K-pop stars are back in Hong Kong, with 28,000 fans expected at Super Junior boy band’s sold-out concerts
- City’s pandemic restrictions were eased too late for overseas fans who might have come for shows
- Boy band will perform without masks at AsiaWorld-Expo, but must keep at least 1.5 metres from fans
The band’s sold-out shows on November 19 and 20 at AsiaWorld-Expo are among several by K-pop artists, including Kang Daniel, and girl groups Blackpink on January 13-15 and Mamamoo on January 7.
Up to 28,000 fans are expected at the Super Junior concerts, which are part of the nine-member group’s first world tour since the Covid-19 pandemic. The band had a concert planned for March 2020, but it was cancelled because of the pandemic.
Hongkonger Sandy Li, 32, a fan since 2007, travelled last month to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to catch the band’s concert there.
Thrilled that her idols would be back in Hong Kong, she said watching them perform live made her feel “happy and energetic”. She said she spent almost HK$3,000 on tickets for both concerts this weekend and will be going with other Hong Kong fans.
“They tailor their show for the audience in different overseas venues, which makes each concert a very precious and unique experience for fans,” she said.
South Korean office worker Oh Jee-min, 33, who came to Hong Kong for the concert, said overseas fans who would have liked to attend were put off by the strict pandemic restrictions.