The 14 Best Moments From HallyuPopFest

From Exo’s Kai to MAMAMOO’s Hwasa, here is our breakdown of some of HallyuPopFest’s most memorable moments.

It would be fitting to call HallyuPopFest a celebration of firsts. It is the first time the festival took place in London, across the weekend of 9th and 10th July, - giving fans from across the UK the opportunity to see their favourite K-pop idols up close and personal. It was also the first time some of the idols involved had come to England.  Many groups on the line-up such as Cravity, Kep1er, EVERGLOW, and Weeekly had debuted just before or during the pandemic. 

The title may be a little confusing as HallyuPopFest strayed away from the traditional festival formula that would include a campsite and multiple stages. Instead, they opted for a concert with one main stage, where the artists were given a 15–30-minute set.

Despite a few microphone issues and wardrobe malfunctions (which can be part and parcel of live performances), the festival’s 2022 edition served as an exciting two-day celebration of red carpet appearances, meet and greets, as well as music performances, with EXO’s Kai and Chen, MAMAMOO’s Hwasa, and SF9 topping the bill.

Here are our 14 highlights from HallyuPopFest.

Day 1

Sam Kim

Armed with just a keyboard and guitar, solo singer Sam Kim won over the crowd with his soothing, warm vocals. In the pre-show showcase Sam participated in entertaining challenges amongst singing a variety of songs from his catalogue such as “These Walls” and “Where’s My Money.” But the highlight was he opened the main show with a soulful rendition of his R&B “Make Up.”
 

Sam Kim Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022  

P1Harmony 

Despite having also performed in the pre-show P1Harmony took to the stage with a bountiful supply of energy. Performing songs such as “Reset” and “Do It Like This” - the group’s fun and energetic vibes was the precursor of what the audience could expect from the rest of the night.

P1Harmony Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

Oneus

Oneus gave the most intricate visual performance of the evening. As soon as the sextet hit the stage, they displayed the precision and flamboyancy that K-pop is famous for. The highlight of their set was when the group performed their song “Luna.” With an amalgamation of beautiful vocals, traditional fans, and complex choreography, Oneus truly represented the “Beauty of Korea.”

ONEUS Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022  

EVERGLOW

The ladies certainly made their presence known at HallyuPopFest. Giving a rousing performance of their discography that included “Adios”, “Bon Bon Chocolat” and "Pirate" the group showed that their potential is limitless. With the crowd roaring during the performance of “La Di Da” it would not be surprising if the fan chants of “EVERGLOW forever, let’s go” could be heard from outside the arena.

EVERGLOW Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

ASTRO

The members of ASTRO (who were missing Cha Eunwoo and MJ) decided to break away from the status quo of the evening and split into two subunits. Jinjin and Rocky took the stage first to give the audience a sensual performance of “Lock Down” and “Just Breath.” Sanha and Moon Bin gave a rousing performance of ‘Bad Idea’ and ‘Who’. The group ended their 30-minute set by coming together and singing “Candy Sugar Pop.”

ASTRO Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

HWASA

Hwasa gave what can only be considered as a masterclass in showmanship for her London debut. The Maknae of MAMAMOO rolled out a set that was impossible not to sing and dance to with her hit singles “Twit,” “I’m a Bi,” and - the crowd pleaser – “Maria.” She also performed a B-side from her latest EP “Bless U,” which was a clear reminder that  Hwasa’s greatest strength is her vocal ability.

HWASA Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022  

Chen 

It’s not often that the festival is closed out with a range of ballads, but if one is going to do so then let Chen be the closer. The EXO singer finished the day showcasing his breath-taking, beautiful vocals with songs such as “Love Words and” “Beautiful Goodbye.” The highlight of the set was his K-drama OST songs “Everytime” and “Best Luck.”

CHEN Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

Day 2

Paul Kim

Paul Kim proved that the mark of a good performer is not always high-energy choreography and flashing lights but raw musical talent and charisma. The soloist romanced the audience with ‘Wanna Love You,’ and ‘Coffee With Me.” “I’m really shocked that you guys know my songs,” he told the crowd. “I was expecting no one to know them.” The singer may not be the biggest name on the Korean music scene but with the crowd chanting his name and singing along to “Every Day, Every Moment,” it’s clear that he has definitely gained new fans in London.

Paul Kim Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022  

Weeekly 

Weeekly made sure to leave their mark. From the moment Soo-jin, Monday, So-eun, Jae-hee, Jihan, and Zoa set foot on stage in their white and beige outfits, their energy was unparalleled. The sextet charmed the crowd with their 15-minute set that included songs like “Hello” and a rendition of “After School” that even featured a skateboard.

Weeekly Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022  

Cravity 

The Starship boyband kicked off day two with an electrifying performance that kept the crowd screaming. Their set - which was compromised of songs such as “Bad Habit,” “My Turn,” and “Jumper - was filled with pyrotechnics, intense choreography, and the right amount of  “bad boy” energy the audience could not get enough of.

Cravity Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

 

CIX 

CIX certainly knew what to do to leave the K-pop fans of London smitten. “Some of you might not know us very well but we want all of you to fall in love with us,” member Hyunsuk told the audience halfway through their performance. And it appeared that the quintet’s wish was granted with the audience swooning over their charisma and effortless sensuality. With songs such as “Everything,” “Movie Star,” “Jungle,” and the fan favourite “Cinema” being on their roaster, it was hard not to fall in love with CIX. 

CIX Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

Kep1er 

Kep1er started their set with their infectious debut song ‘Wa Da Da.’ They maintained their high with “LE VOYA9E” and their peppy song “Up!” With the frenzied enthusiasm of the audience, one would think that the nine-member group was seasoned veterans and not rookies who had just debuted in January 2022. If their reception at Hallyu Pop Fest is anything to go by, Kep1er is one to watch.

Kep1er Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022 

SF9  

Though Youngbin, Inseong, and Rowoon were not present (due to military enlistment and acting commitments), Jaeyoon, Dawon, Zuho, Yoo Taeyang, Hwiyoung, and Chani managed to command the stage during Hallyu Pop Fest’s second night. Despite facing some serious technical difficulties, the group expertly regained control of their stage and even dropped hints about an upcoming world tour. The 6/9 members of SF9 gave their fans entertaining performances of “Good Guy,” ‘Now Or Never” and closed out with an exhilarating rendition of “Play Hard.”

SF9 Credit: Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022  

Kai

Who better to close out Day 2 than the smooth and sensual sounds of EXO’s Kai? The seasoned veteran’s set included “Peaches,” “Vanilla,” and “Hello Stranger.” He even surprised fans by performing “Reason” before closing the show with his enticing single “Mmmh.” Despite a wardrobe malfunction that required him to leave the stage for a few minutes, Kai gave a confident, mesmerizing performance.

KAI Credit : Courtesy of HallyuPopFest London 2022