Dream Concert celebrates return to post-pandemic normalcy

K-pop

Published: 19 Jun. 2022, 16:10 Updated: 19 Jun. 2022, 16:12

Dream Concert celebrates return to post-pandemic normalcy

Girl group IVE performs at the 28th Dream Concert held on June 18 at the Seoul Olympic Stadium in Jamsil, southern Seoul. [KOREA ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION]

The 28th Dream Concert brought Saturday night fever to a live audience of 45,000 K-pop fans and became a celebration of a return to normalcy after two years of Covid-19.

Hosted by the Korea Entertainment Producers' Association and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the concert took place at the Seoul Olympic Stadium in Jamsil, southern Seoul on Saturday.

Boy band Cravity performs during the 28th Dream Concert. [KOREA ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION]

The four-hour show featured 27 K-pop acts including Golden Child, CLASS:y, Drippin, Dreamcatcher, TAN, Laboum, Lightsum, Red Velvet, Victon, STAYC, CIX, IVE, AB6IX, NCT Dream, Nmixx, Alice, Oh My Girl, Younite, WEi, weekly, Lee Mu-jin, Epex, Kingdom, Kep1er, Cravity, Trendz and Pentagon, and some collaborations among the groups. K-pop rookies who made their debuts during the pandemic made their first Dream Concert appearances.

The stadium was draped with banners from fans with all kinds of creative phrases cheering their favorite K-pop acts. Although Korea relaxed most social distancing measures in April, the crowd was still required to wear masks.

Boy band NCT Dream performs at the 28th Dream Concert. [KOREA ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION]

The KTO invited 2,504 global K-pop fans from 23 nations including Singapore and Malaysia, and the organization debuted its new tourism campaign slogan, “Travel to Korea Begins Again!” The concert’s emcees, Doyoung of boy band NCT and An Yu-jin of girl group IVE, reminded international viewers that travel to Korea has resumed.

Approximately 4,500 audience members attended the 28th Dream Concert. [KOREA ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION]

The concert was livestreamed online. Viewers outside Korea can rewatch the concert via paid video-on-demand streaming on K-pop click and KT Seezn. Domestic viewers can stream it for free on KT Seezn.

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr]