Following the success of last year’s turnout, K-Fun Day returns for 2023 with its month-long festivities. The free event, created by The Shops at Skyview, highlights Korean culture through various activities offered to the public. Activities were split into four days with the themes of K-Pop, K-art, K-culture, and K-food being represented each day.
On July 9, K-Pop Day welcomed K-Pop idol Moon Jongup back to the Big Apple. After he and his fellow B.A.P members parted ways with their former company in 2019, Jongup pursued a solo career, winning the hearts of old and new fans alike. It has been four years since his last visit to New York at KCON 2019 so fans eagerly waited for his return. The artist held an exclusive meet & greet for 250 attendees at the Skyview Mall in Flushing, Queens. This was his first U.S. appearance since competing on Peak Time, a Korean reality TV show in which contestants showcase their talents for the “Worldwide Idol” title. The event was publicized in the Korea Daily newspaper and his fan club Moonw4lk_global specially prepared a billboard for him in Times Square.
Prior to his public appearance, Jongup held a quick press conference with Wesley Sin, Regional Marketing Manager of Shopcore Properties, owners and managers of The Shops at Skyview. As soon as Jongup stepped into the room he began posing for photos, showering the photographers with a warm smile and heart gestures. During the conference, he mentioned he prepared special performances for the fans to look forward to. Jongup expressed his eagerness in meeting the fans again and answered press questions regarding his solo work and upcoming project, “I’m working really hard on the album right now.” He wrapped up the conference by taking group photos with the press and event partners.
Before the meet & greet started, fans quickly filled out the 4th-floor space, clutching onto their Matoki lightsticks and banners. Most were New Yorkers but there were a few who traveled from other areas such as Chicago, Canada, and even as far as Taiwan. Despite the tickets being complimentary, the front section was reserved for 50 VIP holders who spent $200+ from Skyview retail stores while the rest of the 200 attendees were placed into Zone 1 and Zone 2.
Screams erupted as soon as Jongup made his way on stage and started performing “This That Shhh (prod. Jay Park),” a song from Peak Time, while accompanied by AKF Dance Studio. Being the professional dancer that he is, Jongup captivated the crowd with his dynamic moves.
“A lot of you are fans of B.A.P right?” asked Wesley, prompting Jongup into introducing himself with the familiar catchphrase “우리 (We are) B.A.P yessir!” Amongst the B.A.P fans, there were also new fans who discovered him through Peak Time. As it was an event promoting Korean culture, Jongup gave the audience three recommendations on what to do when they visit Seoul – Eat samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly); order from pojangmacha (street food tents); and the third one hilariously being “visit my house” in which Wesley clarified he meant to visit Sinsa-dong, a fashionable neighborhood in Seoul.
It was an hour-long meet & greet filled with fun, interactive activities. Selected lucky fans won photo ops with Jongup, with one fan receiving a signed Matoki shirt designed by Jongup and artist Jihyo Yu. During the Korean food segment, Jongup made a roll of kimbap and hand-fed it to two fans while another two got to try out his personally crafted Milkis cocktail.
For the Q&A, Jongup expressed his desire to have a concert in New York while the audience cheered in agreement. He danced along to the killing part of “Bad” upon the request of a fan while ending it off with a performance of his solo song “US.” Before bidding farewell, Jongup greeted and took group photos with fans across the three sections.
The remaining festivities continued till 5PM with live dance performances by AKF Dance Studio. Free fans from the Korea Tourism Organization and drinks adorned with cupsleeves (courtesy of Jongup’s Taiwanese fan club HoneyMoon) were provided to attendees afterward and VIP holders were gifted with signed posters.
K-Pop Day granted fans the opportunity to see their beloved idol and experience Korean culture. Be sure to check out other K-Fun events within the following weeks. We’d like to thank Skyview for arranging this event and we await Jongup’s return!
Stay tuned for our exclusive interview with Jongup coming soon!