The Hallyu (Korean wave) fascination in Nagaland is turning out to be a trend especially among youngsters.
The Korean pop music or K-Pop wave in Nagaland or even Northeast India has been on the rise and it is clear that there are ardent K-Pop fan following in the state-sans-the 'keyboard warriors' while the event management team takes the risk of bringing the K-Pop in the state despite the language barrier.
The Hornbill International Music Festival in 2018 worked magic as the concert of K-Pop band Mont which saw an overwhelming crowd response, especially from the youngsters forcing the band to come back and meet fans on Dec. 27 in Dimapur.
Another treat for fans is the event dubbed the “Summer Star Tour” with K- Pop singer Jang Han-byul which will be happening today (Saturday) July 20 at IMC Hall in Dimapur. The event which is a 'fan meet and a mini-concert' will start at 3 PM and will be his first concert in India.
Ahead of his first concert in Dimapur, a press conference with Jang Han-byul was held at Hotel Grand Tizu in Dimapur on Friday July 19, during which he said the journey to Nagaland was the longest trip he had experienced in his whole life, but it was worth the experience. He was particualrly overwhelmed by the young fans who received him at the airport. The airport experience, Jang Han-byul said, was an unexpected experience which surprised him and was a positive energy for the Summer Tour.
"Before my trip I had googled about Dimapur but after landing the Dimapur airport, the place was a lot different from what I had perceived-lots of foreign brand shops and a lot of physical similarities with South East Asia", the K-Pop singer shared. He perceives Nagaland as a place of hopes and dreams.
Jang Han-byul shared that he was surprised with the Mont concert response and was grateful to the younger generation for being K-Pop fans and for the opportunity to perform for the fans of a different country.
"Getting an opportunity to perform in a different country is an honour and I am willing to put in my hard work to increase my talents", he expressed. He also shared that the K-Pop industry was interested in Nagaland because of the fan base.
Bollywood music,he said, was much more renowned but he did not expect K-Pop or Korean culture to be big. "I am not sure if K-Pop is still big and I'm still surprised to know that K-Pop has so much of influence", he said.
When asked if he was willing to return to Nagaland in the future, Jang Han-byul responded that "every opportunity that I get depends not on conditions but to perform for new people, fans and for experiences and I will definitely return if I am given the opportunity". He anticipates that his first concert in Dimapur will be positive and is looking forward for his fans and the K-Pop fans reactions.
Besides being an artiste he holds a bachelor in dental science from the University of Queensland but because of his passion for music, he ventured into the entertainment industry . "I was worried if practising dentistry can be my career which of course was a secure profession but decided to take music out of passion", he said.
Jang Han-byul advisesd his fans and the aspiring musicians to work hard as almost 60% of the young people aims to be a singer.
Getting candid with the reporters at the press conference, the K-Pop singer said he wants to taste the local rice beer, spicy food, take pictures of the food and local drinks, get to know Nagaland as much as possible, and see places. A foodie himself, he says "I need to try Naga chilly and taste zütho".
The Musik-A events are hosting the "Summer Star Tour" in association with Pinkbox events, who successfully roped in the K-Pop band Mont last HIMF and Karbi Anglong Chamber of Commerce (KAAC).
Pink Box event member Nikita Engheepi said K-Pop has a huge influence in the state and Northeast which will stay, and the younger generation since the early 2000, has been tuned in to K-Pop more than Bollywood.
"Last year we were concerned before the Mont concert and with the backlash on social media but in the end the concert was a huge success which was not expected", Engheepi said. She maintained that the elders think that with the K-Pop influence we are letting our culture die but music is music despite the language barrier.
Musik-A events' Alobo Naga asserted that the Summer Tour concert was for the love of music and K-Pop. The event will not just be a concert but an opportunity for the youngsters to showcase their talents.
A K-Pop contest was held for fans and out of the 51 entries received, 13 has been selected who will get the opportunity to open for Jang Han-byul, Naga informed.
