leader JiU and Main Vocalist Siyeon to deliver a fun and sunny performance worthy of one of K-Pop's brightest and most well-known groups. Gahyeon brings not just the vocals but her active, joyful dancing to the routine, drawing in both JiU and Siyeon to the "Magic Girl" choreography with ease.
Name: Welcome to the Dream World in Taipei - Dreamcatcher Yoohyeon and Gahyeon - "I" (orig. by Taeyeon)
Date: June 21, 2018
Even though Dreamcatcher's concerts are filled with their original songs, and they have a good problem in that there's just so much to pick from these days, I do miss the days of subunits performances during them. Though in part meant to fill a set with more songs in the early days, subunit performances were able to highlight interesting combinations of Dreamcatcher members and allow individuals to shine.
That's definitely what happened here. The group just announced that they're traveling back to Taipei, and last time they were there, Lead Vocalist Yoohyeon and Gahyeon put on a great performance of "I", one of SNSD Taeyeon's most iconic songs. The best part about this isn't just the obvious vocal talent (one that features a Gahyeon high note, even) but the fact that we saw shades of what would be Lead Rapper Gahyeon in "PIRI", "I", and more of Dreamcatcher's discography. It's always nice to see that progression happen, and to see the seeds of it begin like in this live performance cover.
Name: Dreamcatcher Gahyeon Birthday Fanmeeting 2019 - "Peach" (orig. by IU)
Date: February 1st, 2019
You can always find great material for Dreamcatcher vocal performances from the live fanmeetings for birthdays they did for a bit, and Gahyeon is no different with her 2019 vocals on display. These often have several different songs covered, each chosen in part by the artist and sung for the audience to highlight their talent.
Fans likely know Gahyeon's Special Clip cover of "Dlwlrma" by IU, but Gahyeon was covering her long before then with this light and airy performance of IU's "Peach". I've always liked Gahyeon in ballad mode - for as much as we appreciate iconic raps in "Scream" or low-toned pre-choruses in "Poison Love", Gahyeon seems at home in IU's realm of feelgood discography, and "Peach" shows plenty of that off along with just a touch of vocal power - a reminder that all of them are talented in their own way in this arena. I'd recommend looking up the rest of this fanmeeting for more Gahyeon vocal goodness, as she picked a bunch of great songs.
Name: Naver NOW Avengirls - WJSN Dayoung, Elris Yukyung, Dreamcatcher Gahyeon - "Tears" (orig. by So Chan Whee) - forward to 13:41
Date: March 19th, 2020
One of Gahyeon's claims to fame is her network of fellow peers in the K-Pop industry, and she counts a bunch of them among her friends. WJSN's Dayoung and her have a long-standing friendship, and when she invited Gahyeon to appear on an episode of Naver NOW's Avengirls along with Elris' Yukyung, she was more than happy to accept.
This was a fun episode on a bunch of levels but the seemingly impromptu cover of So Chan Whee's "Tears", a classic K-Pop song, was one of the best parts. It just goes to show that even when it comes to being in a subunit that doesn't include her fellow Dreamcatcher members, Gahyeon knows how to perform well.
Name: Invitation from Nightmare City in Singapore - Dreamcatcher Siyeon, Handong, Gahyeon - "As Long As You Love Me" + "Boyfriend" cover (orig. by Justin Bieber)
Date: March 22, 2019
Fans may remember a couple of performances that assembled Siyeon, Handong, and Gahyeon into a well-balanced Dreamcatcher subunit, with a live festival special stage performance of Paul Kim's "Every Day, Every Moment" being one of the most memorable. But that wasn't even the first time they sang something together.
Invitation from Nightmare City in 2019 was pretty much the most wide-ranging world tour Dreamcatcher took, and their trip to Singapore in 2019 gave fans a treat by putting this subunit together to cover two of Western pop artist Justin Bieber's most well-known songs. We got both vocalist Gahyeon and rapper Gahyeon here, and she did both English songs justice with an entertaining medley that got fans excited.
That's the last of the Hidden Gems series for Dreamcatcher! Hopefully if you've stuck around this long, you've been a faithful reader with a lot of patience, but as I said before, even if you're late to the party, you can check out the rest of the series here. With the 2024 EU tour coming up, we'll hope to see more memories and performances from Gahyeon and the rest of Dreamcatcher that won't be so hidden from the public eye. I'll be right there enjoying them with you!
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