K-Event Review: Seoul My Soul and ONEUS Concert in India

Written by: Ayushi Verma and Aayushi Mishra (Delhi)

Edited by: Pooja Vishwanathan (Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh)

Opening Ceremony of Seoul My Soul

The “2024 Seoul My Soul in India” event, organized by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, was a vibrant celebration that truly resonated with everyone. The event was held in the heart of the capital at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan on December 5th. We were particularly captivated by the high-energy K-pop performances, especially the electrifying concert by ONEUS, which brought together fans in an exhilarating atmosphere. The local dance crews, including EZ, ZXT, and ETERNALS, impressed us with their energetic performances, making the event feel like a genuine K-pop festival. To know more about this event, read ahead:

ONEUS Concert

The highlight of the event? Well, ONEUS totally stole the show and left everyone in awe! 

ONEUS is a 5-member K-pop boy band consisting of Hwanwoong, Xion, Seoho, Leedo, and Keonhee, and they’re under RBW Entertainment. They debuted on January 9, 2019, with their EP LIGHT US with “Valkyrie” as the lead single. 

During the show, ONEUS brought their A-game, performing some of their top hits like “Now,” “Black Mirror,” “No Diggity,” “LIT,” “STUPID LOVE,” and “Epilogue.” Their energy was insane! It was impossible not to get up, dance, and groove along with them! After the performances, the fun didn’t stop—it was time for an interview!

Seoho shared how amazed he was by his welcome to India with a “shawl” and “tika”, saying it made his first visit even more special.

Keonhee was asked if he wanted to see any place in India, and he said, “I’d love to visit the Taj Mahal and meet all the fans here!”

Hwanwoong also shared his love for Indian cinema, saying, “I’ve watched Indian movies and love how they’re full of colorful singing and dancing scenes. I’d love to shoot a music video in India, maybe at Hawa Mahal!”

Then came one of the night’s most fun and thrilling moments: the ONEUS-signed Polaroids lucky draw! Each member picked one ticket from the lucky draw box, putting the entire audience on the edge of their seats. The excitement was through the roof as five lucky winners won signed Polaroids from the members! Next up was photo time! The members were handed the “Seoul My Seoul” cheering sticks and struck some super cute poses for the fans. Hwanwoong had everyone smiling when he expressed his love for Indian fans by saying, “Aapse milkar acha laga” in Hindi. Xion and Leedo also thanked the fans for all the love and promised to come back to India soon!

Exhibition Activities

Another event highlight was the photo zone, where fans could accessorize with colorful wigs, quirky headbands, and fun props. These activities were so exciting that the laughter filled the air as the fans snapped photos with their friends, creating vibrant memories. Exciting zones like the SNS Hashtag event, Subscription event zone, and Seoul Goods zones were the attraction zones for fans. People enjoyed visiting and exploring these zones. The event’s additional draw was the balloon wall, adorned with heart-shaped decorations and a hot air balloon prop, which offered a whimsical backdrop for pictures, adding a playful charm to the venue. Fans enjoyed clicking pictures and creating memories.

Another popular activity was the light stick customization station, where fans could decorate their light sticks with jewels, stickers, and glow-in-the-dark markers to create stunning, unique creations, which was another well-loved activity. The nearby face-painting station provided a festival makeup experience that was equally engaging, allowing fans to showcase their creativity with colorful designs and stickers.

Other Performances

As the evening progressed, Minha Kim and Maddy acted as the hosts of the evening, and the atmosphere grew even more dynamic with performances by talented dance cover groups. Popular K-pop songs were performed live on stage by groups like EZ, ZXT, and ETERNALS, enthralling the crowd and eliciting wild applause. EZ, the first group, performed SHEESH by BABYMONSTER, Next Level by AESPA, and Same Scent by ONEUS. ZXT, the second group, danced to Stray Kids’ Red Lights along with two other tracks. The dancing group ETERNALS performed I CAN’T STOP ME by TWICE along with two other songs before closing up the show. The commitment and skill of the local K-pop community were demonstrated by these performances.

Live Painting Demonstration

A live painting session with pop artist Hong Won-pyo and actress-painter Yoon Song-a, who finished their canvases on stage, was another way the event displayed artistic flair Mr. Kil Ki-yon, the CEO of the Seoul Tourism Organization, joined them to write Seoul My Soul on their canvas as a finishing touch on the piece, adding even more significance to their joint creativity. 

Lucky draw contest and winners

Following the announcement of the lucky draw, there was a lot of excitement with prizes including round-trip tickets to Seoul and a luxury hotel stay, thrilling the winners and adding a layer of exclusivity to the evening. One participant received round-trip tickets to Seoul, while another was awarded a five-star hotel stay. Also, the thrilling part of the event was when random people from the audience were selected through their seat numbers and were given signed albums of ONEUS.

Overall Experience

Exploring the immersive pop-up booths was another highlight; we loved engaging with Seoul’s contemporary culture firsthand. The Beauty Zone allowed us to experience K-beauty trends, while the K-pop Zone provided a fun photo opportunity that made us feel like stars ourselves. Overall, the event not only showcased Seoul’s rich culture but also left a deeper connection between South Korea and India, leaving us inspired and eager to explore more of what Seoul has to offer.

A particularly unique moment came when pop artist Hong Won-pyo and actress-painter Yoon Song-a completed live paintings on stage, culminating with the Seoul Tourism Organization CEO, Mr. Kil Ki-yon, adding a personal touch. His heartfelt address and announcement of grand prizes, including round-trip tickets to Seoul and a five-star hotel stay, left a lasting impression on attendees.

Conclusion

The event effectively showcased the rich culture of Seoul while engaging Indian audiences. It helped create a better understanding and appreciation between South Korea and India, inspiring attendees to learn more about Seoul. To conclude, the event was a great success in promoting cultural exchange and opened the door for future collaborations.

Did you attend Seoul my Soul event? Share your experience and favorite moments with us in the comment section below.