Asia's Largest Hallyu Festival on June 8-9 Attracts Over 1.1 Million Visitors On and Offline, Proving BOF's Reputation
June 8 'BOF Big Concert': Despite Rain, 9 K-POP Teams and Over 1.07 Million Fans Worldwide Join the Festival
June 9 'Park Concert': 20,000 Moved by Sunset Over Nakdong River and Healing Vocal Performances by 5 Teams
The '2024 Busan One Asia Festival' successfully concluded its two-day journey on June 8 and 9.
This year's BOF, hosted by the city and organized by the Busan Tourism Organization, marked its 8th anniversary as Asia's largest Hallyu festival. Notably, this year saw a record-breaking turnout with around 1.1 million spectators enjoying the festival both online and offline, reaffirming BOF's reputation as the best and largest event in its history.
On June 8, the festival's opening day, the 'Big Concert' brought together nine leading K-POP teams from the 1st to the 5th generation and over 1.07 million fans from around the world, transcending generations even in rainy weather.
The lineup included: god, Super Junior-D&E (Donghae & Eunhyuk), ZEROBASEONE, BOYNEXTDOOR, NOWADAYS, n.SSign, LUN8, H1-KEY, and Billlie.
Despite the inclement weather caused by rain since the morning, more than 22,000 domestic and international spectators, dressed in colorful raincoats, filled the Busan Asiad Main Stadium. Through 'Weverse Live Streaming,' over 1.05 million fans from 179 countries around the world joined the festival, transcending time and space.
The artists responded to the enthusiastic support of the audience braving the rain with spectacular group choreography and performances. In particular, the final stage featured a special collaboration where all performers joined together to sing god's 'One Candle,' delivering a moving moment that united artists and audiences of all generations through a single song.
Especially noteworthy, the city invited about 700 culturally marginalized individuals, including members of multicultural families and out-of-school youth, to this year's Big Concert. This event provided an opportunity for those interested in K-POP but who have difficulty attending such events, allowing citizens of various ages, including children and teenagers, to enjoy a joyful experience.
Before the concert began, the 'K-POP Playground' hosted a 'Random Play Dance Challenge' where Busan's mascot 'Bugi' and dancers showcased their talents and dance skills.
On the following day, June 9, a Park Concert was held at Hwamyeong Ecological Park, offering a summer night picnic atmosphere with five emotional vocal teams providing healing to the audience.
The lineup included: MeloMance, Paul Kim, JUKJAE, ONESTAR, and Peakboy.
From early morning, around 20,000 spectators visited the lawn concert venue with their families, spreading mats throughout the park and enjoying the romance of Busan's summer night amidst the sunset.
The concert also left a deep impression on citizens as it was held against the backdrop of the beautiful sunset along the Nakdong River and lush trees.
Shim Jaemin, Director of the City’s Culture and Sports Bureau, said, "I would like to thank the many domestic and international spectators who visited Busan to join BOF, which was held in June for the first time this year despite the bad weather. We prioritized the safety and convenience of our visitors by preparing this event in close cooperation with relevant organizations. We ask for your continued interest and support for BOF, the leading Hallyu content of 'Global Cultural City Busan.'"
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