K-pop stars G-Dragon, Cha Eun-woo light up Apec 2025 gala dinner in Gyeongju
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K-pop star G-Dragon at the 2025 Apec at the Lahan Select hotel in the south-eastern city of Gyeongju, South Korea.
PHOTO: EPA
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GYEONGJU – K-pop icons G-Dragon and Cha Eun-woo added star power to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit’s gala dinner in Gyeongju, in the North Gyeongsang province of South Korea, captivating global leaders and delegates gathered at the Oct 31 event.
The dinner in Lahan Select Hotel’s grand ballroom opened with Cha, a South Korean singer-actor currently serving in the military, who stepped out of uniform to host the evening in fluent English.
“I never imagined I would be here as an emcee in front of such distinguished guests,” he said.
The 28-year-old member of K-pop boy band Astro reportedly participated as part of the government’s effort to promote South Korean pop culture on the world stage.
G-Dragon, the BigBang frontman who serves as an Apec 2025 Korea ambassador, was the night’s only K-pop performer. Taking the stage for about 10 minutes, he delivered an electrifying medley of his hit songs including Power (2024), Home Sweet Home (2025) and Drama (2025).
While singing Power, G-Dragon wore a fedora with a pearl chain hanging from it, evoking the silhouette of a gat, a traditional Korean hat worn by men. For Drama, he added a symbolic touch by decorating his microphone with the Apec flag.
Other performances featured dance crews led by choreographer Lee Leejung, who participated in the production of KPop Demon Hunters (2025), and Honey J, leader of HolyBang, who won the first season of Mnet dance competition Street Woman Fighter (2021).
Singer-actor Cha Eun-woo emcees the gala dinner of the Apec summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Oct 31.
PHOTO: EPA
The last act featured a four-legged robot, Spot, who joined 11-year-old violin prodigy Kim Yeon-ah in a performance symbolising hope for the future. Meanwhile, the Apec Project Choir, made up of 24 children from around the world, sang Fly As One to convey a message of peace.
Cameras captured several world leaders and guests enjoying the performance, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Chilean Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren, and Thailand’s First Lady Thananon Niramit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was also spotted conversing with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung during G-Dragon’s performance, and later smiling as he received a paper butterfly – a reference to the Apec logo – from a children’s choir performance.
About 400 attendees, including Apec leaders and spouses, international organisation heads and global CEOs, were present at the dinner.
The menu, prepared by Korean-American chef Edward Lee, showcased a “harmony of Korean and Western cuisine”, featuring Gyeongju-style braised short ribs and vegetable bibimbap. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
