Top Korean entertainer Rain and idol groups 2AM and Kara will be performing at the Asia Song Festival at Seoul Olympic Stadium on Oct. 23, the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange said Friday.
They will be joining Korea’s leading female singer BoA and stars from another six countries in Asia, including Japanese girl group AKB48 and Thai singer FILM. AKB48 consists of 48 female singers and they have their own theater in Akihabara in Tokyo, where they perform once every weekday. FILM participated in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics representing Thailand.
Other participants include Chinese singer Jane Zhang and Malaysian singer-songwriter Michael Wong. Zhang is known to be capable of reaching highest register of the human voice, while Wong won over 30 awards in Asia for his breakthrough album “Fairy Tale” in 2005.
Started in 2004, the Asia Song Festival has been aiming to create a “common cultural bond” by establishing a site of cultural exchange and “extend Asia’s creative potential.” The event is co-hosted by the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange and the city of Seoul, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This year, 14 artists from six Asian countries are participating.
Kim Young-hoon, president of the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, said this year’s event was especially meaningful as Seoul will host the G20 summit in November.
“We’d like to create a cultural bond of ‘one Asia’ and ultimately strengthen the competitive power of the global music market,” he said.
Admission is free of charge and tickets can be downloaded from the event’s website. During the event UNICEF will hold a collection for children in Pakistan suffering after the recent flood disaster.
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