KWON EUNBI earned the moniker “summer queen” following her Waterbomb performance in 2023. In Dubai, the heat was familiar territory, but the festival was a new experience. The South Korean singer joined the inaugural Dubai K-Fest, a celebration of Korean music, film, food, fashion, and beauty, for her first performance in the UAE.
She arrived feeling both nervous and excited, with the anticipation of meeting fans adding to her happiness. “This is my first time coming to Dubai, and I am very happy and excited to be here. I came with such anticipation, knowing that I can present my performance in Dubai,” she shares ahead of her debut appearance. “I am also incredibly happy and grateful for your love of K-pop culture.”
The K-pop soloist headlined the inaugural festival‘s opening concert alongside boy band ONEUS at Festival Bay in Dubai Festival City Mall (DFC), while renowned choreographers AIKI and Choi Young-jun took the stage the next day.
A First Connection
KWON’s hope for her first Dubai show was simple: to leave audiences feeling energized and eager to see her again. “I hope you receive a lot of energy from watching my performance, and if you feel a longing to see me again, like saying, “I wish KWON EUNBI would come to Dubai someday,” or “I want you to feel KWON EUNBI’s energy and see more of her performances”, I would be so happy.”
Her visit came less than a month after the release of ‘DEJAVU,’ a dreamy disco-pop single she says reflects more of her musical preferences and greater creative involvement. From planning the project to developing its stage concept, the soloist took a more active role in shaping what she wanted to share with listeners.
Finding Her Direction
That growing creative involvement follows a career spanning more than a decade. KWON debuted with short-lived girl group Ye-A in 2014 before leaving the following year and joining Woollim Entertainment as a trainee. She gained wider recognition through Mnet’s audition show ‘Produce 48’ in 2018 and became the leader of IZ*ONE, the 12-member project group formed through the show. Its activities ended in April 2021.
“I believe my biggest strength is being able to show various colors and different charms, rather than sticking to just one color.”
She made her solo debut under Woollim in August 2021 with her first EP, ‘OPEN,’ followed by ‘Color’ and ‘Lethality’ in 2022. She has continued releasing music since, including ‘The Flash’ in 2023 and ‘Hello Stranger’ in 2025. Her Waterbomb performance in 2023 brought further attention to her music and stage presence.
Years of performing and releasing music have given the K-pop singer a clearer understanding of her preferences, the stories she wants to tell, and what she hopes to convey through her work. That growing sense of identity still leaves room to explore: “I believe my biggest strength is being able to show various colors and different charms, rather than sticking to just one color,” she says.
Greater Creative Involvement
KWON left her longtime agency in March 2026 and signed with RBW, home to K-pop acts MAMAMOO and ONEWE, the following month. In September 2026, she released the digital single ‘DEJAVU,’ her first new music in approximately 16 months after ‘Hello Stranger.’
The disco-pop single features a more relaxed vocal delivery than earlier tracks such as ‘Glitch,’ ‘Underwater,’ and ‘The Flash,’ which paired prominent high notes with demanding choreography. “I included more of the stories I wanted to tell and the things I like. Also, I feel like I participated much more in everything from A to Z, from the stage concept to the album planning,” she explains. “So, you might feel a slightly different color from my usual music, and I think fans were able to sense more of what KWON EUNBI likes and what she wanted to try this time. That is why I think those aspects might have felt a bit different.”
Connecting Across Cultures
KWON’s visit came against a backdrop of strong interest in South Korea among UAE audiences. In the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s ‘2025 Survey on Korea’s National Image,’ 94.8% of UAE respondents expressed a favorable view of South Korea—the highest proportion among the countries surveyed. Across the survey, cultural content was the most frequently cited influence on positive perceptions, at 45.2%.
“Music can transcend language and culture to unite us as one. So, performing K-pop allows me to make my presence known and enables other K-pop artists and Korea to receive so much love, which makes me feel very grateful.”
That interest is also reflected in the UAE’s calendar of Korean cultural events. CHUNG HA and SHINee’s ONEW performed at Festival Bay, DFC, on January 3 as part of e& DSF Nights during the Dubai Shopping Festival. Alongside Dubai K-Fest, other announced programs have included K-Expo UAE’s K-LOUD show at Global Village and Krazy Super Concert and ‘K-POP FEVER.‘
For the soloist, reaching audiences in places such as Dubai brings gratitude for the opportunities K-pop creates for Korean artists and the interest it generates in their country. “I feel that K-pop allows us to introduce more singers to the world, and I am thankful that it also helps promote Korea globally. Furthermore, music can transcend language and culture to unite us as one. So, performing K-pop allows me to make my presence known and enables other K-pop artists and Korea to receive so much love, which makes me feel very grateful.”
Beyond The Stage
Her visit also included time away from rehearsals and performing. After arriving and getting some sleep, she visited Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go on a desert safari,” she says, adding that she hopes to try one on a future visit.
Knowing fans would be there to see her helped temper the nerves she described feeling on arrival. Her message to them returned to the same hope she expressed throughout the conversation: sharing an enjoyable performance and leaving them with energy to take away.
More To Share
Beyond that first Dubai show, she wants to share more of herself through her music as her experiences and perspectives evolve. “There are still so many sides of myself that I haven’t shown yet. As time passes and I gain more experience, my thoughts always change, so I think what is shown will be different each time,” she says. That desire to share more also shapes her longer-term plans. “I will continue to be active for a long time, and I think I will express the emotions I feel through albums, one by one.”
Work on those next releases was already underway, although she did not give a release date. “I’m currently preparing for my next releases after ‘DEJAVU,’ and I think a new album will probably be the first to be released.”
