For years South Korean music has gained a loyal following around the world.
Fans in the UAE were treated to a special one-off concert at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. It featured musicians such as Zico, Loco, Paul Kim, Woogie, Peakboy, Sik-K, Jay B, P1Harmony, The Rose and Dvwn, all of whom were performing in the Middle East for the first time.
Thousands of fans of South Korean music from around the region attended Hyperound K-Fest, with some flying in to welcome their favourite artists with banners.
Rapper Loco, 32, expressed his surprise at the number of fans he has in the region. Meanwhile South Korean singer-songwriter Paul Kim, 34, was also surprised by the warm reception he received.
“I saw many fans at Yas Mall and I was surprised many came to me to say 'hi'. It was really surprising because I was wearing my face mask and looked really casual,” Kim told The National.
“It was a new experience for me because I wasn’t expecting anyone to recognise me here but I am grateful and hopefully I get more chances to perform in front of you.”
While some of the artists stayed for a few days to explore the UAE, Kim travelled back to South Korea the same night owing to a prior commitment.
“I promise I will come back just for travelling, maybe with my friends," he said. "Maybe next time I come I would want to try out different activities."
Kim rose to fame with his work on original soundtracks for South Korean dramas such as Hotel Del Luna.
During the K-festival, he performed his hits Every Day, Every Moment and Me After You. He says he doesn't have a personal favourite from his track list. “I like all my songs, they are all my children.”
However, he says if someone wanted to listen to him for the first time, he would recommend So Long because the song itself has special meaning.
“It could be used in terms of saying goodbye. It also represents how much you love someone."
Fellow labelmate Peakboy, real name Kwon Sung-hwan, also took to the stage with his hit Gyopo Hairstyle. He and Kim shared the stage at one point, too, serenading the crowd with their latest collaboration, How to Love.
“When I first started making How to Love, I was thinking of Paul Kim and then it was destiny as I met him for a coffee and I suggested the song to him, he approved right away,” says Kwon.
K-pop boy band P1Harmony also enjoyed the UAE during their first visit, bringing their energy and enthusiasm to the concert. “We promise we will be back,” said member Keeho.
The group started their performance with their hit song Doom Du Doom from their mini album Harmony: Zero In and ended their set with Black Hole.
The six-member band was one of the youngest to make their debut in 2020. They were introduced through a movie called P1H: A New World Begins. Once the pandemic eased, they were finally able to go on tour and said it was "unreal" meeting their fans in the UAE for the first time.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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