Exo’s CHEN and KAI were the headliner’s acts for the first-ever HallyuPopFest held in London on 9th and 10th July, 2022.
One of South-East Asia’s biggest music festivals HallyuPopFest took place in London over the weekend at the OVO Arena Wembley. The event was headlined by Exo’s Chen and Kai on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The boys participated in the event as solo artists.
The compulsory military enlistment in South Korea seems to put every male artist’s career- actor, singer, idol- in a jeopardy and is something that is feared by most of them. Because who won’t fear being away from the limelight for nearly 2 years when that’s all their profession is about?
But nothing seems to faze the popularity of Exo boys, who have been in a limelight even throughout their enlistment period (Park Chanyeol), setting the bar so high and creating a new trend along the way. Instead of losing, these boys seem to be gaining new fans every day; international fans at that.
Exo’s Chen aka Kim Jongdae was the headliner for the first day of the HallyuPopFest 2022 on Saturday 9th July 2022. This was Chen’s first official public appearance and performance since his military discharge in April 2022.
Chen had remained low-key and maintained a low profile throughout his enlistment. The fans were starved for nearly 2 years with almost no update about the artist. However, it seems like the artist had different plans when it came to his first appearance after years. He took the “go big or go home” motto way too seriously, skipping the “discharge live” tradition of the SM Entertainment, Chen made his comeback by directly taking up international projects.
Well since everything Exo does is different and unique, was it really such a shocker? The fans loved him even more for this.
For day 2 of the festival, the idol of the idols, Exo’s Kai aka Kim Jongin, was the headliner on Sunday. Gucci’s bear baby, who is part of Exo’s maknae line, is yet to enlist for his compulsory military service. The once “dancing machine” Kai, is now the “idol of the idols” and is not only adored by his fans around the world but also by his peers. The younger idols look up to him as his idol and have opened up about it on various occasions.
Kai performed his songs from his 2 solo albums – “Kai” and “Peaches.” Working as a model, ambassador, idol, solo artist and performer, the artist’s schedule has been pretty tight over the past year. From performing in the Water bomb festival in Korea, nearly 10 days back, to now performing in London for his international fans, Kai is going from place to place stealing hearts and collecting fans like he collected the peaches in his second album.
Talking about Exo’s world domination, we cannot miss our gang (group) leader Suho aka Kim Junmyeon, who also hasn’t got the time to relax since his military discharge earlier this year. Suho has been travelling from one end to the other end of the world like he is dropping clue for another path code teaser. Beginning with an educational conference/seminar at Stanford, to promoting his second solo album, Grey Suit, in Dubai, and most recently, performing at the Water Bomb Festival in South Korea.
While the “Kim Bros” of Exo are busy taking over the world with their intellect and mesmerizing performance, our ever-so-competitive barrack boy, Park Chanyeol, is stealing hearts from the camp and is making the military men “growl.”
The group’s most spoiled maknae, Oh Sehun, and the ever-so-talented, Doh Kyungsoo are busy taking over the acting industry.
Having finished his drama, “Now, we are breaking up”, where he played the role of the second male lead, alongside Song Hye Kyo and Jang Ki Yong, and wrapping up the movie, “The Pirates: The last royal”, earlier this year, Sehun is now onto his next acting project where he would be the male lead, playing the role of an 18-year-old high school student.
Similarly, soon after his military discharge, DO aka Doh Kyungsoo has been swamped with acting projects and has been focusing on the same after dropping his solo album, “Empathy” and quickly disappearing into thin air. His upcoming projects include, the scientific thriller movie- “The moon”, “The Secret the Unspeakable”, a crime thriller drama- “True Sword Battle” and the television show – “Off the Grid.”
Xuimin aka Kim Minseok is rumoured to be realizing his first solo album in the second half of the year. And lastly, Exo’s China sheep, Lay aka CEO Zhang Yixing, is as busy as always with more projects on his plate than one can count (even he cannot)
With so many projects lined up for each member in various sectors around the globe, its safe to say Exo’s world domination is in full force.
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