Riding the Korean wave
> K-pop acts Red Velvet, NCT 127 and Yesung danced and sang their way into Malaysian hearts at the I.Seoul.U concert to promote the South Korean capital
WHETHER it’s the South Korean captivating culture, enticing food scene, or vibrant fashion sense, ‘Hallyu’ (the Korean wave) has been taking the world by storm.
In Malaysia, hallyu has steadily spread to encompass a wide range of everything Korean.
One of the latest events is the I.Seoul.U concert held last week at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The catchphrase ‘I. Seoul.U’ is the official slogan for the city of Seoul.
The event, which aimed to promote tourism in the South Korean capital city, was graced by Seoul vice-mayor Liu Gyoung-Gee who thanked Malaysians “for giving special love towards Korea”.
He said he believed that Korean stars played a big role in attracting more than 240,000 Malaysians to visit the country last year, so it was appropriate that the I.Seoul.U concert be held in Kuala Lumpur “a hub of culture, tourism, and shopping just like Seoul”.
Liu said that apart from the Korean entertainment scene, there were also plenty of food to try, places to visit and things to enjoy in the city, including the Bamdokkaebi night market, Hangang Summer Festival, Seoul International Fireworks Festival, and Seoul Lantern Festival.
“There are also places like the N Seoul Tower, Gyeongbokgung palace, and Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) ... These places have appeared in K-dramas such as My Love from the Stars, and The Moon Embracing the Sun,” he added.
The star-studded concert that night, organised by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, featured some of the hottest Kpop stars in the industry to date.
They included all-girl group Red Velvet, multi-national hiphop group NCT 127, as well as Yesung, one of the heartthrob members of K-pop group Super Junior.
Hallyu fans were already camping outside the venue the day before, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite K-pop icons.
By 7pm, close to 6,000 eager fans were packed inside the concert hall, waving their banners and illuminated glowsticks in the air.
Guests of honour at the event were the Sultanah of Pahang Sultanah Kalsom and Tengku Arif Temenggong Pahang Tengku Fahd Muadzam Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Local pop-trio De Fam got the crowd’s adrenaline pumping as it kick-started the concert with a power-packed performance, dancing to a remix of DJ Snake and AlunaGeorge’s You Know You Like It, as well as De Fam’s successful debut single #SUPERGIRLS.
It’s no denying that these girls were pretty good at rapping, singing and modern hip-hop dance.
The mic was then passed to local rap star Altimet. He performed the patriotic Kotaraya Ku, as well as his explosive new single #AMBOI, which was filled with satire and social commentary.
Finally, it was time for the concert headliners to take centre stage, beginning with K-pop quintet Red Velvet.
Dressed in their signature cutesy school-girl style, the petite-sized sopranos executed four hit songs – Dumb Dumb, Little Little, Russian Roulette and Rookie – showing off their engaging dance moves, and displaying the on-stage charisma that has earned them a huge global fan base.
The nine-member hip-hop group NCT 127 then filled the air with its infectious rap melodies – Fire Truck, Once Again, Good Thing, and Limitless – as well as performed some impressively sleek hip-hop dance moves to wow the crowd.
A contrast to the two groups’ electrifying performances, Yesung’s set was filled with emotional power ballads and admirable vocal runs.
Recognised for his ‘artistic’ vocal talent, the Super Junior member hit all the right notes as he effortlessly belted out Here I Am, Paper Umbrella, Fly and Only You.
Fans were left in awe as thousands raised the ‘finger heart’ gesture – a popular Korean celebrity trend – in the air while it rained confetti.