MY recent experience at a live recording of Music Bank KBS2 in Gangneung, a city in the Gangwon province east of Seoul, South Korea, was an eye-opening one — it showcased the power of K-Pop.
But first, how does the Music Bank TV programme work? The combination of Digital Music Charts (65 per cent), album sales (five per cent), number of times broadcast on KBS TV (20 per cent and Viewers’ Choice Charts (10 per cent) known as K-Charts, determine the winner for each week. The winner will receive an award from the TV station.
More than 20,000 fans from all corners of the world packed Gangneung Stadium as early as noon even though the event didn’t kick off until 6pm. Our (media) group from Malaysia arrived at the stadium close to 4pm. From there, it took us about an hour to walk to the stadium, past the zig-zagging barricades, before arriving at the main gate where we were briefed on the security measures.
IN THE ‘ZONE’
We were to march into the stadium two by two, so that it looked slightly more organised than, say, sauntering in a large group. It reminded me of preschoolers on a trip. Stern-looking security personnel escorted us into our “zone”, which turned out to be a barricaded area separated by a steel barricade from the fans at the back.
We were placed quite close to the stage – I could have shaken the hands of the performing artistes, that was how close it was. However, as predicted, none of the artistes came over to where we were. They mainly stood at the centre of the stage for the benefit of the fans seated at the back.
The digital clock at the stadium showed that it was 6.15pm, 15 minutes till showtime. The floor manager was busy running around, giving his final briefing to the camera crew and crane operator. Since it was a live show, there could be no room for any mistake.
The sun began to set and the temperature in the stadium dipped. My only cover from the chilly autumnal breeze was the spotlight behind us. The yellow light cast a warm glow on us. At 6.30pm sharp, emcees Lovelyz’s Kei and actor Choi Won Myeong took centre stage and the stadium came alive with high pitched screams that lasted 30 seconds.
The loud screams reverberated throughout the open air stadium. The event kicked off with a bang, with colourful lights, pyrotechnics shows and, of course, ear-splitting music.
TOUGH FIGHT
For that particular week, it was a tough fight between Akmu and Twice – both groups were vying for the first place. In the end, Twice took its third win (Music Bank) for its song Feel Special with 8,821 points over Akmu’s ballad, How Can I Love The Heartbreak, You’re The One I Love.
Even from the start, it was obvious who the crowd favourite was. As soon as the boys from the 13-member group Seventeen took centre stage, the crowd went crazy. Performing Snap Shoot complete with a polished dance routine, the boys pretended to shoot air arrows at fans. They later performed Fear in all-black outfits.
Next, Jeong Se-Woon performed the ballad When It Rains. The slow tune saw the stadium light up from fans’ mobile phones, resembling a sky full of stars. Jeong’s vocals were so soothing and the mood was heightened with visuals of falling rain from the two large LED screens on both sides of the stage.
When it was time for Twice to perform, the nine-member group rocked the stadium with its blazing performances. Like most groups, it performed two songs: Fancy and Feel Special. From where I stood on tiptoes, I could barely see the girls. Mobile phones and cameras were everywhere, capturing the girls as they performed.
KISSES
Another crowd favourite Red Velvet also sang two songs: Power Up and Zimzalabim. I still remember sitting across the girl group when it visited Kuala Lumpur a couple of years ago to promote its mini album, Rookie. The girls were a shy lot then, but now they displayed so much charisma on stage that even Time magazine named them one of the best K-Pop groups in the February 2018 issue, highlighting their versatile musical styles.
One of my favourite performances was by Baek Z Young when she serenaded with her heart-rending song, We. The Queen Of OST (music soundtrack for TV drama or film), whose expressive vocals have enriched many popular dramas including Iris and Secret Garden, hit the high notes in We effortlessly and the emotional lyrics tugged at heartstrings.
The night closed with an encore by Twice which performed its winning song Feel Special. Prior to the performance, the girls said on stage that if they won, they would kiss each other. And they did.
The event was also a great place to introduce new acts. It is nice to see younger groups such as Teen Teen, Laboum, Saturday, OneUs and PurpleBeck gaining popularity among the international fans. Other artistes who also graced the event included NCT Dream, Kang Xiwon, Rocket Punch, Seon Sung Hyuk and Jang Woo Hyuk.