Mnet to host free K-pop concert in Bangkok next week

Cable music channel Mnet will be hosting a free concert in Thailand next week starring over a dozen K-pop groups, according to a press release by the broadcaster on Thursday.

Mnet announced it will hold the "ShowKing M in Bangkok" at 7 p.m. on April 6 where a total of 18 different artists, including 2AM, Brown Eyed Girls, Choshinsung, CNBLUE, Kara, Kim Tae-woo, MBLAQ, SG Wannabe, Son Ho-young, T-ara and U-Kiss, have been set to perform.

Boy band 2PM members Junsu and Wooyoung have been chosen as emcees for the event.

"Thailand is currently the advance guard for spreading Korean pop music," said the show's chief producer Kim Dong-joon. "Many Korean singers will be able to promote themsevles overseas from this performance and largely contribute in raising the popularity of the local pop music, the Korean Wave."

Korean music industry officials also explained that there are many Korean singers who will "take advantage of such big, local music show to break into overseas markets."

The free concert, which will take place at Thailand's Rajamangala National Stadium, was organized by media business company AMADAS and will be broadcast jointly by Thai terrestrial network MCOT and Korea's Mnet.

A press conference regarding the show will be held April 5 with the concert itself set to air on Mnet two weeks later.

Reporter : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr