I am grateful for the opportunity to celebrate 25 years together with fans at this festival.
BoA, "the star of Asia," previewed a special time to reflect on her musical journey with long-time fans ahead of her participation in the 2025 Weverse Con Festival (hereafter referred to as "Wiconfe"). This stage is expected to showcase her charm as the best female solo artist, who has been a key player in leading the globalization of K-pop and possesses numerous hit songs.
BoA will grant both days of the Wiconfe, held at Inspire Arena in Incheon on May 31 and June 1. The "Tribute Stage" she will perform on is designed to spotlight an artist who has made a significant impact on Korean popular music, with BoA, who celebrates her 25th anniversary this year, taking the baton after the late Shin Hae-Cheol, Seo Taiji, Um Jung-Hwa, and Park Jin-Young.
The Wiconfe organizers noted BoA as "a symbolic artist in Korean popular music who proved the global expansion potential of K-pop by entering the Japanese market and topping the Oricon chart at a time when the term 'K-pop' was unfamiliar. Their selection reason for this year's tribute artist was revealed.
BoA said, "I understand that the Tribute Stage is the signature stage of Wiconfe, and I am very happy to adorn that stage. It is truly meaningful to celebrate this long journey with many people from my debut 25 years ago to now, since I began my activities before K-pop became a global genre."
As a pioneer of K-pop, BoA added, "K-pop has garnered worldwide love to the extent that dedicated categories have emerged on major overseas charts, and I feel that it has now established itself as a culture beyond music."
BoA reflected on the significance of this festival, which features junior artists who are currently leading the K-pop scene. She said, "I feel special that we can experience the stages of multiple generations of artists in one place at Wiconfe, which has become a platform for the integration of Korean popular music." She continued, "I have been proud to hear many junior artists say that they enjoy my music or cover it, but now thinking that I will see them directly in front of me feels a bit embarrassing yet exciting," sharing her anticipation for the cover performances by junior artists on the Tribute Stage.
BoA also shared her viewing points for this stage. She said, "As it is a festival, we are planning to present songs that many people enjoy in a lively band live format," and encouraged, "Please have fun as we will focus on songs that allow the audience to breathe together and sing along together." She also mentioned, "Let's recharge for the energy we will jump and play together and meet at the performance venue," heightening expectations for the upcoming stage.
Meanwhile, Wiconfe is a music festival that unites global fans beyond genres and generations while providing a unique performance experience using the Weverse platform. This year, it has expanded to include a lineup of various genres featuring K-pop artists, bands, and musical actors, boasting the largest lineup ever with a total of 27 teams. Additionally, the nighttime performances at Weverse Park have been added, enhancing its profile as a rich music festival for audiences.
[Photo] SM Entertainment
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