JOHANNESBURG – K-pop singer Ailee made history on September 6, 2025 (local time) by successfully holding the first solo concert by a K-pop artist in South Africa at SunBet Arena in Pretoria. The concert, part of the special cultural exchange event between the two countries, 'Ubuntu with K-Culture,' concluded successfully to the enthusiastic cheers of 8,000 local fans.
Ailee captivated the audience with passionate performances of her hit songs, including 'I Will Show You' and 'I'm Going to You Like the First Snow.' Visiting South Africa for the first time in 14 years since her debut in 2012, she expressed her overwhelming emotions, saying, "It took 14 years to get here, but what's important is that I'm with you all now." She also expressed surprise at the unexpected passion for K-pop, stating, "When I return to Korea, I will convey your passion and affection exactly as it is. I will pave the way for other junior singers to perform here," which drew a thunderous roar from the audience.
In addition to Ailee, the event was filled with diverse Korean cultural content. The Taekwondo demonstration team, K-Tigers, received a heated response from local fans with their unique performance that blended Taekwondo with K-pop. In particular, their choreography set to the music from the Netflix animated film 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' encouraged the audience to sing along, raising the atmosphere.
Stages by local South African artists also received great applause. The Ndlovu Youth Choir, which gained worldwide fame through the NBC audition program 'America's Got Talent,' performed a Zulu-language rendition of BTS's hit song 'Dynamite,' symbolically showing the cultural exchange between the two countries. Immediately after the performance, a fashion show featuring special hanboks made with traditional Korean wedding dresses, hanboks, and traditional South African fabrics captivated the audience.
This event was organized by the Korean Embassy in South Africa and the Korean Cultural Center, in collaboration with KOTRA, to celebrate South Africa successfully hosting the G20 Summit for the first time on the African continent in November, following Korea's successful hosting of the G20 Summit for the first time in Asia in 2010. Yang Dong-han, the Korean Ambassador to South Africa, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two countries, stating, "We will actively cooperate for the successful hosting of the G20 Summit in South Africa." Ailee's historic performance is expected to be more than a simple cultural event, but an opportunity to deepen the friendly relationship between Korea and South Africa.
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