K-pop group B.I.G. is coming to Abu Dhabi and the boyband is also going to be singing in Arabic.
K-pop is on the rise, as is its popularity within the Middle East. BTS, arguably the world’s most popular k-pop group right now just made their debut performance in Saudi Arabia, as did another k-pop group named Super Junior. BTS were also one of the first celeb groups to be given a Dubai Star, a similar accolade to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
All in all, k-pop is a big deal in the Middle East and UAE, and there’s a group out there who’s embraced this fact in an exciting way. A group called B.I.G. not only loves performing the region, they perform in Arabic for their legions of Arabic-speaking fans.
Short for Boys in Groove, B.I.G. will make an appearance in the UAE when they perform at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi. The group will act as one of the headliners for the Korea Festival taking place this year.
“We’ve met the UAE fans through our songs only, so I’m really excited to meet you all in person at our concert in Abu Dhabi. We will show you the best performance there. Please keep supporting us with love,” said Minpyo, one of the group’s current members, in an interview with The National.
Just under a year ago, as part of their Global Cover Project, the group took on a number of famous Arabic songs. Singing them entirely in Arabic instead of their native tongue. The Koreans first covered La Bezzaf by the Arab boyband named The5, as well as Lm3allem by Saad Lamjarred and Hussain Al Jassmi’s Boshret Kheir.
Speaking to The National, “We first got interested in covering Arabic songs when we went to one of the radio channels as guests,” said Gunmin, another member. “It was an Arabic programme so we thought of covering Arabic songs for the Arab fans who has been supporting us since our debut.”
The band came together in 2014 but haven’t released any albums since 2017. Until now that is, the band recently unveiled their Illusion album, complete with both a Korean and an Arabic version.
The group will make their performance in Abu Dhabi on November 7, performing just a few weeks after k-pop group Seventeen headlined the Korean Brand & Content Expo here in Dubai.
