The Seoul premiere of KCON 2022 has taken place, with many veteran and emerging K-pop stars taking to the red carpet, including Monsta X, Viviz and NMixx.
Held at the CJ ENM Centre in Sangam-dong, in the western part of the South Korean capital, the glittering event marked the return of an in-person format for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
The three-hour show was opened by Monsta X, and included a mix of performances and panel sessions.
Speaking with fans, Monsta X member Joohoney explained what taking part meant to him. “It’s an honour to open the night and I’m reminded of the first time we participated in KCON. We’re happy to be performing in front of our fans and the audience.”
Band member Kihyun, meanwhile, spoke of how the pandemic has changed many things. “We’re seeing our fans in person more often recently, and it has reminded us that this is real K-pop that we’ve been missing out on.”
Monsta X were joined at the event by boy band Highlight, the four-piece originally named Beast, while newcomer NMixx was given a platform to show off their skills.
NMixx is an all-female, seven-member group that was founded in February 2022. Monsta X, meanwhile, is made up of six members (the seventh bandmate, Wonho, left in 2019) and were formed through the reality survival programme No. Mercy by Starship Entertainment.
TO1, another new band, were also present at the convention, and like Monsta X, were created from a reality survival show, this time World Klass. TO1 are a nine-member band formed in 2019, and were originally named TOO (Ten Oriented Orchestra).
The convention will head to Japan in mid May, and there are plans to take it to other venues around the world.
First held in Southern California in 2012, KCON is an annual convention to celebrate the South Korean musical phenomenon of K-pop.
Over its first decade, it has grown from one venue, to covering eight countries. It expanded to Japan in 2015, followed by events in Paris and Abu Dhabi in 2016, while in 2017 Mexico City was added to the roster.
During the pandemic, the event shifted exclusively to online, with the streamed event being called KCON:TACT.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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