Splash the K-pop

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Seven South Korean acts put up an awesome performance during the Korean Music Wave 2011 at Stadium Merdeka.

YOU can’t argue with K-pop daebak (literally meaning K-pop is awesome or the best), a pop music phenomenon which is the rage here! Amid frenzied scenes of pop adulation, the Korean Music Wave 2011 concert underlined the genre’s popularity at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday night.

The biggest K-pop concert in Malaysia (to date), the screamfest was headlined by Big Bang’s Seungri and GD & TOP, and featured Park Jung Min, FT Island, U-KISS, Teen Top and girl group 4Minute.

The screaming never stopped as the seven sizzling South Korean acts wowed 10,000 K-pop fans made up of VIPs (Big Bang fans), Primadonnas (FT Island fans), KissMes (U-KISS fans), 4nias (4Minute fans), Angels (Teen Top fans) and Park Jung Min fans.

Oh what a night! Being the only female act, five-member South Korean girl group 4Minute strutted their grooves before a 10,000-strong audience at the Korean Music Wave 2011 screamfest.

Two local artistes, singer Alvin Chong and beatboxer Koujee, served as opening acts for the show, courtesy of joint organisers Galaxy Group, Proof Label and Tomato.M.

U-KISS members Kevin (speaking in English) and Dongho (speaking in Mandarin) also took to the stage as guest emcees joining Malaysian radio deejay Jeff Chin and DJ Young Kim of South Korea’s Arirang TV/Radio as hosts for the show.

The three-hour-long concert showcased some 30 hit Korean pop songs.

Fan girls waved various placards while loudly proclaiming their declarations of love like “I love you!” and “Marry me!” to which their idols responded with warm greetings that quickly endeared them to their very vocal supporters.

The show kicked off with five-member teen rock band FT Island (comprising Lee Hongki, Choi Jong Hun, Lee Jae Jin, Choi Min Hwan and Song Seung Hyun) singing Hello Hello, Love Love Love, Bad Woman, Bing Bing Bing and I Hope.

As FT Island frontman Hongki expertly worked the crowd, fans screamed “Jeremy!”, the adorable character he played in popular K-drama series You’re Beautiful.

Coming here for the first time, six-member boyband Teen Top (comprising C.A.P, Chunji, L.Joe, Niel, Ricky and Changjo) did its best to impress with No More Perfume On You, Brushing, intro (47”) + Clap, Angel and Supa Luv.

Fan boys, who were probably outnumbered 10-to-1, had their turn screaming their lungs out for five-member girl group 4Minute (comprising Hyuna, Ji Hyun, Ga Yoon, Ji Yoon and So Hyun). Being the only female act, the luscious lasses strutted their grooves on Mirror Mirror, Heart To Heart, I My Me Mine, Muzik and Hot Issue.

Next up was seven-member boyband U-KISS (comprising Kevin, Dongho, Soohyun, Kiseop, Eli, AJ and Hoon) which got fans singing along to BingGeul BingGeul, Everyday, Never Land, 0330 and Man Man Ha Ni. The group was well-received considering the frequency of its visits here.

It’s been four years since Park Jung Ming last came to Malaysia with the now-defunct boyband SS501. On this solo visit, he won many hearts when he fished out a crumpled little love note from his pocket and read it aloud.

Speaking in Mandarin and Malay, the lanky lad said he was elated to be in Malaysia and promised to do his best and went all out to please with Not Alone, Because It’s You, Every Day Is My Christmas, Missing You and Let Go.

By the time it was Big Bang’s turn to perform, the crowd was on their feet, with some perched on plastic chairs while others moved to the grass where they could bounce and groove freely.

Looking dashing in a suit, Big Bang’s Seungri got fans leaping with joy when he declared that “Malaysian fans are bagus”, then serenaded them with VVIP, What Can I Do and Strong Baby.

While the rest of the acts kept to a black-and-white theme, GD & TOP were a riot in their colourful outfits as they ran about the stage belting out High High, Oh Yeah and Knock Out. Making their debut performance here, the duo were pleasantly surprised that local fans could sing Korean songs.

A blast of pyrotechnics and golden streamers took the show to its grand finale but fans waited around to watch their idols being shuttled off in vans.

The show may be over but my ears are still ringing with fans screaming saranghae! (We love you), bogoshipoyo! (We miss you!).