As we recapped the year of K-pop in 2024, here’s a look at what went down in the MENA region.
ATEEZ headlined the main stage of the Mawazine Festival in Morocco back in May, making them the first K-pop group to achieve this feat.
K-pop stars EXO’s Suho and SHINee’s Taemin had canceled their tour stops in the UAE, but the year saw groups OH MY GIRL, KARD, and The Wind perform in Dubai. Girls’ Generation member Yuri and the rookie boy band Nomad also participated at the Korean Brand Expo in Riyadh.
WATERBOMB festival, a popular South Korean summer splash fiesta, also made its Middle East debut in Dubai in June, as part of its world tour. The two-day event saw CL, pH-1, Simon Dominic, 82MAJOR, among others, take the stage.
Also, entertainment giants have also shown interest in the regional market. HYBE founder and chairman Bang Si-hyuk reportedly met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to Seoul in May to discuss expanding K-pop in the UAE.