G-Dragon Electrifies APEC Welcome Dinner with Powerful K-Pop Performance
The APEC welcome dinner transformed into a vibrant K-pop stage, showcasing the global influence of South Korean music.
On October 31st, at the welcome dinner held at the Grand Ballroom of Lahan Select Hotel in Gyeongju, Gyeongju City, G-Dragon, appointed as the ambassador for APEC 2025 Korea, delivered a show-stopping performance of three consecutive songs: 'POWER,' 'HOME SWEET HOME,' and 'DRAMA.'
During the 'POWER' performance, G-Dragon captivated the audience with a unique hat reminiscent of traditional Korean 'gat' (a traditional hat). Leaders and delegates from various countries present were seen enthusiastically recording the performance on their mobile phones.
Cha Eun-woo, who served as the MC for the evening, also garnered significant attention. The dinner performance was structured in three acts, representing the past, present, and future. It featured a collaboration between street dancers Honey J and Ri Jeong, Gugak (traditional Korean music), contemporary dance, violinist Kim Yuna, and the robotic dog 'Spot,' blending 'tech, tempo, and tradition' into a single, cohesive spectacle.
The dining experience was equally impressive, with Chef Edward Lee curating a menu that harmoniously combined Korean and Western culinary traditions.
The impact of the performance quickly spread across social media. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim shared a clip of G-Dragon's 'DRAMA' performance on his Instagram Reels, adding the hashtag '#KpopForever,' highlighting the global reach of K-pop.
The welcome dinner performance, themed 'Journey of Butterfly: Together, We Fly,' was lauded for successfully inheriting and expanding upon the Korean cultural diplomacy format previously showcased at multilateral diplomatic events like the G20 and APEC summits.
Korean netizens reacted enthusiastically online, with comments such as 'As expected of G-Dragon!', 'Amazing how he turned the APEC dinner into a K-pop concert,' and 'Cha Eun-woo was a great MC too. So proud.'